Finder isn't shown amongst running apps after initial installation

[Stokestack]

Describe the bug

Finder is not blacklisted, and I don't have "Hide apps with no open window" checked. But immediately after installing Alt-Tab (and restarting it after granting permissions), it did not show Finder among running applications.

So I created a Finder window, and then checked Alt-Tab; it was shown. I then closed the Finder window, and checked Alt-Tab; now a large Finder icon appeared at the end of the open-apps grid.

Steps to reproduce the bug

Do a fresh installation of Alt-Tab and grant all permissions.
Make sure Finder isn't blacklisted in Alt-Tab preferences.
Make sure Alt-Tab isn't hiding apps with no windows.
Make sure Finder has no windows.
Invoke Alt-Tab.

Your environment

• AltTab version: 6.68.0
• macOS version: 14.4.1 (Apple Silicon)
• Other relevant info: e.g. using external keyboard, multiple monitors, etc
  Using external monitor in clamshell mode, but I doubt this is a factor.

[lwouis]

Hi,

On a fresh install, Finder is blacklisted partially. Only windows are shown, not the app itself in the case where there is no open window. This is what it looks like:

When you say that Finder is not blacklisted, do you mean that you removed the row from the blacklist table?

Thank you 🙇

[Stokestack]

Sure! First I set the drop-down to the blank entry. This didn't do anything. Then I removed the row altogether.

On a side note: I think it would be better not to hide Finder by default. Doing so hides one of Alt-Tab's coolest features: creating a window if you tab to an app that lacks one.

[lwouis]

Could you please share a video of the issue? Showing the preferences and the behavior?

Thank you

[Stokestack]

Well, it only occurred on initial installation. How do I fully remove AltTab and all of its preferences?

[lwouis]

There is a button for that in the preferences. At the bottom, on this tab:

[Stokestack]

OK, deleting preferences did reproduce the problem. In fact, now it doesn't show Finder even when it has a window. Screen grab and shot of preferences attached.

noFinder.mov

[lwouis]

Could you please show the Blacklist tab?
Also, if you press command+tab, the default app-switcher shows the Finder icon, right?

Thank you

[Stokestack]

Right, I forgot that Finder was blacklisted by default (which I don't understand; it defeats one of the best features of Alt-Tab).

After resetting preferences and removing Finder from the blacklist, it still doesn't show up in Alt-Tab at first. You have to create a Finder window and then invoke Alt-Tab. After that, Finder will show up without a window. Here's a screen grab of the sequence.