How can I launch multiple instances of MonoDevelop on the Mac?

Question

I would like to open a new MonoDevelop instance to work on a different project on the Mac, and the OS is currently preventing me from opening a new instance.

Answer 1

Using the shell to enter the command as others have described to launch an extra instance is fine, but I prefer having an icon on the dock that I can just click.

It's easy to do:

1. Open AppleScript Editor and enter the following:

   do shell script "open -n /Applications/MonoDevelop.app/"

2. Save with a name like "MonoDevelop Launcher" and make sure to specify Application for the file format.

3. Drag the icon to your dock.

4. Make sure to check out bright's comment below about replacing the generic icon with MonoDevelop's.

Click repeatedly to enjoy the grooviness of multiple MonoDevelop instances.

Answer 2

For convenience, I just create three copies of MonoDevelop.

Highlight MonoDevelop in Finder, copy, paste, rename the new copy to "MonoDevelop-2", and repeat to your satisfaction.

It also helps me keep track of what's going on in different instances. I typically keep my most important project open in "MonoDevelop", use "MonoDevelop-2" for testing ideas related to my main project, and "MonoDevelop-3" for random scratch.

When you alt-tab (open-Apple-tab (command-tab (whvr))), the name of the executable shows up beneath its icon in the application list, so, as long as I stick to my convention, I always know(ish) the contents of the instance I'm alt-tabbing to regardless of how many other app windows I have open. I don't have to cycle through them to figure it out.

It's not perfect - when I have "MonoDevelop" running, if I try to fire up one of the others, the first attempt to start will fail. You just try to fire it up again - it works the second time. This has only been happening since the most recent build, though, and I think it might have something to do with automatic updates or add-in management. Haven't looked into it too much. Since there are no problems once up and running, I don't worry about it :)

The result is that, with the start-it-twice method, for any additional instance of MonoDevelop you'd like to start, you end up having to quadruple-click instead of double-click. Adds about fifteen seconds to the process, and since I have MonoDevelop (along with "MonoDevelop-1" and "MonoDevelop-2") running all the time, it adds up to, maybe, an extra thirty seconds of work each week. A fair trade for the convenience, methinks.

A bit hacky, but it's worked well for me.

And all the cool kids are doing it.

Answer 3

One more easiest way....

Just Open the Terminal Drag the Xamarin Studio app from application it will take the path like /Applications/Xamarin\ Studio.app and write the open -n before the /Applications/Xamarin\ Studio.app

Now complete command is like open -n /Applications/Xamarin\ Studio.app

Answer 4

--XAMARIN STUDIO--

As at February 2013 Monodevelop is called Xamarin Studio, and the fact it has a space in it means the above doesn't work. Some fiddling later, I've found you need to nest two types of quotes and the below will work in applescript:

do shell script "open -n '/Applications/Xamarin Studio.app/'"

Enjoy

Answer 5

You can check out this app by redth (now a Xamarin employee) who made a Xamarin Studio Launcher: http://redth.codes/Xamarin-Studio-Launcher-v3/. There is no code to post since it is an app. But the good thing is it is packaged up in a .dmg for you. It even works with .sln files. Hard link to the v4 (Jan 12, 2015) download: http://redth.codes/assets/Xamarin.Studio.Launcher.v4.zip.

Answer 6

If you're ok with opening two solutions in one instance of Xamarin Studio, you can do this by navigating to "File" -> "Recent Solutions" and then Ctrl+clicking on the other solution. This opens both solutions in the same instance of Xamarin studio.