docklaunchpadmacosopen-office
I recently installed the OpenOffice 4 on my Mac and I use it also on Linux (CentOS 6.5 / Gnome2).
On Linux, after the installation, I got a specific shortcut (launcher) for every Office application (Spreadsheet, Text Document, Presentation, and so on) but on MacOSX I have only one launcher and I have to select the type of application afterwards.
Is there any way to install all shortcuts individually in the Launchpad and in the Dock as well like it is in the Office menu of Gnome under Linux?
Yeah, I got a little trick that will do that, with Automator. Launch Automator and create an an Application workflow. Add the following actions: "Get Specified Finder Items" -> here's where you specify the folder you want opened. "Open Finder Items"
Then save the workflow and drag it to Launchpad. You might wanna change the icon too. Works just like a folder.
It's an implementation detail that the developer has to implement. In your example case, for Office, it's Microsoft.
Here is the Cocoa Objective-C code that allows the developer to implement this feature:
- (BOOL)applicationShouldTerminateAfterLastWindowClosed:(NSApplication *)sender
{
return YES;
}
What you're observing is normal behavior on almost all applications on OS X and even the classic Mac OS. It's one of those things you should get used to on the Mac. However, these days, you are in luck that things are changing in your favor in Lion and probably later as OS X gains more features from iOS. As referenced in Lion Is a Quitter.
Lion will quit your running applications behind your back if it decides it needs the resources, and if you don’t appear to be using them. The heuristic for determining whether an application is “in use” is very conservative: it must not be the active application, it must have no visible, non-minimized windows — and, of course, it must explicitly support Automatic Termination.
Clearly, it looks like that version of Microsoft Office does not support Automatic Termination yet, but it may be coming.
So for now, the most you can do is check the program's preferences for options relating to quitting the application when it has no more windows open. Also, I encourage you to give Microsoft and / or any developer of apps feedback that you would like to see "quitting on last window closed" as a preference option or suggest they add support for Automatic Termination to their products.
Until then, just remember to use ⌘+Q when you are done with those applications that do not automatically quit when you close all its windows.
Best Answer
Unfortunately, I believe this isn't possible, not because of a Mac issue, but because the OpenOffice team chose to have it work this way.
I had found this site here which provided some app launch icons, though it seems it may be out of date and these may no longer work.
The site does have a "workaround" posted... which is the following:
Just an FYI. I have found that in OpenOffice 3.2 running on Windows there is an openoffice icon in the system tray that when right clicked allows you to open any individual application directly. On a Mac simply keeping the openoffice icon in the dock and then right clicking it gives you the same capability.
Given this... it seems OpenOffice decided that the "right way" to access a specific app from the dock is right-clicking and then picking the one you want.
Not exactly what you are looking for... but might be the closest you'll get.