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How to clear up your Desktop
- Thread starter i-sidd
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i dont know but im curious to know how to as well. i tried to erase my desktop of icons, but i just erased them completely from the HD by accident (coming from a PC). i know there is a trick, just dont know what it is...
The dock just points to the file/folder you place in it. It doesn't store the actual file.
Files and folder will always be visible. Unless you make them "hidden files". But that's a bit of a pain.
If you really want to hide some folder, use this app.
Hard Disks, CDs, DVDs, iPods and servers will appear on the desktop depending what preferences you have set for the Finder (command ",")
Just move the folders elsewhere, like into your Home folder. Your dock icon will keep the connection.
Yes, thats one way.
For clarity, I am only talking about files, folders, and applications. Mounted volumes, like an external drive, cameras, disk images, or iPods can only be hidden from the desktop, not moved. You can also unmount (eject) them too if you don't want them on the desktop.
Put the folders in your Documents folder. If you need instant access to a folder or file drag it to the right of the little line of the dock. That creates shortcut to the folder.
Documents on the desktop are actually on the desktop. If you delete them you are deleting the files themselves, and there is no backup copy.
I usually have nothing on my desktop except like now when I'm working on a few things actively. I always create my folders in Documents and create aliases (shortcuts) that I drag to the desktop so I don't delete my files by accident.
Documents on the desktop are actually on the desktop. If you delete them you are deleting the files themselves, and there is no backup copy.
I usually have nothing on my desktop except like now when I'm working on a few things actively. I always create my folders in Documents and create aliases (shortcuts) that I drag to the desktop so I don't delete my files by accident.
Not everyone understands that files can really live almost anywhere on a hard drive. Many people use their desktop as a storage bin, without knowing any better.
is there any other way to hide folders, without using the third party application. I mean within OS X. I am a switcher, so like in PC you can click a folder and click view and then hide a fole or a folder, you just check it and its done, isn't there something like that that can be done from the operating system.
If you want to "hide" a folder so that it is not immediately visible in Finder (but is not particularly secure), then name it with a beginning dot -- e.g. ".files" -- by convention, all such files are hidden (but can be viewed in Terminal or with a Finder alternative such as Path Finder).
If you want the file to be *secure* -- create a "sparse" disk image in Disk Utility and password protect it. (You can google, or if you're genuinely interested, I can explain in more detail.) This option gives you a disk that cannot be viewed, including even seeing its contents, without permission.
Also get into the habit of creating separate accounts for separate users -- this eliminates the whole issue of "hiding" files, as other users don't have access to your files to begin with.
If you want the file to be *secure* -- create a "sparse" disk image in Disk Utility and password protect it. (You can google, or if you're genuinely interested, I can explain in more detail.) This option gives you a disk that cannot be viewed, including even seeing its contents, without permission.
Also get into the habit of creating separate accounts for separate users -- this eliminates the whole issue of "hiding" files, as other users don't have access to your files to begin with.
You can't (I can't anyway) do this through the Finder. It gives you an error message saying
So mkrishnan, if I make a guest account, how can I make sure that they can see or view a particular file or folder but not the others, also will the guest account be able to access to itunes, iphoto and such stuff, or do I have to make a library for this new account as well. It would be great if you could explian it in details
Another quick questions about Icons.
I downloaded these icons, do I have to manually change each and every one of them.What I mean is like for example, I have changed the icon of music with apair of headphones, in the finder window,however the folders inside the music remains the default, do I have to manually change all those folders inside.
Another quick questions about Icons.
I downloaded these icons, do I have to manually change each and every one of them.What I mean is like for example, I have changed the icon of music with apair of headphones, in the finder window,however the folders inside the music remains the default, do I have to manually change all those folders inside.
I would like to know more Mohan
Oh shush! You do not.
It sounds like you're basically familiar with file structures...
/ is the root of the OS X file system -- it sits at the root of the boot drive (like C:\). All other drives are in /volumes.
All users have home directories, like in Windows, located at
/users/yourusername/
Unlike Windows, all user level preferences are located within this folder. Standard (non-administrator) users do not have write permissions to other locations on the hard drive at all.
Each user can run applications in /applications, access the /users/shared folder, and access their own home folder (only). You keep all your private documents in your home folder, where no other user can access it.
By default, libraries for iTunes and iPhoto and so on are per-user libraries. Each one has a library located in their home directory. You can actually circumvent this, and it is not hard to do, although you should be careful doing it. I say that, since you are asking a lot of really basic questions, and trying to change a lot of things in OS X before you understand how it operates. A lot of times the net result of that is that you make your computer unusable because you muck something up.
Your account and any Guest account(s) will be in HD/Users.
Any applications you want to be the exclusive user of should go in HD/Users/YourAccount/Applications. All other applications, for all users to have access to, should stay in HD/Applications.
Any files that you want to be the exclusive user of should also go in HD/Users/YourAccount wherever you want, probably in a Documents folder. Files you want everyone to have access to should go into HD/... wherever you want, but probably best in a new folder you create for them.