iTerm2 slide down over full screen app
MacosOsx YosemiteIterm2Macos Problem Overview
I always have my IDE (phpStorm) in full screen mode (Yosemite).
I want my iTerm2 hotkey to slide my terminal window down over the IDE, so it doesn't open up a new space for the terminal window. As once the window slides back up it leaves me on an empty space, rather than going back to phpStorm.
Macos Solutions
Solution 1 - Macos
> Attention! See Update3 for new iTerm versions (works for 2.1.5)
Original Answer
This command allows iTerm to work over fullscreen apps
defaults write ~/Applications/iTerm.app/Contents/Info LSUIElement true
But it hides iTerm's context menu. To access iTerm's preferences, right-click on the tabs bar and select the proper menu item; or focus on any iTerm's window and press ⌘-,.
Update
> If you use the beta version of iTerm, there is no need to run the previous command. You can turn on Preferences > Advanced > Hide iTerm2 from the dock and from the ⌘-Tab app switcher. > > Also make sure that the profile you use for the dropdown window (Hotkey window by default) is allowed on all spaces (Preferences > Profiles > "Hotkey window" profile > "Window" tab > Space: "all spaces"). > > Remember to restart iTerm2.
Update 2
> If you can't find Preferences, use the shortcut ⌘-i or Right Click in an open iTerm2 terminal window, then select "Edit Session".
Update 3
> In 2.1.5, you should use the "Exclude from Dock and ⌘-Tab Application Switcher" option in Preferences -> Appearance. When iTerm2 is excluded from the dock, you can always get back to the Preferences window using the status bar item, or ⌘-,. Look for an iTerm2 icon on the right side of your menu bar. > >
Update 4
In v.3.4.15, you should follow the comment from @Sudhi. Profiles -> specific Profile -> Keys -> "A hotkey opens dedicated window with this profile" and configure hotkey.
Solution 2 - Macos
Step 1 HotKey
Create Dedicated Hotkey Window
Preferences
> Keys
> Click Create Dedicated Hotkey Window
set hot key by pressing Click to Set
(and subsequently your desired key combo)
Step 2 Floating in Focus
Make the app stay above any apps that are currently in the workspace and maintain focus (in the same dialog from above)
- Check
Pin hotkey window(stays open on loss of keyboard focus)
- Check
Floating window
Step 3 Looks
When creating the hotkey terminal a new profile is created (generally named "Hotkey Window"), update profile as desired
OTHER NOTES
-
To enable some changes you will need to restart iTerm
-
You will be using a specific hot key to call up the overlay
-
You may also want to access preferences as well,
command
-,
-
if using an older version of iTerm here is the previous video
Solution 3 - Macos
This is currently not possible, unfortunately. See discussions here and here. Apps like Quicksilver, Alfred, and Dash are able to do it, so it is technically possible - just not implemented by George. It may become a moot point for these use cases when we get El Capitan's Split View
Solution 4 - Macos
I'd like to propose an variant of Marc's answers. And Friedka's answer is not anymore up to date, some options were removed, some changed, I'm using iTerm Build 3.2.0beta4
.
- Create and assign a hotkey
Preferences
> Keys
> Click Create Dedicated Hotkey Window
-
Follow the instructions to set the hot key.
-
Check pin hotkey window and floating window
-
Create a window arrangement
That's where my answer differ, Marc's answer rely on making iTerm to start with hotkey profile per default, which may be cumbersome if you need a simple standard window. Instead this answer proposes to use iterm's window arrangement.
-
So open a hotkey window
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Make sure all window with another profile (usually named Default) are closed. The only remaining active (hidden or not) window should be the Hotkey window.
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Save the arrangement,
Window
>Save Window Arrangement
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Make sure this arrangement is the default
Preferences
>Arrangements
> Select the arrangement and clickSet Default
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In the preference, make iterm starts with the default arrangement. :
Preferences
>General
>Startup
> SelectOpen Default Window Arrangement
-
Optionally tweak the hotkey window appearance