New to mac: Hate the file browser

[Gregg2]

Don't know why this didn't come to mind before...

One behavior that Finder windows now exhibit that I don't like concerns the sidebar. I'll come back to that... I used to be annoyed by the same behavior in Explorer. Apple seems to have borrowed it.

Clicking once on an "inactive" window anywhere used to do only one thing on my Mac: make the window active. When I used Explorer, I had to be very careful about where I clicked the window, because if I clicked over a folder, it would go to that folder, losing my place in the "tree". That was annoying because it was a very large tree.

Now with Finder, the same annoying behavior presents itself if I happen to click on an item in the sidebar. (using 10.5.8) The back button puts me back with one click. I don't recall a back button for the Explorer window, but maybe there was one. Perhaps this minor annoyance is addressed in newer versions of both. (?)

 

[BlueRevolution]

The Explorer behaviour you're complaining about can be disabled in the options panel. I can't remember where exactly, but there's an option to the effect of "open folders with one click", which is disabled by default. You must have enabled it at some point.

 

[tempusfugit]

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.

uh huh?

Looky what I can do with OS X: http://web.me.com/jtmck/ScreenRecording.mov

 

[Peace]

55 posts and the OP has posted twice.

HELLO ?

 

[coops]

uh huh?

Looky what I can do with OS X: http://web.me.com/jtmck/ScreenRecording.mov

Tempusfugit..... seriously. Stop for a moment and read his post fully again, and pay attention to the bit about doing this with FILES / FOLDERS not text! For the love of....... unbelievable.

He is asking to be able to cut and paste a file or folder from one place in finder to another (not just copy and paste then delete the original).

In other words, the request is for the underlying Unix command 'mv' (which 'moves' files or folders, rather than the command 'cp' which 'copies') to be enabled within the Mac GUI....

Coops

 

[BlueRevolution]

uh huh?

Looky what I can do with OS X: http://web.me.com/jtmck/ScreenRecording.mov

Did you really just post a full-resolution video clip of you completely missing the point of the post?

In other words, the request is for the underlying Unix command 'mv' (which 'moves' files or folders, rather than the command 'cp' which 'copies') to be enabled within the Mac GUI....

It is implemented in the GUI. It's called drag-and-drop. The commands mv and cp don't use the clipboard either...

 

[GoKyu]

To the OP: I'm also not thrilled with Finder (been a Mac user for about 2 years now), and my dual-pane filemanager of choice is (as others have said) Pathfinder.

Neither one of them does what I would consider a basic feature though - in icon view, being able to see the SIZE of the file in the status bar. That's it, the biggest complaint I have with Finder.

I see the same information with column view, but I think that's as bad as having the "preview pane" from Windows.

I don't see why Apple can't add "xxx MB" at the bottom of the status bar, when they're already showing how many files you've selected, and the total amount of space on disk. Very illogical, and I'm a big fan of most of the way OS X works.

 

[Wheaty]

Neither one of them does what I would consider a basic feature though - in icon view, being able to see the SIZE of the file in the status bar. That's it, the biggest complaint I have with Finder.

Do you know, thats a very good point.
Its handy to know the free space of my drive, but I dont need to know it in every folder. Folder size would be much better.
Shame its not an option to set (well I havent found it if it is)

Wheaty

 

[GoKyu]

Do you know, thats a very good point.
Its handy to know the free space of my drive, but I dont need to know it in every folder. Folder size would be much better.
Shame its not an option to set (well I havent found it if it is)

Wheaty

That's why I say it's really illogical for them to NOT include it...I need to know the file/folder size WAY more often than I need to know how much space is left on the drive...

 

[Mitthrawnuruodo]

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?

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.

No... works fine on my old iBook running Tiger (10.4), so it's been around for a while...

 

[BlueRevolution]

To the OP: I'm also not thrilled with Finder (been a Mac user for about 2 years now), and my dual-pane filemanager of choice is (as others have said) Pathfinder.

Neither one of them does what I would consider a basic feature though - in icon view, being able to see the SIZE of the file in the status bar. That's it, the biggest complaint I have with Finder.

I see the same information with column view, but I think that's as bad as having the "preview pane" from Windows.

I don't see why Apple can't add "xxx MB" at the bottom of the status bar, when they're already showing how many files you've selected, and the total amount of space on disk. Very illogical, and I'm a big fan of most of the way OS X works.

You could do command+shift+I... but that's no better I guess.

 

[jeff5656]

Let me explain...

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.

I have OS 10.6. I went into the document folder and right slicked a file and selected copy. Then I went to another folder and hit right click and selected "paste item" and the file was put there. Oh I see, you mean there is no CUT (because there IS COPY). Just click "move to trash after you paste!

 

[Meyvn]

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.

I loved this too, but you can do this in the Finder. Just set to arrange by "Kind." There y'go.

As to the OP, it'd just be best if you listed off the features that you find lacking in the Finder and see if we could help you get as many of them as we can, either through changing the Finder settings, or through Pathfinder, etc.

To the OP: I'm also not thrilled with Finder (been a Mac user for about 2 years now), and my dual-pane filemanager of choice is (as others have said) Pathfinder.

Neither one of them does what I would consider a basic feature though - in icon view, being able to see the SIZE of the file in the status bar. That's it, the biggest complaint I have with Finder.

I see the same information with column view, but I think that's as bad as having the "preview pane" from Windows.

I don't see why Apple can't add "xxx MB" at the bottom of the status bar, when they're already showing how many files you've selected, and the total amount of space on disk. Very illogical, and I'm a big fan of most of the way OS X works.

This has always frustrated me too. They display this info in List View, why not Icon?

 

[chill.]

I have OS 10.6. I went into the document folder and right slicked a file and selected copy. Then I went to another folder and hit right click and selected "paste item" and the file was put there. Oh I see, you mean there is no CUT (because there IS COPY). Just click "move to trash after you paste!

yea, except you have to navigate from your source folder, "copy", navigate to your destination folder, "paste", and THEN navigate all the way back to your source to delete? it's pretty horrible

the lack of cut + paste in finder bothers me as well. i always have to use 2 finder windows to move my files, which is just a pain in the ass

 

[Gregg2]

Neither one of them does what I would consider a basic feature though - in icon view, being able to see the SIZE of the file in the status bar. That's it, the biggest complaint I have with Finder.

Not sure what you're calling the "status bar". It's certainly not a menu item that can be viewed or hidden. Do you mean the bottom bar where the number of items and remaining disk space is shown?

Alternatively, I wonder why checking "Show Item Info" could not reveal file size below the icon and name. In Leopard, that only reveals the number of items in folders. Then we'd have the file sizes, and want the folder sizes too. If the folder sizes were revealed in that blue text below the folder name, then we'd want the item number shown somewhere. I wonder if it would be possible to show it in, or perhaps technically, on the folder icon itself? Since that would make each folder icon potentially unique, it would have to be "layered" or "overlaid" on the icon.

 

[AaronX]

I prefer Windows Explorer too. When I have serious file managing to do, I use this script to open 2 Finder windows:

tell application "Finder"
open home
set toolbar visible of first Finder window to true

open startup disk
set toolbar visible of second Finder window to true
--set statusbar visible of second Finder window to true

set current view of every Finder window to list view
set bounds of first Finder window to [0, 44, 720, 880]
set bounds of second Finder window to [721, 44, 1440, 880]
end tell

You can test it right away, select the text, click on Safari in your menu bar > services > run as AppleScript (works in Leopard, you need to enable this in SL). You might have to edit the dimensions if you're not using a MBP.

 

[mnpmac]

I am frustrated with the Finder as well. It doesn't do 3 things that Explorer does:

1. No Cut-Paste of files/folders.
When I am doing lot of work with filesystems, I prefer not to use the mouse atall. Drag and Drop requires that you have one hand on the mouse.

Soln: Pathfinder allows cmd-X and cmd-V.

2. Delete button has no function.
I cannot delete a file when I am in the finder hitting the key.
Pathfinder does not do this (maybe the latest version does which I need to upgrade when I get the chance).

Alternative: Use terminal.

3. Size of selected files.
When I plan to email many files, or copy them over to an USB key, I would prefer to know the total size of the multiple files when I select them.
Pathfinder does not give this info either.
It is not easy to do this in terminal either.

(Bonus )4: Since the alternatives are not so good and I am forced to use drag-drop, atleast I would have preferred if there was an ability to split multiple windows across screen.

Unfortunately I see no significant advantages in Finder compared to Explorer.

 

[Mitthrawnuruodo]

2. Delete button has no function.

Try cmd-delete (or cmd-backspace.)

3. Size of selected files.

Try opt-cmd-I

 

[mnpmac]

Try cmd-delete (or cmd-backspace.)

Try opt-cmd-I

Thanks. Cmd-Del is better than Del I guess, since it goes with cmd-c, cmd-v

I could not find opt-cmd-I in the finder menu. I only see cmd-I. Why hide this option from the Menu?

 

[Compile 'em all]

Finder sucks, yes sir

 

[Rampant.A.I.]

 

[chill.]

[^^]

what is this supposed to prove?

 

[DeepIn2U]

It was a monkey in 1989.

LMAO! I laughed so hard reading this!

55 posts and the OP has posted twice.

HELLO ?

I know. I think within everybody's debate we lost the Op: either to search for the solution here or elsewhere or the op just gave up his Mac.

It's threads like this that really deserve attention to assist the op before debating what we all prefer or dislike. I'll grant that the op when immediately asked what he didn't like in Finder was not forthcoming initially but we still lost him with only 1 suggestive alternative. Me posting still doesn't help the op as I'm VERY new to Mac OS X myself (less than 1 full week; with 3mths prior experience on a Beta of OSX, Puma).

OP: are you also looking to invoke a file browser from Safari like IEv6 does on Windows?
Are you looking for a details/list/type/name view options?
Are you in need of a 2 pane tree structure?

I'm trying to help your requested thread back on track but please help us help find what you're after.

Cheers.

EDIT: A personal suggestion may be to use Terminal, quite a few commands for copying, moving, pasting of files or folders can be used on OS X's Terminal (I'm weak here so I may be wrong). This may not be what you're after but its VERY powerful and VERY fast, once you get the hang of it you may never really want to use Finder.

 

[BlueRevolution]

I know. I think within everybody's debate we lost the Op...

I think you just summed up all multi-page support threads in one go.

EDIT: A personal suggestion may be to use Terminal, quite a few commands for copying, moving, pasting of files or folders can be used on OS X's Terminal (I'm weak here so I may be wrong). This may not be what you're after but its VERY powerful and VERY fast, once you get the hang of it you may never really want to use Finder.

Yes and no. I use both in about equal measure. I have Terminal bound to a shortcut key (control+`) to speed things up. There are very few people who would consider this to be a feasible solution, though.

 

[Mitthrawnuruodo]

I could not find opt-cmd-I in the finder menu. I only see cmd-I. Why hide this option from the Menu?

Click on the File menu, then - with the menu open - use the option button...