Does anyone even use the Stack desktop feature?

[shankar2]

Hi so I tried the Stack feature first time it showed up but it was not useful. Does anyone even use this feature? How do I drop files saved on the desktop window to another folder in stack mode?

This seems to be an unneeded feature added in Mojave version :-(

 

[harriska2]

I used it briefly but cleaned my desktop and sorted all my stuff into my user folders. I do lots of screen prints and it was really useful for that. Now I delete them when I’m done. I didn’t move files from stack to stack because I stacked by type (pile of screen prints, pile of pdfs, pile of filemaker pro dbs). If you move stuff around you’d be better off just using folders. Stacks just helps with clutter.

 

[trifid]

Worst "feature" I've ever seen added to macOS. Such a waste of potential, because throughout the years we've had different concepts of stacks floating around, but this is truly the worst. Grouping by filetype on the desktop is useless but even if it were useful, the interaction with stacks is abysmal. There is only 1 reason why they implemented this, which is to keep the desktop "clean", but usability be damned.

Grouping needs to make sense by the type of project I'm working on, if I work on a Powerpoint I might have some JPG, some PDF, some MP4 files related to that Powerpoint, wouldn't it be nice to make a stack with those related files?

Another cool use for stacks that would have been awesome: lets say you select a bunch of files in a Finder window and drag them to the desktop, as soon as you drop them instead of cluttering your desktop, a stack would be created automatically. That would have been awesome.

But no, mojave stacks is just ridiculous, I couldn't believe Apple had done this when it was announced, there is just no vision for the legendary macOS Finder.

 

[fisherking]

Worst "feature" I've ever seen added to macOS. Such a waste of potential, because throughout the years we've had different concepts of stacks floating around, but this is truly the worst. Grouping by filetype on the desktop is useless but even if it were useful, the interaction with stacks is abysmal. There is only 1 reason why they implemented this, which is to keep the desktop "clean", but usability be damned.

Grouping needs to make sense by the type of project I'm working on, if I work on a Powerpoint I might have some JPG, some PDF, some MPG files related to that Powerpoint, wouldn't it be nice to make a stack with those related files?

Another cool use for stacks that would have been awesome: lets say you select a bunch of files in a Finder window and drag them to the desktop, as soon as you drop them instead of cluttering your desktop, a stack would be created automatically. That would have been awesome.

But no, mojave stacks is just ridiculous, I couldn't believe Apple had done this when it was announced, it completely made me lost faith in the UI vision for the legendary macOS Finder.

you do know that you can put different-type files for a project in a folder for that project? rather than scattering them about the desktop.

i don't use the stacks feature, but some of my clients do; for them, the declutter is a great thing. not everyone sees these things the same way, as apple obviously knows....

 

[trifid]

you do know that you can put different-type files for a project in a folder for that project? rather than scattering them about the desktop.

Right, but there would be advantages of using a stack for a project instead of a folder, the fact that stacks auto-close after you grab a file for example. I wish the implementation would have let us do that instead of mindless grouping by JPG PNG PDF.

 

[fisherking]

Right, but there would be advantages of using a stack for a project instead of a folder, the fact that stacks auto-close after you grab a file for example. I wish the implementation would have let us do that instead of mindless grouping by JPG PNG PDF.

so, if you have 20-30 projects, you'd have 20-30 stacks? seems it could get pretty unwieldy pretty quickly... also, once you start a project in most apps, the files are imported into the project; why do you then need instant access to those files?

anyway, apple's implementation is better than nothing, and works for some.

 

[Cole Slaw]

Honestly forgot all about it until this thread mentioned it, so no, I don't use it.

 

[NT1440]

Love it. Did a great job of cleaning up my not all that messy desktop.

 

[trifid]

so, if you have 20-30 projects, you'd have 20-30 stacks? seems it could get pretty unwieldy pretty quickly... also, once you start a project in most apps, the files are imported into the project; why do you then need instant access to those files?

anyway, apple's implementation is better than nothing, and works for some.

If you have 20-30 projects, I'd store them in folders and only use stacks for the current thing I'm working on for easy access. The desktop for many users is a 'temporary' workplace where you drag things around temporary, use them, then archive them.

Going back to my powerpoint example, lets say you are doing research and need to grab different media files off the internet, you could drag and drop from safari to different stacks, lets say 1 stack is for a topic in your Powerpoint, another stack is for another topic. So you would drag and drop images/videos from Safari to those stacks, and later on grab from there to import into Powerpoint.

 

[fisherking]

If you have 20-30 projects, I'd store them in folders and only use stacks for the current thing I'm working on for easy access. The desktop for many users is a 'temporary' workplace where you drag things around temporary, use them, then archive them.

Going back to my powerpoint example, lets say you are doing research and need to grab different media files off the internet, you could drag and drop from safari to different stacks, lets say 1 stack is for a topic in your Powerpoint, another stack is for another topic. So you would drag and drop images/videos from Safari to those stacks, and later on grab from there to import into Powerpoint.

not saying that's a bad idea, at all. but most 'non-techy' people i know live on their desktop, it's not a temp space, but where everything gets stored...

 

[Toutou]

On my Mac it went the way of Siri, SIP, Dashboard and the Notification Center. Never used, disabled, forgotten.

It just doesn't make sense to me, it doesn't offer any advantage over plain folders (or docked folders for the Fan/Grid effect).

 

[fisherking]

On my Mac it went the way of Siri, SIP, Dashboard and the Notification Center. Never used, disabled, forgotten.

It just doesn't make sense to me, it doesn't offer any advantage over plain folders (or docked folders for the Fan/Grid effect).

right, but look at your list... some people like using siri on their mac, or notification center. you don't have to. but why disable SIP? what's the benefit of that?

 

[mikzn]

I am in a constant battle to keep the desk top organized and move files into correct folders - ie screen shots, downloads, documents I am trying to complete.

Tried stacks but it just seemed to add another step in the process - maybe I am missing something - will try again to see if I find a use for it

FWIW - It's seems just as easy to switch to a "finder window" and use list view to sort files by date added, date modified, last opened, kind etc. for different views and quick organization.

 

[ButteryScrollin]

yup, works great for me.

 

[Martyimac]

There are some files I D/L for temporary use and stacks does a good job of keeping my desktop tidy. I started out not liking Stacks and then came to appreciate it. So yes, I use Stacks.

 

[xgman]

I would use it if it wasn't all or nothing. That is useless to me. If I could choose which items to include it might have some use.

 

[dogslobber]

Yeah, I use it as it helps organize my desktop given all the icons I have. I like it.

 

[Howard2k]

I used it briefly but cleaned my desktop and sorted all my stuff into my user folders. I do lots of screen prints and it was really useful for that. Now I delete them when I’m done. I didn’t move files from stack to stack because I stacked by type (pile of screen prints, pile of pdfs, pile of filemaker pro dbs). If you move stuff around you’d be better off just using folders. Stacks just helps with clutter.

Same - useful for print-screens. Aside from that, not much actually.