New to mac: Hate the file browser

[AdeFowler]

@ the fugly screensshot

Exactly the same as using 2 finder windows (and less fugly).

Use list view in OS X.

Amen.

For anyone new to the Finder, here's a couple of tips:

Open 2 windows side by side in list view
From the View menu select Show Path Bar
Use Command Up arrow/Down arrow to navigate the folder structure
Use Command ~ (tilde) to switch focus

It's not perfect but, come on, is it really that hard?

 

[coops]

I hate the way Apple does the file browsing, compared to Windows I cannot use it. Is there any third party app for replace the mac file browser, eg, Windows Total commander.
I got a older Mac Mini and Snow Leopard.
Thank you

Try Pathfinder,as already mentioned. It has dual pane support - but still no keyboard shortcuts to simply move or copy from one pane to the other, but it does allow cut/paste as in command-x moving of files and folders.
I am getting used to the column view....

Another option is muCommander, which is free and looks great... until you try to copy or move a file and get a pop up confirmation dialog, essentially asking you if you're really sure you want to move that file etc. WTF? You've started up a file manager to manage your files, and you get the software nagging you? shame, really - did ask about it in their forum but got no reply.

Coops

 

[Gregg2]

1) No Cut and Paste. I still miss this. If it worked in windows -never had problems with - why cant it work in SL.

It could. Apple programmers just didn't allow it. It's duplicative. Drag and Drop does the same thing. Of course, there are multiple ways of doing other things, just not this one.

I agree with the OP. Explorer feels like a breath of fresh air after using Finder for a while.

Nah! The difference is so insignificant. You still need two Explorer windows open side-by-side.

Let me explain...

Two different folders, it's still the point. The difference is, you don't let go of the mouse button.
Finder: Click (on file or folder), drag (to second window), release. (hold down option while dragging if you want to copy rather than move, or move rather than copy - depending on the relative locations involved)
Explorer: Click (on file or folder), release, cut (two-key combo), Click (on second window), release, paste (two-key combo).

Now, which one is easier again?

 

[Sambo110]

Let me explain...
Go to the address bar in Safari or Firefox or whatever, and select all or part of it. Then hit command+x. This will CUT the highlighted section from the address bar.

Now, select the Google search box to the right. Hit command+v. This will paste what was just cut, into the search box.

Now, imagine being able to do that for files or folders within Finder. Windows and Linux have had the ability to do this for years, but it's strangely absent on OS X.

Um, what? I just clicked on Finder, pressed Enter on a folder, pressed Command+X, it cut it, pressed Command+V, it pasted it. So what are you going on about?

 

[BaldiMac]

Please drop all the Apple Fanboy stuff. There are things that rock in OSX and bad things. Same goes for Windows. Windows is good too. We live in a world where we need both. So please drop all the I love my MAC stuff. I just dislike the Apple File browser. I'm sure many dislike the one in Windows. But I am looking for a simple alternative and suggestion. I dont want to hear why Windows sucks.

Pathfinder was recommended earlier in the thread. It is the top Finder alternative.

If you want more options, it would help if you listed some specific features that you are looking for.

 

[GGJstudios]

Um, what? I just clicked on Finder, pressed Enter on a folder, pressed Command+X, it cut it, pressed Command+V, it pasted it. So what are you going on about?

That only cuts and pastes the name of the folder, not the folder itself. They're referring to selecting files or folder and cutting them, then finding another location and pasting them, which moves the files/folders from their original location to the new one. When you press Enter, you only edit the name of the file/folder, not its location.

 

[3D0G]

I have to agree--I've never really liked Apple's Finder. I'm still on Tiger, so maybe things have gotten better since then, but I particularly dislike the column view (I think that's what it's called).

 

[NoSmokingBandit]

Nah! The difference is so insignificant. You still need two Explorer windows open side-by-side.


Two different folders, it's still the point. The difference is, you don't let go of the mouse button.
Finder: Click (on file or folder), drag (to second window), release. (hold down option while dragging if you want to copy rather than move, or move rather than copy - depending on the relative locations involved)
Explorer: Click (on file or folder), release, cut (two-key combo), Click (on second window), release, paste (two-key combo).

Now, which one is easier again?

Wat.
There is so much wrong with what you just said.

I can manage files using just one Explorer window. Cut/paste and the address bar make life so much easier. The Path Bar in FInder leaves a lot to be desired after using the Address Bar in Vista/7. Have you ever used Explorer? It doesnt sound like it with all the crap you are making up.

In explorer one doesnt HAVE to use cut/paste. If i have to explorer windows open i can just drag over like in Finder. HOw does this make Explorer more difficult? Are you really trying that hard to defend Finder that you overlooked that Explorer can drag/drop between windows.
I like to keep as few windows open as possible in my workspace, so explorer easily wins due to cut/paste. Sure, i can drag in Finder with spring loaded folders, but if i accientally hit the wrong folder i cant hit the back button because my mouse is occupied with holding the file so i have to drag to a lower folder in the sidebar and repeat the whole process again.

With two windows open Finder and Explorer are equally as easy to use, but Explorer beats the pants off Finder when using only one window.

 

[Wheaty]

With two windows open Finder and Explorer are equally as easy to use, but Explorer beats the pants off Finder when using only one window.

I ditched my PC for a mini back in march. And on the whole I love it...

Personally I wouldn't say that Explorer beats the pants off finder, but I have to agree that Explorer has a few options that I really do miss. The whole cut and paste battle vs drag and drop? Well I had personally been using MS windows for so long that I did the majority of things with keyboard shortcuts. Cut and Pasting (Files, folders whatever) being very useful for moving files quickly and easily and not having to worry about loading multiple windows, or getting lost and dropping my files in directories on the way. And who says it takes longer or is harder? Personally I have two hands, and using both together makes things much easier and quicker, with one on the mouse and another on the short cut keys.

Personally the lack of cut and paste I find odd, but then I really struggle more with the way OSX manages the names/files. I find Explorer much better in principle, although I prefer the visual layout of OSX more.

So...

Why cant I have it, Folders, then Files Alphabetically? In EVERYTHING, Finder, Open dialogue, Save Dialogue boxes... etc etc

But thats another topic?

 

[jaw04005]

The only thing that drives me crazy in Finder.app is I can’t rename or move files in the save/open dialog box.

Pathfinder is about the only Finder alternative that I’m aware of. Most of us use tools like Quicksilver, Spotlight, etc to speed things up.

 

[notjustjay]

Please drop all the Apple Fanboy stuff. There are things that rock in OSX and bad things. Same goes for Windows. Windows is good too. We live in a world where we need both. So please drop all the I love my MAC stuff. I just dislike the Apple File browser. I'm sure many dislike the one in Windows. But I am looking for a simple alternative and suggestion. I dont want to hear why Windows sucks.

I can't offer you any suggestions for alternatives, but be aware that there is always going to be a vocal minority like that.

I have been on OS X since 2003 and I, too, see certain appeal to the way Windows does things.

The standard argument against copy/paste is that it is an incorrect use of the desktop metaphor. Well, so be it, but it was a handy shortcut. I use it all the time on Windows, and I do miss it on the Mac.

My other major gripe is that Finder sorts folders interspersed among the filenames, where I prefer the approach Windows takes which groups all the folders at the top.

The last few times I made that suggestion, though, I was essentially told "if you don't want to learn the local language, then why don't you move back to where you came from".

 

[ChrisA]

Please drop all the Apple Fanboy stuff. There are things that rock in OSX and bad things. Same goes for Windows. Windows is good too. We live in a world where we need both. So please drop all the I love my MAC stuff. I just dislike the Apple File browser. I'm sure many dislike the one in Windows. But I am looking for a simple alternative and suggestion. I dont want to hear why Windows sucks.

You have not yet said specifically what you want or what you dislike. Many times when people list out specific problems it turns out those can be addressed with preference settings or a right-click or something they just didn't know. For example the person above who wanted the files sorted a certain way, that's actually easy to do.

There are many file browsers available but who could recommend one if they don't know the specific features you like and dislike.

 

[savar]

When I switched full time to a mac (tiger) almost three years ago there where a few things in finder that I did not like.

1) No Cut and Paste. I still miss this. If it worked in windows -never had problems with - why cant it work in SL.

Umm... you can do that in SL.

That only cuts and pastes the name of the folder, not the folder itself. They're referring to selecting files or folder and cutting them, then finding another location and pasting them, which moves the files/folders from their original location to the new one. When you press Enter, you only edit the name of the file/folder, not its location.

You can do that, actually. The first guy's instructions weren't good because he said 'press enter' when really you just want to select the file. But I did just test this out on SL and it works just like Windows cut/paste for files.

I think its a nice feature, one that Finder definitely copied from elsewhere, but it doesn't interfere with anybody who doesn't want to use it.

 

[neutrino23]

Let me explain...
Go to the address bar in Safari or Firefox or whatever, and select all or part of it. Then hit command+x. This will CUT the highlighted section from the address bar.

Now, select the Google search box to the right. Hit command+v. This will paste what was just cut, into the search box.

Now, imagine being able to do that for files or folders within Finder. Windows and Linux have had the ability to do this for years, but it's strangely absent on OS X.

Maybe I'm missing something but this also works in the Finder. Select a file or folder and press Command-C to copy it. Go to another folder and press Command-V to paste it. I just tested it and it worked fine. Is this different from what you are referring to?

 

[GGJstudios]

You can do that, actually. The first guy's instructions weren't good because he said 'press enter' when really you just want to select the file. But I did just test this out on SL and it works just like Windows cut/paste for files.

Select a file or folder and press Command-C to copy it. Go to another folder and press Command-V to paste it.

This is apparently a new feature of Snow Leopard, as this doesn't work for moving files or folders in Leopard, which is probably what the other posters are referring to.

 

[uberamd]

Let me explain...
Go to the address bar in Safari or Firefox or whatever, and select all or part of it. Then hit command+x. This will CUT the highlighted section from the address bar.

Now, select the Google search box to the right. Hit command+v. This will paste what was just cut, into the search box.

Now, imagine being able to do that for files or folders within Finder. Windows and Linux have had the ability to do this for years, but it's strangely absent on OS X.

Here is what I do:

• Open finder to the file/folder I want to move
• Command + N to open new finder window
• Navigate new window to destination, then drag over

-or-

• Use SPRING LOADED FOLDERS

Both methods work. Cutting folders/files makes no sense to me.

 

[notjustjay]

Here is what I do:

• Open finder to the file/folder I want to move
• Command + N to open new finder window
• Navigate new window to destination, then drag over

-or-

• Use SPRING LOADED FOLDERS

Both methods work. Cutting folders/files makes no sense to me.

Both of your methods require one hand on the mouse. Cutting/pasting allows you to manipulate your files using just the keyboard. You can use the arrow keys to move your way around the folder tree in column view. Then select the file you want, cmd-x, arrow your way over to the target, cmd-v, done.

Sometimes when you are "in the zone" with lots of files to move about (a common task for structuring websites, or organizing your files) you want to be able to move a lot of files or folders around. Granted if there's a LOT of work to do, I'll drop into a Terminal and just type the commands.

 

[NoSmokingBandit]

Some posts here are giving me a major headache. Some people need to go use windows (or a linux distro with Konqueror, Nautilus, Dolphin, or any other file manager) and learn what Cut/Pasting FILES is. Not text, but the actual files themselves. How someone does not understand this concept these days is astounding.

 

[BlueRevolution]

So please drop all the I love my MAC stuff. I just dislike the Apple File browser. I'm sure many dislike the one in Windows. But I am looking for a simple alternative and suggestion. I dont want to hear why Windows sucks.

You haven't heard why Windows sucks. You've heard a number of people talking about why they think Explorer sucks. Since you commented on Finder, it seems a perfectly relevant comment to make.

However, there isn't much other point to this thread until you get around to telling us what you're looking for.

Let me explain...

No ****. I know how the clipboard works, but "cut" and "paste" in Explorer don't use the clipboard. It works completely differently from everywhere else in the operating system. The only similarity is the name of the command.

 

[misterredman]

A few alternative file managers:

http://www.cocoatech.com/

http://www.mucommander.com/

http://rixstep.com/4/0/xfile/

http://www.ragesw.com/products/explorer.html

http://www.flypath.info/

http://www.binarynights.com/forklift

 

[toolbox]

Now, imagine being able to do that for files or folders within Finder. Windows and Linux have had the ability to do this for years, but it's strangely absent on OS X.

That is kinda my gripe too, but thats life.

 

[superspiffy]

Let me explain...
Go to the address bar in Safari or Firefox or whatever, and select all or part of it. Then hit command+x. This will CUT the highlighted section from the address bar.

Now, select the Google search box to the right. Hit command+v. This will paste what was just cut, into the search box.

Now, imagine being able to do that for files or folders within Finder. Windows and Linux have had the ability to do this for years, but it's strangely absent on OS X.

We all know Apple lags like a motha when it comes to copy + paste. look how long it took them to bring it to the iPhone.

 

[no.1 Apple Fan]

Is below a picture of Total Commander (and an example of what you're looking for on the Mac)?

That looks painful.

 

[tempusfugit]

my favorite part about explorer is how it crashes all the time.

 

[Gregg2]

.With two windows open Finder and Explorer are equally as easy to use, but Explorer beats the pants off Finder when using only one window.

Haven't used Explorer in awhile. Didn't know you could move files around as you described. I always did it with two windows open, and used drag and drop.