OSX: Switching to virtual desktop doesn't focus Emacs

Question

I have keyboard shortcuts set up to switch to virtual desktops with Ctrl-n. When I switch to a desktop, the "front-most" app in that window becomes focused. But not for Emacs.

Another, perhaps related, issue is that even though I have the When switching to an application, switch to a Space with open windows for the application option checked Mission Control preferences, when I Cmd-Tab to Emacs, the Emacs window is moved to the desktop I'm currently in. That's unexpected since when I Cmd-Tab to any other app, I'm switched to that desktop.

Any idea how to get Emacs to behave like normal applications?

• Emacs version: GNU Emacs 25.1.1 (x86_64-apple-darwin15.4.0, Carbon Version 157 AppKit 1404.46) of 2016-10-24 (brew install emacs-mac)
• OS version: 10.11.4 (15E65)

Answer 1

I don't see this behavior either with: osx 10.11.6 "GNU Emacs 25.1.50.1 (x86_64-apple-darwin15.6.0, NS appkit-1404.47 Version 10.11.6 (Build 15G31)) of 2016-09-22"

Emacs from brew as follows: brew install emacs --HEAD --use-git-head --with-cocoa --with-gnutls --with-rsvg --with-imagemagick

Answer 2

The behavior you described is specific to Emacs Mac port and can be observed when the menu bar is globally disabled. Enabling it should make Emacs behave like other applications on OS X.

I emailed the maintainer of the port, Yamamoto Mitsuharu, regarding this issue and he referred me to the relevant section of the Mac port info node, which goes as follows.

Unlike the original Emacs, enabling or disabling Menu Bar mode (@pxref{Menu Bars}) does not affect the appearance of the menu bar on the Mac port because it does not make sense on OS X having the global menu bar. Instead, the value of the @code{menu-bar-lines} frame parameter affects the system-wide full screen behavior of the frame. In most cases, disabling the menu bar of a particular frame by default means that it is a utility frame used for a subsidiary purpose together with other frames, rather than an ordinary frame on its own. Examples include the speedbar (@pxref{Speedbar}) and Ediff Control Panel (@pxref{Top, Ediff, Ediff, ediff, The Ediff Manual}). Using this heuristics, the Mac port regards a frame having a menu bar as an ordinary frame that is eligible for full screen. Conversely, a frame without a menu bar is considered as a utility frame and it can coexist with a full screen ordinary frame and other utility frames in a same desktop (or Space) for full screen. Note that a utility frame doesn't have the full screen button on the title bar. If you don't see the full screen button while it is supposed to be there, then check the menu bar setting.