Downloads overlap...

[wowser]

Recently, Safari has decided that it wants to save every single file (saved to the desktop) in exactly the same place on the desktop. Specifically, the bottom right. When I am downloading a lot of files, they are all stored on exactly the same spot and it is annoying having to separate them out. There is plenty of free room on the desktop, so is there something wrong, here? Thanks

 

[wowser]

Did that make any sense?

 

[ChrisFromCanada]

That did make sense but I have never experienced that before. You could try setting up your desktop to arrange the icons.

 

[emw]

You aren't the first one with this type of problem, but it wasn't solved there either.

Have you recently gone from a dual-monitor setup to a single monitor setup without restarting (or quitting Safari)? Maybe it is getting confused somehow.

 

[wowser]

INteresting, but I've only ever had the one monitor. The other guy's problem seems identical to mine, but as you say, no real solution is reached.

 

[emw]

INteresting, but I've only ever had the one monitor. The other guy's problem seems identical to mine, but as you say, no real solution is reached.

When in doubt, start whacking preferences files. Starting with Safari. May help...

 

[Makosuke]

When in doubt, start whacking preferences files. Starting with Safari. May help...

Whacking prefs is a good idea, but I seriously doubt Safari decides (or even can decide) where to put files on the desktop--I'm sure it just throws the file at the Finder and lets it decide where it goes.

In which case, it's going to be either a Finder-related preference, or maybe the invisible .DS_Store file in the Desktop folder that saves the window settings (does that store settings for the actual desktop, too?).

Worth a shot, anyway, though I've only seen that behavior when my desktop was specifically out of space. (Speaking of which, if you select "Arrange" from the View menu, do your icons spread out to cover the entire desktop? If so, perhaps it doesn't matter whether there's empty space or not, just whether there *would* be empty space--it's possible.)

 

[dotnina]

wowser, I have the same problem. All my downloads go to the bottom right corner of the desktop, even though I have my desktop wide open.

Most of the time, this is where I drag the files anyway. I almost think Safari might have "caught on," and started doing this for me? That seems unlikely, but I don't know what to think. I'll let you know if I find a fix. :/

 

[wowser]

Well, sure you group them together, but it's not learning well if you can't see half of them. I tried the 'Opt+cmd+p+r' thing that someone suggested. How do I sort out the DS_Store thing?

 

[Makosuke]

I tried the 'Opt+cmd+p+r' thing that someone suggested. How do I sort out the DS_Store thing?

The former won't help with this particular issue. As for deleting .DS_Store files (note the leading period) your best bet is using Terminal, but if you're not at all familiar with a command line interface, you want to be VERY careful. There are also pieces of shareware that will do this for you or let you see the file so you can delete it, which might be a better idea.

Sorry, you're better off trying Google for specific advice on how--there are a lot of tutorials out there.


Roughly speaking, though, you'll open terminal and type:
cd ~/Desktop [then hit return]
sudo rm .DS_Store [return again, and then enter your admin password]

By the way, did you already try doing a "Repair Permissions" using Disk Utility?

 

[wowser]

Right, the solution from the Apple forums was to slightly increace your icon size on the desktop. SEEMS to have worked, but I don't want to jinx things.