Sorry, Mark, I’m sure it’s my fault but I’m not following you.
What do you mean by switching between view panes?
Take the scenario: a map view, with the map on the left, text on the right (cmd-5). Select a note in the map and space moves the focus into the text pane on the right – that seems to me to be the situation Galen is describing. (So using opt-tab to toggle is the way to get back to the note in the map or outline).
For me, pressing space on a note in the map or outline always does this (assuming the text pane is visible of course).
I’m obviously missing another scenario – could you explain what it is, please? Apologies for my density…