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Move files from desktop to folders

diegodp

diegodp

macrumors member
Original poster
Mar 15, 2020
36
1
I've got a MacBook Air 13 M1 (2020) with OS Sonoma.
When I try to move a file from desktop to folders I gain a new file in the final folder and the original file remains still on desktop too.
Previously with my iMac for example, if I move any file from/to , no double copied files were created, but always the same file was just moved in/out.

Of course, if I push "command" key moving in the meanwhile that file OS doesn't create any double copy, but is not so comfortable if you have to work daily with this need

How can I solve this feature?
 
Is your Desktop and Documents folders being synced to iCloud? Is the folder you are attempting to move files to outside of your Documents folder? If answers are "Yes" then you are copying files.
 
Bigwaff said:
Is your Desktop and Documents folders being synced to iCloud? Is the folder you are attempting to move files to outside of your Documents folder? If answers are "Yes" then you are copying files.
Click to expand...
NO, in any case.
 
Custom keystrokes changed in some way?

Or, a macro or keystroke program that flipped the operation of the copy and move commands?

Does this affect any other uses of the command key? For example, bolding, underlining, printing?
 
Saturn007 said:
Custom keystrokes changed in some way?

Or, a macro or keystroke program that flipped the operation of the copy and move commands?

Does this affect any other uses of the command key? For example, bolding, underlining, printing?
Click to expand...
No Macro or keystroke program, I suspect, reading on web, that could be an HD type problem...
 
HD problem…your internal SSD?

Just to confirm…you're trying to move a file, by dragging, from your Desktop to another folder that resides in your User Folder on the internal SSD of your MBA…and not to a different Volume on the MBA's internal SSD or an external volume?
 
BrianBaughn said:
HD problem…your internal SSD?

Just to confirm…you're trying to move a file, by dragging, from your Desktop to another folder that resides in your User Folder on the internal SSD of your MBA…and not to a different Volume on the MBA's internal SSD or an external volume?
Click to expand...
I'm trying to move a file, by dragging, from desktop to external volume (NAS).
Yes, I do.
 
Yeah…I don't know what you were doing on your iMac but Sebski is correct. This has been the behavior since before macOS X.

I don't know if there are any third-party Finder alternatives that change that.
 
Ah, it's to an external drive! That explains everything.

It's a good approach— that way you won't inadvertently move a document you wanted to keep on the Mac itself.

For long-time Mac users, it's ingrained — drag on the internal drive moves the file on the internal drive —drag to an external, copies it. Most experienced Macs users don't really think about it or realize there's an inherent inconsistency.

It's jarring when one takes a moment to reflect on it — although not as bad as having to eject a mounted external drive by dragging its icon to the Trash! Crazy interface decision way back is the mists of Mac time…
 
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Is there are any third-party Finder alternatives that change that?
I mean, I work daily with and external drive, it's so uncomfortable to push Command key before drop files in a new location every time!
 
Because there's a chance of a problem that far exceeds that of just moving a file on the same volume…I would advise you to only rely on a method that…in some way…at the least makes a temporary backup of the file you move.

To how many different locations (directories) are you saving files?
 
BrianBaughn said:
Because there's a chance of a problem that far exceeds that of just moving a file on the same volume…I would advise you to only rely on a method that…in some way…at the least makes a temporary backup of the file you move.

To how many different locations (directories) are you saving files?
Click to expand...
One location: desktop -> external drive and viceversa
I just work with my External Drive (NAS) but I use desktop to move any file that I download.

Directories a lot...
 
diegodp said:
Directories a lot...
Click to expand...
Probably too many directories to set up something with Automator…something like folders with folder actions on your internal drive…so…I don't know of an easy workaround or third-party solution.

I've noticed that the "Move Finder Items" action in Automator, when moving between volumes, does copy the file to the destination and delete the original.
 
diegodp said:
it's so uncomfortable to push Command key before drop files in a new location every time!
Click to expand...
You can't change the behavior of Finder, but you can change the drag technique. I use the three finger drag. You can then drag with 1 hand and hit Control with the free hand. You can enable that here:

System Prefs>Accessibility>PointerControl
Click Trackpad Options, Turn on "Use trackpad for dragging", select "Three Finger Drag" from the pulldown option menu and click ok.
 
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