Snow Leopard Adds Minor Often Requested Tweaks: Put Back, Stack Folder Navigation

[MacRumors]

With the absence of major new user interface features in Snow Leopard, we're left discussing some rather minor (though frequently requested) tweaks found in the latest developer builds of Mac OS X 10.6.

Put Back - Under Mac OS 9, users had the option to restore any "Trash"ed files (before the Trash is emptied) back to their original locations with a simple "Put Back" command. For some reason, this capability was lost in the transition to Mac OS X. In the latest Snow Leopard builds, it's back. So any accidental disposals can now easily be restored with a simple click. Again, this only works for files that have been moved to the Trash but not yet "emptied".

Stacks Folder Navigation - The introduction of the "Stacks" metaphor in Mac OS 10.5 was met with mixed reactions. One issue with Stacks has been the inability to "drill down" into additional folders. In Leopard, clicking on a folder in Stacks simply opened that folder in the Finder.



Photoshopped Mockup

According to those familiar with the latest developer build, clicking on a folder in Stacks smoothly opens the new folder in Stacks while shrinking the parent window as a small icon on the top left. This allows you to quickly navigate in and out of folders in Stacks.

Snow Leopard is Apple's next major revision to Mac OS X. It is officially due sometime in 2009 and is said to be focusing on stability and performance enhancements.

Article Link: Snow Leopard Adds Minor Often Requested Tweaks: Put Back, Stack Folder Navigation

[amac4me]

Let it Snow! Snow Leopard can't get here fast enough. Looking forward to the release date!

[Tallest Skil]

Originally Posted by MacRumors

Put Back - Under Mac OS 9, users had the option to restore any "Trash"ed files back to their original locations with a simple "Put Back" command. For some reason, this capability was lost in the transition to Mac OS X. In the latest Snow Leopard builds, it's back. So any accidental disposals can now easily be restored with a simple click.

WOW. This is big. Chalk up one less thing that Windows users can complain about!

[Ryan5505]

This is interesting. But I really do not want someone going back through my trash to find something I wanted to be destroyed.

[Hooka]

Originally Posted by Ryan5505

This is interesting. But I really do not want someone going back through my trash to find something I wanted to be destroyed.

I got something out of my trash the other day.

[PlaceofDis]

Snow Leopard looks to be shaping up quite nicely as a good upgrade over Leopard, lets hope they continue with the tweaks rather than trying for more flash.

[arn]

Originally Posted by Ryan5505

This is interesting. But I really do not want someone going back through my trash to find something I wanted to be destroyed.

This doesn't undelete. This is before your trash is "emptied". It just puts it in its previous location before you moved it to the trash.

arn

[robertg123]

You can set the Trash to shred any files you delete. That's what I do.

[TheSpaz]

I like the restore function in trash. Sometimes you may not know where the file originally came from.

[paulyras]

Originally Posted by Ryan5505

This is interesting. But I really do not want someone going back through my trash to find something I wanted to be destroyed.

Ummm... They can do that now. They just can't easily put it back in it's original location, which I'm assuming isn't your largest concern.

Want to get rid of it? Finder==> Secure empty trash...

Same as always.

[Achiever]

Originally Posted by Ryan5505

This is interesting. But I really do not want someone going back through my trash to find something I wanted to be destroyed.

...then...empty your trash.

I'm pretty excited for the return of Put Back (if true) and like the continued innovation with Stacks. This is exactly the kind of under the hood revisions needed with SL; improving on the existing features for an even better OS. I know many people are "meh" on Sl due to the lack of "new" features, but I believe this is exactly what was needed for Apple right now. Refinement of the software was key, especially in light of recent steps back (I'm looking at you MobileMe).

[Sky Blue]

Looking good!

[Mykbibby]

Awesome... looks like we'll be getting some cool new features after all!

[Tallest Skil]

Originally Posted by arn

This doesn't undelete. This is before your trash is "emptied". It just puts it in its previous location before you moved it to the trash.

arn

Oh. Disregard my other comment, then. I was referring to Trash restoring.

I personally like the "one click, it's gone, too bad" mindset. If you're storing files in the Trash that you don't want trashed, why are you storing them there? What's wrong with you?

[ArtOfWarfare]

I definitely like the stacks feature.

Although the trash thing sounds silly to me. I don't put things in the trash by accident. I empty it pretty regularly too so even if I ever did put something in the trash by accident, it wouldn't be around long enough for put back to be of any use.

Now what I want for stacks is the ability to sort different stacks different ways. Like I want my documents stack ordered by date last modified while I want my applications stack ordered by name.

[Ade-iMac-177]

Sounds cool. All they need to do now is add back the option to have a folder in the Dock as an alias again. it is great to be able to pick out of a list but for some things you just need to be taken straight to a finder window.

Glad to see they have finally put that option back into the trash.

I hope it comes soon. i am really looking forward to snow leopard!!

[bdkennedy1]

So what was wrong with Edit/Undo to put the deleted files back to where they were?

[haravikk]

While stacks are handy for quick-things, I really don't see what the big-deal is about being able to open other folders within "stack view"? Shouldn't be investing time in re-designing the Finder into something more modern and usable instead? It's changed very little since OS X first-appeared, and it's really not what it could be at all.

[mrkgoo]

Put Back is a welcomed feature that should have always been there in the first place. I wonder how it will behave with iTunes files? Will it be greyed out, or will it reimport the file with the original counts and stuff?

The stacks thing is nice too. many times, I have been expecting to go to the utilities folder by drilling, but you can't do that on the dock.

Nice touches. SL can't come soon enough!

[dernhelm]

Originally Posted by Ryan5505

This is interesting. But I really do not want someone going back through my trash to find something I wanted to be destroyed.

Huh? They can do that today, they just won't be able to restore it to it's original folder. Then again, neither can you. If this is a big deal, EMPTY YOUR TRASH.

[Rychiar]

i'd still love a totally black Mac OS. white/light gray is ugly, causes eyestrain and wastes more energy

[mrkgoo]

Originally Posted by bdkennedy1

So what was wrong with Edit/Undo to put the deleted files back to where they were?

because when you accidentally delete some things, you panic and start searching through your windows for what happened. And this can remove the undo option. Or you may not have known you deleted it until later, far past when the undo is an option. It's an extra little thing that will be helpful - Windows users have had it for years.

[Sky Blue]

Originally Posted by haravikk

It's changed very little since OS X first-appeared, and it's really not what it could be at all.

Hasn't it?

[ArtOfWarfare]

Originally Posted by bdkennedy1

So what was wrong with Edit/Undo to put the deleted files back to where they were?

I think the idea is that you put something in trash by accident a few weeks ago (or some time long enough that it would take too many undo's,) and you happen to notice it's in the trash, rather than having to look around for where the file went before, you can just use "put back".

[arn]

Originally Posted by ArtOfWarfare

I think the idea is that you put something in trash by accident a few weeks ago (or some time long enough that it would take too many undo's,) and you happen to notice it's in the trash, rather than having to look around for where the file went before, you can just use "put back".

ya, exactly

http://forums.macosxhints.com/showthread.php?t=33121

I meant to go through and trash a bunch of cache files from my Library, but accidentally went up a level and trashed much needed files from my Library. I haven't emptied the trash yet but am wondering if there is an easy way to restore these files back to their original locations without having to guess at where I trashed them from. Any advice is greatly appreciated.

....

Makes one miss OS9, in which selecting a trash item
and typing "command-Y" would return it to its home.