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Open two Calculators at once Apps
Sometimes when one Calculator application isn't enough, it's annoying that there isn't a File -> New Calculator option. The only way I could find to run two calculators is go to the Finder, then to your Applications folder. Right-click or Control-click on the Calculator application, then select Duplicate. This makes a copy of the Calculator App. You can then run Calculator Copy.app so you can have a second calculator.

[robg adds: You can use this trick with many applications, though I'd stay away from changing preference settings, and results may be less predictable for larger, more complex applications. I thought it had been discussed here previously, but all I could find was a hint on running multiple Windows Remote Desktop clients.]
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Open two Calculators at once | 5 comments | Create New Account
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Open any application multiple times w/o making a copy
Authored by: MasterUltan on May 15, '03 11:45:47AM

If you launch any application by running the binary from Terminal, it will start a new process instead of making the other active. For example, in Terminal type:

/Applicatons/Calculator.app/Contents/MacOS/Calculator &

After Calculator launches, rinse and repeat. This works for any application without copying. The same preferences will apply for all, however.



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Open any application multiple times w/o making a copy
Authored by: sbwinn on May 15, '03 02:25:35PM

Don't know about the UNIX trick, but duplicating Filemaker 5.5 lets you run it twice. I never would have thought an app that complicated would be able to do it! Filemaker has this nasty modal window system that will hardly ever let you switch between open windows. Duplicating it at least lets me look at two windows at once.



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Open any application multiple times w/o making a copy
Authored by: miccet on Apr 15, '09 01:56:40AM

Or make an applescript like this:

do shell script "/Applications/Calculator.app/Contents/MacOS/Calculator -background >&/dev/null&"

Compile as an app, give it the calc icon and voila, you can have multiple calculators, without any terminal.



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Open any application multiple times w/o making a copy
Authored by: palahala on Apr 15, '09 02:42:40AM

So, to ensure I understand correctly: if one wants to have three Calculators running, one would compile your AppleScript twice, each with a different name? This would then give one a total of three Calculator "applications" that can be started?

(Thanks for this nice trick!)



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It was on here before.
Authored by: notmatt on May 15, '03 12:51:38PM
You're right, rob, this sort of hint was posted before, advising running a couple of copies of stuffit, and I quote:
I consider the subject of multiple applications sufficiently covered -- if you have other apps that benefit from running multiple instances, please post them in the comments to either existing hint.
Guess with 3500+ hints, it's getting hard to keep them all in your head at once.

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