Adobe OS Widget Library (OWL)
Adobe OWL is a shared library that provides a consistent look and behavior to the user interface (UI) of those Adobe applications that incorporate it. Adobe CS4 applications which incorporate this library include: Contribute, Dreamweaver, Illustrator, InDesign, Fireworks, Flash and Photoshop.
Application frame (Mac OS X Only)
The Application Frame is a new feature for Mac CS4 applications that use OWL. The concept is similar to the way that application windows function on Windows operating systems. It enables document windows to move with the application, and supports new features like resize-able N-up window configurations. Because this is very different than the way Mac application windows traditionally operate, it is turned off by default. When turned on, it can produce some confusion, especially when working in a mixture of tabbed document windows, which are children of the application window, and floating windows, which sit above (and sometimes below) the application window. If at any time, your document windows seem to disappear, or are in some other way not accessible, use one of the Arrange commands from the Window menu, such as Consolidate All Windows, Tile, or Cascade.
Document window arrangement
In addition to the traditional Cascade and Tile options, there are now Arrangement commands to Consolidate All Windows, Float in Window and Float All in Windows. These new options are used to move document windows in and out of a tabbed state. If you run into any unexpected behavior, try turning on or off the application frame (if using Mac OS).
Panel arrangement and Workspaces
Workspaces are stored on disk as XML files. Default workspaces that ship with the products, are typically located in a folder named "Workspaces" somewhere in the application folder. The exact location varies by product. If a workspace you are expecting to see is not displaying, check to see if it's XML file can be found in this folder. If it is missing, you will need to reinstall the application. User defined workspaces are typically stored in a folder named "Workspaces" somewhere in the application's preferences folder. This location varies. Check for information on resetting preferences for your application to find the exact location. If you are experiencing problems when switching or resetting workspaces. Try removing some of the user defined workspaces to see if that solves the problem. If not, try removing some or all of the defaults workspaces from the application folder.
If panels become inaccessible or unusable for any reason, then try executing the Reset [name of workspace] command from the Window > Workspace menu, or the Workspace switcher widget on the application bar.
Known issues
Issue [1854571] (Mac OS X Only): When you dock a floating window to the tab well while the application frame is active, remaining floating document windows will move behind the application window, causing the impression that the documents are no longer open.
Solution: Use one of the Arrange commands from the Window menu, such as Consolidate All Windows, Tile, or Cascade. This will bring all of the document windows to the front of the application window.
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