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How to MOVE a folder which contains files?

B

BartZiller

macrumors member
Original poster
Jun 16, 2009
34
0
Hello Mac Friends,

well I would say that I am a very experienced IT person and have a ton of knowledge :D

However, I am apparently too dumb to figure out how I can MOVE (cut and paste at the same time) a folder from on location on my hard drive to another WITHOUT going back to the original area and delete the folder after the "fake" moving process.

It seems that MAC does not support the physical movement of a folderfrom location A to B.

Scenario:
I have a folder called A
I select the folder (click with mouse)
I drag the folder to the desired destination B
I release the mouse and what happens: MAC starts to COPY the folder and its files.

I read on several forums and pages that it is possible if you hold down the command key (after you click the folder you want to move) but it does not work for me.

Does anyone has a simple, short answer whether it is possible to move a folder which contains files from location A to B on my mac (same hard drive)?

This cannot be true that this does not work in the FINDER. Even if I select the folder go in the Finder menu to "Edit" (cut is grayed out and not clickable) it does not give me the option to perform a cut and paste.

So, does cut and paste work for folders on a MAC or not.

Guys I am really frustrated with that. Such a basic function. :eek:
 
Does the folder icon show a little green + sign when you let go? If not, it is moving them.
 
RTM


If it's on the same volume a simple drag & drop will move it.

It it's across volumes you need to hold down the command ⌘ key. If it's still copying at that point then it's protected against deletion for some reason.
 
r.j.s said:
Are you trying to move it from a volume or folder you cannot write to?

Are you sure you are holding the Command key?
Click to expand...

I know what it is. I am not working as admin - rather as standard user. Or is there a good reason to work always as admin. I thought it is better not to work as admin. If I'd work as admin I wouldn't have this problem - probably?
 
BartZiller said:
I know what it is. I am not working as admin - rather as standard user. Or is there a good reason to work always as admin. I thought it is better not to work as admin. If I'd work as admin I wouldn't have this problem - probably?
Click to expand...

It depends on where you are trying to move the files from really, and how often you do it. You shouldn't ever have any issues from your User folder ... but right now, it seems that not being admin is your problem here.
 
Thank you both!

The issue was:

a) not admin
b) moving a file from outside of the "user folder" into the user folder. Once the file was in the "user folder" I was able to move it around.

Issue resolved.
 
RE: How to MOVE a folder which contains files?

RE:
"However, I am apparently too dumb to figure out how I can MOVE (cut and paste at the same time) a folder from on location on my hard drive to another WITHOUT going back to the original area and delete the folder after the "fake" moving process.
It seems that MAC does not support the physical movement of a folderfrom location A to B."

This is one of my gripes with OS X, one that Apple could easily fix.

We already have "Move To Trash" in the File menu and "Copy" in the Edit menu (which can copy entire file(s) to the clipboard, to be "Pasted" elsewhere).

There ought to be a Finder command (either in the File or Edit menu) named "Move To...".

It should work this way:
1. User selects file(s) or folder(s) to be copied
2. User chooses "Move To..." command
3. Finder opens a "put file" dialog box prompting user to choose _where_ files should be moved to
4. Finder first copies files or folders to new location, then...
5. Finder deletes old copies of files or folders from the OLD location.

Of course with OS X there is the possibility that someone might try to move a file or folder that should not be moved from where it currently resides. OS X is "smart enough" to know about such things, and could present an alert dialog warning the user not to attempt to move such files, or require superuser permissions to do so.

I, too, have had trouble using the Command key when trying to move things around. A simple menu command/dialog box routine would make it MUCH easier, particularly for newer users and switchers...

Apple, why not?

- John
 
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