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brikrob

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Oct 22, 2009
3
0
Hey.

Sorry if this has been answered already, but I searched and couldn't find an answer.

Is there a way to control or limit where files downloaded to the desktop are placed on the desktop?
 
I don't think so. Files that are placed automatically (without you dragging onto the desktop) will be placed below the last icon/folder/file on the right side. Once that column is full, the next file will be placed to the left of the first column and so on.
 
A suggestion: Don't put anything on your desktop. Your computer will run smoother if you keep your desktop completely clean (reason: everything in the Desktop folder has to be placed visually in a specific spot on the display, which means the computer has to track where that spot is, and it uses RAM, as well as CPU cycles, though less significantly, which will bog down the computer). Any browsers or other programs that place items automatically on the desktop, change their settings to use the Downloads folder or some other location on the computer. That way you can just put that in the Dock and have quick access to it.

jW
 
If you use FireFox, check out the add on page for Download Management.

I haven't used any personally (though after researching this I am interested), and I'm not sure if any are made for the Mac OS, but there are a few plug ins that will will let you right click a link and select a predetermined folder for the download. So you can right click and select the Movies folder, or the Pictures folder, or whatever you chose.

The site works horribly in IE at work, so I can't do much beyond searching for stuff (did a search for "folder" and "organize" and "sort" and some things came up in each that looked potentially good.)
 
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