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Finder Flaws

P

pjrobertson

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Coming from Windows (got a SR Macbook about a month back now) there are a few things I was used to when using windows explorer as opposed to Finder. Is there any way I can get these to work in the finder:

1. When scrolling through files using the arrow keys, once I get to the end of a line and press -> (right) it doesn't skip to the next line of files. (Meaning I have to go DOWN, then back LEFT)

2. After deleting a file, and then using the arrow keys, I get skipped back to the first file in the folder. e.g. Say I've deleted a file at the end of the folder called xx.jpeg then I want to have a look at zz.jpeg to see if that needs deleting. If I use the arrow keys I need to scroll all the way back down from the top.


Lets hope these can be fixed 😀
 
pjrobertson said:
1. When scrolling through files using the arrow keys, once I get to the end of a line and press -> (right) it doesn't skip to the next line of files. (Meaning I have to go DOWN, then back LEFT)
Click to expand...

Use the tab key instead.

Sorry but I can't answer your second question. Deleting anything in the Finder leaves nothing selected. I've always thought it should be the file after the one you've deleted. Roll on 10.6 😉
 
Southernboy said:
Use the tab key instead.

Sorry but I can't answer your second question. Deleting anything in the Finder leaves nothing selected. I've always thought it should be the file after the one you've deleted. Roll on 10.6 😉
Click to expand...

Aah, a useful response 😛

Thanks Southernboy. The TAB trick works, pity about the selection after deleting. 10.6 it is... (probably not though 🙁)

Even works in quick view. That's when I was finding it so annoying. Cheers 😀
 
bartelby said:
My point was that you need to learn how to use a new OS and not just expect it to work like your old one. It's not a flaw, it's just different. 🙂
Click to expand...

I brought it up because my mum was on my MacBook yesterday deleting photos off her camera. Every time she deleted a photo, she had to scroll all the way back down to view the next photo. I'd say that's decreasing productivity...

Southernboy said:
You can of course hit the first letter of the file (i.e. z to get to zz.jpg).
Click to expand...

It doesn't really work if all your photos are named 'P1248208.jpg' etc.

And I know I can use automator to rename them all to something better, but the fact is, it wasn't me it was my mum. 😱
 
With the arrow navigation, both ways have advantages.

The automatic movement back to the other side means you can more quickly get from one side to the other, but the right arrow always meaning 'go to the right' means you can more quickly get to a file in any spatial location because you don't have to be precise when you want to get to any end column file, you just push the right arrow button as quickly as possible and you will always wind up at the right hand column.

So the ability to flip back to the left side by going to the closer right hand side means you have to be much more precise with your navigation. And in my experience, the less precise your navigation needs to be, the faster you are able to navigate.
 
pjrobertson said:
I brought it up because my mum was on my MacBook yesterday deleting photos off her camera. Every time she deleted a photo, she had to scroll all the way back down to view the next photo. I'd say that's decreasing productivity...
Click to expand...
You're right (kind of). As bartelby says it's all about learning to do things the mac way. In the situation that your mum found herself in, I'd have gone through the files Command Clicking on the ones I didn't want, then delete them in one go.

You might also want to try Coverflow view (Command 4).

Edit. Coverflow view leaves the next file selected after deleting. Problem solved and I learnt something new today 😉
 
Ooh, I forgot about coverflow 😛

Just tried it with coverflow, and it stays in the same place after deleting. (although it takes a while to load the images when they're on a camera)

[edit] you got there before me 😛[/edit]

Both flaws have been fixed 😀

Cmd clicking is would be too hard for my mum! She only just managed cmd+ delete.

Cheers guys
 
Another thought whilst in Coverflow view, that even your mum could handle 😛, use Quicklook (spacebar) to have a good look at those pictures before deleting them.

btw, remember to empty the trash before ejecting the camera.
 
She was using quicklook, quite advanced of her 😛

Empty trash? Why's that....

Oh I've just made a guess: when looking in the trash after ejecting the camera the files weren't there, but I've jsut re-connected the camera and the files are in the trash again.

is that what the .trashes folder is for? (it always shows up on windows)

Something else I've learnt today 😀
 
Files starting with a period are invisible in OSX by default. Yes, the files stay in the cameras' trash folder until you delete them.
 
pjrobertson said:
Oh I've just made a guess: when looking in the trash after ejecting the camera the files weren't there, but I've jsut re-connected the camera and the files are in the trash again.
Click to expand...

Yeah files are stored on the trash on every disk on a Mac, I'm not convinced its that good a feature TBH.
 
Eraserhead said:
Yeah files are stored on the trash on every disk on a Mac, I'm not convinced its that good a feature TBH.
Click to expand...

I'd probably have to agree. The reason my mum was deleting pictures off the camera was so that she could take some more. If the deleted files aren't even moved off the camera (but stored in .trashes) then you're not creating any space....
unless you know all about Macs and remember to delete the trash.

It has it's pros and cons (like everything) it's probably quite useful if you're moving between numerous Macs.
 
pjrobertson said:
is that what the .trashes folder is for? (it always shows up on windows)
Click to expand...
I assume you mean on your camera? So it's not just a mac thing?

Forgive my ignorance but isn't this exactly how it works in Windows? It's called the Recycle Bin after all, which implies that everything's still there until you empty it.
 
Southernboy said:
I assume you mean on your camera? So it's not just a mac thing?

Forgive my ignorance but isn't this exactly how it works in Windows? It's called the Recycle Bin after all, which implies that everything's still there until you empty it.
Click to expand...

Except the Recycle bin is stored on the Local Disk as opposed to the external disk. Upside: You can get your deleted files back without having to re-attach your external disk & it creates space on your external disk
Downside: you get the 'moving files to trash' window when deleteing files which can sometimes take ages to do (as they have to be moved onto your hard drive)

Windows has what's called the 'REECYCLER' in the root of your local disk. The .trashes is just a Mac thing, but .filenames aren't hidden on Windows.
 
Southernboy said:
I assume you mean on your camera? So it's not just a mac thing?

Forgive my ignorance but isn't this exactly how it works in Windows? It's called the Recycle Bin after all, which implies that everything's still there until you empty it.
Click to expand...

What I like in Windows (apart from the restore from recycle bin thing) is that for smaller volumes like my 1 gig memory stick, it just deletes completely, which is faster for making room. Large external drives get their deleted things stored in a hidden recycle folder on the drive so in that respect it is the same. I really don't see why small volumes need their own trash in os x though. It irritates me that I have to delete twice.

pjrobertson said:
Except the Recycle bin is stored on the Local Disk as opposed to the external disk. Upside: You can get your deleted files back without having to re-attach your external disk & it creates space on your external disk
Downside: you get the 'moving files to trash' window when deleteing files which can sometimes take ages to do (as they have to be moved onto your hard drive)

Windows has what's called the 'REECYCLER' in the root of your local disk. The .trashes is just a Mac thing, but .filenames aren't hidden on Windows.
Click to expand...

External drives get their recycle folder stored on them. I've never experienced the getting deleted files back with the drive unplugged. In fact, for a while on my old laptop that would have been impossible since I had less room on it than the size of the files deleted off my external drive. (Yes, I learnt the fun way that windows will continue to function so long as there is >200 MB of HDD space left. 😉 )
 
Southernboy said:
Another thought whilst in Coverflow view, that even your mum could handle 😛, use Quicklook (spacebar) to have a good look at those pictures before deleting them.

btw, remember to empty the trash before ejecting the camera.
Click to expand...


Sorry to bring up this old topic..... 😀

About the trash thing: I've just plugged 2 cameras into my MB. First time, I deleted some then emptied the trash - meaning the trash stored on the camera has been removed.
I plug in my 2nd camera, delete some files .... the trash is EMPTY so I can't empty the trash again to delete the .trash file/folder?! What's going on here.

The only explanation is that I used iPhoto's 'delete originals' as opposed to CMD + DEL, so they might have gone to iPhoto's trash instead?
 
pjrobertson said:
Sorry to bring up this old topic..... 😀

About the trash thing: I've just plugged 2 cameras into my MB. First time, I deleted some then emptied the trash - meaning the trash stored on the camera has been removed.
I plug in my 2nd camera, delete some files .... the trash is EMPTY so I can't empty the trash again to delete the .trash file/folder?! What's going on here.

The only explanation is that I used iPhoto's 'delete originals' as opposed to CMD + DEL, so they might have gone to iPhoto's trash instead?
Click to expand...

If you used iPhoto's delete originals, they don't go to the trash they just actually get deleted off the camera.
 
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