Accidentally deleted home folder from sidebar--Help?

[TaylorJ]

I was trying to add my home folder to my dock from dragging it from the finder sidebar to the dock, but it wasnt draggable. It did drag, but it wouldnt stay in the dock, when I let go of the drag, it vanished in a puff of smoke. How do I get it back in the sidebar, it was pretty helpful over there.

Just to be clear I'm talking about when I open a new finder window, I see a few folders under 'Places' --> Desktop, Applications, Documents and My name which is the home folder. Now all I see is Desktop, Applications, and documents. How do I get it back if possible, and when I do how do I put it on the dock? Next to apps and downloads folder?

EDIT: Nevermind I found out how to add it. CMD+, for finder prefs, and then sidebar. (for anyone else who has this problem.) I still have no idea how to put the home folder on the dock now. Any tips?

 

[grapes911]

Find the folder in Finder and drag it to the side bar.

If you want it in the dock, drag it from the folder in finder, not the side bar.

 

[Gregg2]

Just curious, but why would you want the Home Folder in the Dock? There are only two folders in my Home Folder that I go to frequently: Documents, and Library, the latter when I'm trying to help someone with a problem and want to drag a plist file into a post. Oh, I suppose I check out Downloads from time to time. But I have Documents and Downloads in the Dock, not the Home Folder.

 

[i.shaun]

While I'm significantly out of date in the OS X world, the new finder seems similar to the old one.

They're aliases, or shortcuts if you're used to windows terminology. The Icons in your dock are also Aliases, shortcuts to the actual programs located elsewhere. That is why the Alias poofed away when you attempted to drag it to the dock. The same thing happens if you drag something off the dock.



To change or re-add something, just find the real folder in finder:
HDD> Users> Yourname (that's the home folder).

The other folders are located within it. To add new folders that aren't already in the side bar, simply drag the folder into the sidebar, and it will create an alias.



I personally use the feature to organize my files differently:

I made a folder named "Files" where I put my pictures, documents, and other personal files in. This keeps it separate from the real "Documents" folder which seems to be where archives are kept for MSN, and other programs. This folder is just my stuff, and to back it up, I save the entire "Files" folder, which has almost everything inside it. I keep Music in the regular iTunes folder.


I also Poofed the "Applications" folder, and added a custom "Apps" folder which has Aliases to the most frequently used applications that aren't on the dock. This makes things easier to find with a shorter list, and in the event I need one I don't use often, it's no trouble to go HDD>Applications and search the main folder.

 

[TaylorJ]

Thanks for all of your replies!

For some reason you cant drag the home folder from a finder window to the sidebar, you have to go to finder prefs and do it from there.

Also, why wouldnt I want the home folder in the dock? I visit alot of folders in the home folder, such as movies, pictures, music. To visit them I either have to spotlight, or cmd+n for a new finder window. I just thought it would be easier if I had them on the dock.

 

[Gregg2]

I visit alot of folders in the home folder, such as movies, pictures, music. To visit them I either have to spotlight, or cmd+n for a new finder window. I just thought it would be easier if I had them on the dock.

Oh, I see. Just wondered.