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lorcar

macrumors member
Original poster
Mar 2, 2013
86
0
first time Mac user here, I really thought this famous system to be much more intuitive, I really dont get all the hype behind it....
anyhow...
today I discovered by pure chance the app CAPTURE (the Scissor) but few minutes ago I couldnt find it anymore, so I taped the name in FInder-Spotlight, and NOTHING
Why???
Alas, I created a NOTE, and then I tried to understand where it was stored and searched the note's title, but NOTHING
WHY?? where are the Notes stored?
and in general, where is the equivalent of Windows Explorer, where you can create new folders and put your files wherever you like?
thanks a lot in advance
 

GGJstudios

macrumors Westmere
May 16, 2008
44,539
941
first time Mac user here, I really thought this famous system to be much more intuitive, I really dont get all the hype behind it....
anyhow...
today I discovered by pure chance the app CAPTURE (the Scissor) but few minutes ago I couldnt find it anymore, so I taped the name in FInder-Spotlight, and NOTHING
Why???
Alas, I created a NOTE, and then I tried to understand where it was stored and searched the note's title, but NOTHING
WHY?? where are the Notes stored?
and in general, where is the equivalent of Windows Explorer, where you can create new folders and put your files wherever you like?
thanks a lot in advance
Finder, located on the left side of your Dock at the bottom of your screen, is the OS X equivalent of Windows Explorer.

If Spotlight fails to find something, try re-indexing your drive:
If that fails to index, enter the following command in Terminal:
sudo mdutil -i on "/Volumes/your drive name"​

This may be useful:

 

Weaselboy

Moderator
Staff member
Jan 23, 2005
34,071
15,492
California
first time Mac user here, I really thought this famous system to be much more intuitive, I really dont get all the hype behind it....
anyhow...
today I discovered by pure chance the app CAPTURE (the Scissor) but few minutes ago I couldnt find it anymore, so I taped the name in FInder-Spotlight, and NOTHING
Why???
Alas, I created a NOTE, and then I tried to understand where it was stored and searched the note's title, but NOTHING
WHY?? where are the Notes stored?
and in general, where is the equivalent of Windows Explorer, where you can create new folders and put your files wherever you like?
thanks a lot in advance

Let me try and answer these one by one.

The "scissor" screen capture app you are looking for is called Grab. If you hit command-space and start typing Grab it will pop right up on the list.

Notes are indexed by Spotlight, but it is confusing finding them because they show in the Spotlight results under Documents and not a Notes heading like you would expect. Here you can see a Notes entry I have called Travel Checklist.

fOKsT2C.png


The Windows Explorer equivalent on a Mac is called the Finder. It is this icon in your Dock at the bottom of the screen.

e0bABcg.png


Here is a pretty good page on Apple's web site that has an overview of how things work on the Mac.
 

lorcar

macrumors member
Original poster
Mar 2, 2013
86
0
Notes are indexed by Spotlight, but it is confusing finding them because they show in the Spotlight results under Documents and not a Notes heading like you would expect. Here you can see a Notes entry I have called Travel Checklist.

Image
.


thanks really a lot for the time spent answering

but my Note is not under my documents....
i should try to re-index spotlight first I guess
 

Weaselboy

Moderator
Staff member
Jan 23, 2005
34,071
15,492
California
thanks really a lot for the time spent answering

but my Note is not under my documents....
i should try to re-index spotlight first I guess

If you open the Notes app and the title of the note is shown there, and not in Spotlight, then something is wrong.

Click on the Apple icon at the top left of your screen then click System Preferences. Now in the Spotlight pane look in the Search Results tab and make sure you have Documents checked (it should be checked by default). If Documents is checked, click on the Privacy tab in that same window then drag Macintosh HD into the privacy tab then back out. That will force a Spotlight reindex. You can tell when the Spotlight reindex is done because the pulsing dot in the Spotlight icon at the top right menu bar will go away.
 

lorcar

macrumors member
Original poster
Mar 2, 2013
86
0
then drag Macintosh HD into the privacy tab

this is what i dont know how to do
In the privacy tab i click ADD, it opens Finder or at least what i used to call WIndows Explorer, then at this point I dont have any drive to add...
I see, from top (my translation from italian)
all my files
apps
desktop
documents
downloads
movies
music
pics

THEN I see
"Dispositivi" (dont know how to translate) which has 2 items below:
Remote Disk (which is empty)
Real Player

But in general this shows my trouble in browsing and finding files, I still ignore how and where they are stored...
 

Weaselboy

Moderator
Staff member
Jan 23, 2005
34,071
15,492
California
this is what i dont know how to do
In the privacy tab i click ADD, it opens Finder or at least what i used to call WIndows Explorer, then at this point I dont have any drive to add...
I see, from top (my translation from italian)
all my files
apps
desktop
documents
downloads
movies
music
pics

THEN I see
"Dispositivi" (dont know how to translate) which has 2 items below:
Remote Disk (which is empty)
Real Player

But in general this shows my trouble in browsing and finding files, I still ignore how and where they are stored...

Okay, under "Dispositivi" (Devices in English) do you see the Macbook itself like in my bottom screenshot right above Remote Disk? If you do not... do this. Click on the Desktop then click Finder in the menu at the top left, then Preferences. At the bottom where I marked with a red arrow under Devices (Dispositivi) check all the boxes.

55VYBfn.png


Okay, now go back to the Spotlight preferences in the Privacy tab again and click the plus. You will get the below screen. Under Dispositivi (Devices) you should see your Mac listed there. Click that and you will then see Macintosh HD to the right. Select Macintosh HD and click choose to add it to the Privacy list.

Once you add Macintosh HD to that Privacy tab it erases the Spotlight index. Now just click the minus at the bottom to remove Macintosh HD and this will cause Spotlight to reindex. Hopefully after that your notes will show up in Spotlight.

vViq1ht.png


Separate issue. If you see Real Player there under Dispositivi , that means you left the Real Player installer "mounted" after you installed the program. On a Mac most programs come in a DMG (disk image) file, kind of like a ZIP file in Windows. When you double click the DMG file it "mounts" the DMG so you can drag the program out of the DMG and into your Applications folder. Once that is done you need to "eject" the DMG file or it will stay mounted and display in the Finder like yours is. To unmount a DMG just click the little up arrow just to the right of it in Finder.
 

lorcar

macrumors member
Original poster
Mar 2, 2013
86
0
thanks a lot, really
very clear, i'll try once at home tonight, even if I have to send it back to apple

I didnt see this morning the Macbook! how possible it's not default???? i'll never get mac way...
 

Weaselboy

Moderator
Staff member
Jan 23, 2005
34,071
15,492
California
thanks a lot, really
very clear, i'll try once at home tonight, even if I have to send it back to apple

I didnt see this morning the Macbook! how possible it's not default???? i'll never get mac way...

I have had my Mac a while, so don't remember, but I think that Macbook section is displayed by default. You may have just missed it. It is a big adjustment switching over. :)

Just post up if you have questions.
 

lorcar

macrumors member
Original poster
Mar 2, 2013
86
0
didnt miss it...see attach
thanks
 

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lorcar

macrumors member
Original poster
Mar 2, 2013
86
0
ok, i just followed all the procedure you outlined above, now I see the HD and macbook in the finder, I did add and removed the HD from the Spotlight preference list, closed everything, opened finder, typed my Note's name in the spotlight bar and...nothing....how possible!?!???!?
 

lorcar

macrumors member
Original poster
Mar 2, 2013
86
0
so you can drag the program out of the DMG and into your Applications folder. Once that is done you need to "eject" the DMG file or it will stay mounted and display in the Finder like yours is. To unmount a DMG just click the little up arrow just to the right of it in Finder.

Does the revers work as well? i mean, if I delete an app frol application folder does thins mean Uninstall it?
thanks

----------

now Note is found under spotlight
BUT
1- i see that what the mac finds is always NOTE, not the title i assign, the icon name is always NOTE, and this is what i have to look for, while I thought I could search for "test" as I called my note-file
2- it doesnt find NOTE if i select ALL MY FILES, but only if i select my mackbook under Devices! isn't weird??
thanks
 

Weaselboy

Moderator
Staff member
Jan 23, 2005
34,071
15,492
California
Does the revers work as well? i mean, if I delete an app frol application folder does thins mean Uninstall it?
thanks

Yes, exactly.

now Note is found under spotlight
BUT
1- i see that what the mac finds is always NOTE, not the title i assign, the icon name is always NOTE, and this is what i have to look for, while I thought I could search for "test" as I called my note-file
2- it doesnt find NOTE if i select ALL MY FILES, but only if i select my mackbook under Devices! isn't weird??
thanks

I just realized part of the problem here. You are using the Finder to look for the Notes. That will work, but as you have found, it is a little clunky.

Although Finder uses the Spotlight index to find files, the easiest way is to access the Spotlight search feature directly by hitting the command-space keys at the same time. This will popup the Spotlight search window at the top right of your screen and you can just start typing your search. Then arrow key down to the result you want and hit enter.

It looks like this.

oQ6nGd6.png
 
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