Moving files, trash cans and rainbows

[moogle301]

Okay I just got a macbook. Lots of things I like about it. But lots of things just seem SOO complicated!!
I am trying to sort my photos. In windows I can click on a photo and scroll in order through a folder and press delete to any I don't want. In my mac I don't seem to be able to delete stuff without exiting the photo viewer and shutting each photo viewing window and dragging files to the trash can :[
Also, I can't select multiple files in groups in a folder when its in icon styles and it copies automatically instead of moving the files.. I tried a 'command' drag or something, but it doesn't seem to work, it just copies stuff...
Just moving through folders is confusing..

Also, I'm trying to find my firefox folder but it doesn't seem to be where ppl online say it should be :[

None of the windows maximise fully

and firefox crashed so I ended the task and it wouldn't let me open a new firefox as it said ff was open, and i was copying some stuff open when it froze copying and then a rainbow ball appeared and everything stopped
:S

I want to like my macbook.. but so far it is not working as well as my vista

 

[miles01110]

I am trying to sort my photos. In windows I can click on a photo and scroll in order through a folder and press delete to any I don't want. In my mac I don't seem to be able to delete stuff without exiting the photo viewer and shutting each photo viewing window and dragging files to the trash can :[

When in Preview press Command + Delete and it'll move the photo to the Trash.

Also, I can't select multiple files in groups in a folder when its in icon styles

Command + click on files to select a group.

and it copies automatically instead of moving the files.. I tried a 'command' drag or something, but it doesn't seem to work, it just copies stuff...

To move files you just have to select them and drag them. There is no "Paste" file feature in the standard Finder.

None of the windows maximise fully

This is one of the differences between OS X and Windows.

 

[moogle301]

When in Preview press Command + Delete and it'll move the photo to the Trash.



Command + click on files to select a group.
-thanks. I know I can click on by one but when the folder is in an icon layout I can't use shift to select lots at once this seems odd and time time consuming

To move files you just have to select them and drag them. There is no "Paste" file feature in the standard Finder.
Yes I was trying to drag them but they won't move.. they only copy :[
but I am sad to find out there is no paste feature either!! this seems an odd thing not to have.. and something it'd be easy to add..


oh :[ In windows I always have my windows maximises otherwise it just getds annoying but I guess perhaps its something I'll get used to. There must be a reason for it I guess. Just seems really odd and constricting not to have the option. I guess being new to Mac and knowing my way around a PC so well I just feel really not in control in comparison. thanks for your reply

another thing.. I have my mouse plugged in and its acting WEIRD!! It just doesn't make my cursor move as well as on my windows laptop.. Neither laptop came with a mouse but I didn't think the fact more mouses are probably made with windows in mind would mean my mouse would act dodgey

 

[moogle301]

When in Preview press Command + Delete and it'll move the photo to the Trash.

thanks. I don't have a delete key unfortunately. Just did research and i think i press fn+bksp to delete stuff
Wow.. this is a lot more keys to remember to do a simple thing.. :S

edit: I just tried it and nothing seems to happen. What could be going wrong?
Now the only way I seem to be able to sort photos is in coverflow and dragging each one I don't like to the trash or command clicking it to move.. SLOOOWWWW

 

[MrCheeto]

Windows do not "maximize." Apple is a smart tart and realized you don't have to fill the entire screen with a browser window, it just wastes space. When you press the Green traffic light it expands the window to a size that is big enough to accommodate everything on the webpage that is being displayed. In other words, it only gets as big as it needs to be.

To select multiple files/folders it's this easy:
Click the white area of the window and drag over the folders you want, just like in ANY modern OS.

OR Click a file/folder, then while holding Command (or shift) you can select any number of other files as well.


If you're viewing images in the Finder, click on an image and press the space bar. Use the arrow keys to navigate and when you come across an image you want to delete, just hit the space bar again to exit Quick Look and press Command+Delete to delete it.

As a tip to a new Mac user, understand that closing a window does not always quit the application. When you close all of your Firefox and Safari windows those applications are still loaded. You have to either right-click the dock icon and click "quit *application*, select the application and hit Command+Q, or go to the menu and click the application name, then at the bottom of the menu it will say "Quit *application"

By the way, you'll notice the menu bar (the thing at the top that says  Finder File Edit or whatever) changes depending on what application is selected...FYI.

 

[moogle301]

Also, I am trying to rotate the photos with the touchpad but nothing seems to happen.. :[
I have realised that it would have been quicker to sort through photos on my camera!! at least until i improve

 

[MrCheeto]

*sigh* most of these problems can be solved by EXPLORING the OS, you can't get anywhere by applying what you know from one OS to a new one -.-'

Experiment, take things apart and press buttons, sheesh, this is NOT Windows and it is NOT going to act like Windows.

First off, your mouse can be configured in System Preferences, along with everything else.

Second, there IS a copy/paste/cut feature built in, you misunderstood. All of the shortcuts in Windows are different but by little. Windows is Control+C to copy, MacOS is Command+C to copy.

Command+C Copy
Command+V Paste
Command+X Cut
Command+delete Delete
Command+F Fullscreen (certain applications like movies)
Command+Q Quit the currently selected application
Command+S Save
Command+P Print

See?

Don't bother with cover flow. Open a Finder window and select icon view. Then just pinch your fingers outward on the trackpad (assuming you have a mutli-touch trackpad) and they will get larger. You can play videos and browse PDF's right in icon view, or press the Space Bar to view them. You can select any number of items and press the Space Bar and it will show them all, in a slideshow even. There's also a Fullscreen button at the bottom of the Quick Look window.

If your trackpad is multi-touch it will be 1 large surface, no button.

If you do have the multi-touch trackpad, it only rotates in iPhoto and Preview. Open an image in Preview and then rotate it, then close the window and it will ask if you want to save.

Personally, I keep ALL images in iPhoto, trust me it's just easier to browse and delete and edit. You can view all of your images in fullscreen and when you come across an image you want deleted, just hit delete (no command) and it goes into the iPhoto trash. Want to rotate? Then rotate, done. iPhoto makes that all simple and natural.

 

[moogle301]

Windows do not "maximize." Apple is a smart tart and realized you don't have to fill the entire screen with a browser window, it just wastes space. When you press the Green traffic light it expands the window to a size that is big enough to accommodate everything on the webpage that is being displayed. In other words, it only gets as big as it needs to be.

To select multiple files/folders it's this easy:
Click the white area of the window and drag over the folders you want, just like in ANY modern OS.

OR Click a file/folder, then while holding Command (or shift) you can select any number of other files as well.


If you're viewing images in the Finder, click on an image and press the space bar. Use the arrow keys to navigate and when you come across an image you want to delete, just hit the space bar again to exit Quick Look and press Command+Delete to delete it.

As a tip to a new Mac user, understand that closing a window does not always quit the application. When you close all of your Firefox and Safari windows those applications are still loaded. You have to either right-click the dock icon and click "quit *application*, select the application and hit Command+Q, or go to the menu and click the application name, then at the bottom of the menu it will say "Quit *application"

By the way, you'll notice the menu bar (the thing at the top that says  Finder File Edit or whatever) changes depending on what application is selected...FYI.

thanks for your help, bothering with photos etc
I did know how to drag however with my mouse acting dodge i really prefer using keyboard shortcuts.. it is annoying that shift will not select a whole bunch of photos when in icons view.
Also, I see why it might be more logical not to have a full window but ever since I used computers it always annoyed be when the screen wasn't maximised inc when I briefly used a friend's mac.. i stupidly assumed it could be customised.. perhaps I'll get used to it, its just.. something might not be logical but I just find it tough to work when everything is different sizes and stuff idk.. something's hard about working with it that way.

Ahh, I found out it doesn't have to be delete, i can press bksp as well :] thats why it wasn't working. I press cmd and bksp.. again seems odd that you have to go in and out of stuff to delete it.. surely it would make sense to have some way to quickly sort photos without having to leave quiclook/an app?

and yes I did know about the 'quit' thing which I'm also finding quite odd!! Can you tell me the benefits of this system? I'm sure there are some. I don't mind it so much cus i can just do cmd and Q to exit.
and yeah I also noticed the menu bar at the top changes. I do keep forgetting though. i went into iphoto and was like.. but there's no menu to import anything from!!! before I realised.

Does anyone have any idea how to find the firefox folder on my mac? online is says in the library folder and somewhere else is says to make FF find it itself with help but neither of these seem to exist on my mac :[

also, when i tap to drag stuff sometimes it acts as if i have drag lock on.. this is way annoying. is it my macbook i should have seen to or do they all have this error.

On a plus note, I do like the keyboard! and it is way quieter than my windows laptop and really cold

 

[moogle301]

Okay I seriously am not an idiot. I am pretty damn good with computers compared to everyone I know at least and I don't expect my mac to be like windows but I expect it to have the same functions if they're the ones I consider basic and its weird when I don't have as much control over my computer as normal.

I HAVE done lots of searches before posting on a forum because its faster for me to google something than ask and becus google can solve most problems. The reason I came on here is becus as I have said with multiple examples (e.g. moving stuff and findinf FF folders) the info online does not seem to be working. So I am thankful for your help but your last reply seemed to be implying I was being unreasonable which I really don't think I was being.

Of course I understand that command replaces ctrl, I researched that myself/just figuired it out in the first few mins, I have copied and pasted about 30 times in FFox today, I just thought you said that 'finder' had no copy and paste which just seems inconvenient.

Of course I know I can change mouse settings, I did it within the first 10 mins of loading my macbook up the first time, I really am not some idiot who does not figure stuff for myself when possible but I am saying that my mouse IS acting dodgy compared to on windows. Yes I have adjusted it but I can tell when a mouse is not working properly.

I have used icon view and done the pinchy thing already, I just found it inconvenient that I couldn't select mulitple phjotos using shift like you can in other views.

Okay so iphoto, I was under the impression it works how picasa does (which I love).. when you rotate something in picasa I think its only rotates in picasa and when you delete stuff i think it maybe just deletes it from picasa library (can't remember though).. that would not be what I want. Also, browsing folders in iphoto did not seem to work as intuitively as Picasa but I didn't give it very long to be fair.

I know I have to get used to it, it just is taking me so long to do a simple task! and some simple stuff seems to be a bit complicated is all.
thnx for your help

 

[MrCheeto]

To get used to the window sizes, you will have to multi-task. The benefits become clear then. As well, using Exposé will become second nature, it is a lot quicker and easier than clicking through the taskbar and minimizing everything.

Safari, for instance, does not quit when you close it because you can launch new windows without one being open, and let's say you're downloading something, the download window stays open while you can close all others. Basically if you NEED a window to use the application, it will quit when you close it (iPhoto, iMovie and such) but if you can start new files/windows WITHOUT a window already being open it WON'T quit when you close it. You'll start to understand with experience.
The advantage is that when Safari is loaded it doesn't have to load the next time you open a window. Quicker launching

Firefox, was probably installed in Applications. If it's not there then you were running it from the disk image. In that case you need to start the Firefox installer by double clicking the Firefox disk image (.dmg) after that a window will pop up telling you to drag the Firefox icon into the Applications folder. Do that and you're done.

Go into system preferences and play with the Trackpad settings, drag lock is very helpful but only when the person using it knows how it works

 

[MrCheeto]

when you rotate something in picasa I think its only rotates in picasa and when you delete stuff i think it maybe just deletes it from picasa library

Easy, there's a setting in iPhoto>Preferences to copy the image to the library. What this means is when it imports it doesn't effect the original file but makes a copy to the library.

So what I do is put all of my pictures and picture folders into a folder I call "Import" which I put in my Pictures folder. So Pictures>Import is where all of my pictures go. After that I go to iPhoto and import "Pictures>Import" and once it is done importing, I delete everything in the Pictures>Import folder, that way the ONLY copy is in iPhoto.

 

[Tumbleweed666]

Second, there IS a copy/paste/cut feature built in, you misunderstood. All of the shortcuts in Windows are different but by little. Windows is Control+C to copy, MacOS is Command+C to copy.

Command+C Copy
Command+V Paste
Command+X Cut

See?

Not so, try that with a file, it doesn't work that way.
Windows is better in this respect, you can cut a file and paste it somewhere else. In OSX you have to copy it to the new location and then delete it from the source.
Yes you can drag and drop but thats subject to accidentally letting go and dropping it who knows where, and also AFAIK only works within the same volume, across volumes it will just copy it.

 

[DewGuy1999]

To maximize windows you can try Option clicking the green button in the upper left corner.