Drag and Drop Methods - Please Share

[abnospam]

Well, I am learning how important drag and drop is on OSX. There is no Cut/Paste of files and many tricks require dragging on top of an apps' icon.

So, I hate the tap to click and I can't stand the unibody trackpad click and drag. I can't seem to eep it depressed and drag across the entire High Res screen. Is there any alternative? Say a key I can hold to lock the click so I don't have to keep the pad depressed?

Thanks!

 

[elppa]

Hold down the trackpad with 1 finger and “drag” with the other finger.

Just pretend there is an invisible real mouse button at the bottom of your trackpad if it helps. Then you can take finger you use for dragging off the trackpad as you move an icon across the screen. Provided you keep one finger down the icon won't lose it's position.

Hope that helps.

 

[-aggie-]

You can cut and paste, if you add an Applescript to Finder. See the posts in this thread (and mine, specifically):

https://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?p=9225604&cut+paste#post9225604

 

[abnospam]

Thanks - the cut/paste is one scenario, but I still struggle with other drag/drop scenarios. Holding one finger down is a pain and I always slip up and release at the wrong point. There has to be another way to emulate a mouse down right?

 

[elppa]

Thanks - the cut/paste is one scenario, but I still struggle with other drag/drop scenarios. Holding one finger down is a pain and I always slip up and release at the wrong point. There has to be another way to emulate a mouse down right?

What do you do on a “normal” (as in buttoned) trackpad?

 

[abnospam]

I don't. I have only used the "nipple" on a track pad before. In that case I hold the button down. But the feeling of pushing down and dragging on the same surface is different. Its just not comfortable and prone to my error.

 

[elppa]

I don't. I have only used the "nipple" on a track pad before. In that case I hold the button down. But the feeling of pushing down and dragging on the same surface is different. Its just not comfortable and prone to my error.

Two things:
[1] Unless I wasn't clear, you don't have to use the same finger to hold down that you use to perform the dragging action.
[2] You can take the dragging finger off multiple times.


The easiest technique I find is to put the “click” finger fairly low down on the trackpad and use the rest of the space for your dragging finger.

 

[Let's Sekuhara!]

Use your thumb to click.
Use your middle finger to move the cursor.
Use your middle finger and ring finger together to scroll.

The only digit you should use for clicking is your thumb - the one exception being when you need to do a R click (two-finger click).

 

[Let's Sekuhara!]

Also, the reason cut and paste doesn't work in Finder is that if you were to cut a file and forget to paste then it would be lost forever.
OS X will not allow you to make that mistake. Use copy and paste instead. (Cmd+C and Cmd+V)
Then you can delete the original if you don't want a duplicate file. (Cmd+Delete)

But dragging and dropping is faster, so I recommend getting comfortable with it.
See advice in above post.

 

[Gregg2]

Also, the reason cut and paste doesn't work in Finder is that if you were to cut a file and forget to paste then it would be lost forever.
OS X will not allow you to make that mistake. Use copy and paste instead. (Cmd+C and Cmd+V)
Then you can delete the original if you don't want a duplicate file. (Cmd+Delete)

Shhhh! That dog is asleep. Let's not wake it. There are other threads wherein the carnage that results are evident. Be vewy, vewy quiet...

 

[abnospam]

thanks for all the advice. I think the thumb "down-low" is the best option. I still wish I could just FN+Click and keep fn down to hold the button while I drag.

p.s. in windows you can't CUT & lose - if you never paste, the file still remains. I am a keystroke junkie and learning how I can use a mac with keystrokes as much as possible.