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How do you cut and paste files from one folder to another?
- Thread starter Still100
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What Mac OS X version do you have?
Do you prefer to use the keyboard or could drag & drop (using the CMD key when dragging & dropping onto another volume/partition) work for you?
How to Cut & Paste Files and Folders in Mac OS X Mountain Lion
I still do not know, why Finder includes the CMD+X (Cut) command in the Edit menu though, if it is not working anyway.
Do you prefer to use the keyboard or could drag & drop (using the CMD key when dragging & dropping onto another volume/partition) work for you?
How to Cut & Paste Files and Folders in Mac OS X Mountain Lion
I still do not know, why Finder includes the CMD+X (Cut) command in the Edit menu though, if it is not working anyway.
I use TotalFinder which adds the copy/cut/paste options to your right-click contextual menu, plus a whole lot of other useful features. My favorite feature is tabbed browsing in Finder.
Yeah I would recommend you do this, totalfinder is a Godsend, makes Finder 10x better. I have no clue what the hell was going through whoever's mind when they decided to cut this feature out of finder, I think it happened in Lion or Mountain Lion, completely stupid...
RE: cut and paste in Finder...
Hi Still100,
You can also "cut-and-paste" in Apple's Finder without a third-party app, if you wish.
Under 10.8.3, the following works:
Highlight the files you wish to copy (say it is 2 files), then under the "gear" menu at the top of that Finder window you will see at about 2/3rds of the way down that dropdown menu a "Copy 2 items" option. Click this option. Then highlight the folder you wish to paste these two files to. Return to the "gear" menu and you will see a "Paste 2 items" option, click on this and your two files will be copied to the new folder. These options are also found under the Finder's Edit menu in the top menu bar. (This is different from simsaladimbamba's link, as under 10.8.3 I don't have the options listed there.)
If you want to move the files from folder to folder instead of copying them, then just highlight the files you wish to move, click on them and drag them to the new folder while holding down the click button. This will move the files instead of copying them.
...just thought you should know...
Regards,
Switon
Hi Still100,
You can also "cut-and-paste" in Apple's Finder without a third-party app, if you wish.
Under 10.8.3, the following works:
Highlight the files you wish to copy (say it is 2 files), then under the "gear" menu at the top of that Finder window you will see at about 2/3rds of the way down that dropdown menu a "Copy 2 items" option. Click this option. Then highlight the folder you wish to paste these two files to. Return to the "gear" menu and you will see a "Paste 2 items" option, click on this and your two files will be copied to the new folder. These options are also found under the Finder's Edit menu in the top menu bar. (This is different from simsaladimbamba's link, as under 10.8.3 I don't have the options listed there.)
If you want to move the files from folder to folder instead of copying them, then just highlight the files you wish to move, click on them and drag them to the new folder while holding down the click button. This will move the files instead of copying them.
...just thought you should know...
Regards,
Switon
You can also Copy the files (either with a menu command or <command> C) and then Move them, using <alt><Command> V. (Or hold down <alt> when accessing the Edit menu.)
This has the same result of moving the file to a new location, but it prevents files from being deleted while on the Clipboard, which is the reason Cut is not supported.
This has the same result of moving the file to a new location, but it prevents files from being deleted while on the Clipboard, which is the reason Cut is not supported.
There has never been Cut in the Finder since the first Apple Mac in 1984. Any other app or utility that copied to the pasteboard while your file is in "limbo" would cause it to be lost. That's what they were thinking.
The Cut menu is shown in the Finder, greyed out, because all Edit menus show Cut, Copy and Paste, even when they are not available. Consistency.
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I'm not bashing Apple, but it works in Windows, and has for a long time. The disaster you're describing doesn't happen, because Windows will not remove the Cut file(s) from their original location until they are pasted elsewhere.
I use the drag and drop method myself, on my Mac and in Windows at work. It's quite logical.
I'm sure it does work, but Apple has (traditionally, though with some recent exceptions) followed a strict set of Human Interface Guidelines since day 1.
Things should be consistent. A Cut command that doesn't actually Cut the file is inconsistent and not a Cut. It's some other command pretending to be a Cut.
Same as another oft-desired feature from Windows -- <enter> to launch files in the Finder. On OS X, <Command> O opens files in all apps -- including the Finder. It's consistent.
It is THIS attention to consistent detail that has given the Mac a reputation for being easy to use. A thing works the same way, everywhere, or it doesn't work at all.
Sometimes, departing from the convention may be more useful in one particular context, but overall, having lots of similar things working in different ways isn't.