When I select a file, then shift-click another to include all the files in between, it functions as though I command-clicked the second file. It's incredibly frustrating... How do I fix this?
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Shift doesn't select range of files?
- Thread starter anarchopath
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What Mac OS X version do you use?
Does it also happen in another, even temporarily created, user account?
Does it also happen in another, even temporarily created, user account?
Newest OS X. That's how it's been since I unboxed the rMPB about a week ago. I thought it was a "feature" until I was frustrated enough to google it.
I haven't tried any other accounts yet.
I haven't tried any other accounts yet.
Update:
I fixed this problem by doing a complete erase-reinstall. That also seems to have fixed a problem where safari would cause the computer to stall/freeze every few seconds for anywhere between a fraction of a second to several seconds (but I haven't installed any extensions to safari yet, so we'll see how that goes, but that's a different topic).
I fixed this problem by doing a complete erase-reinstall. That also seems to have fixed a problem where safari would cause the computer to stall/freeze every few seconds for anywhere between a fraction of a second to several seconds (but I haven't installed any extensions to safari yet, so we'll see how that goes, but that's a different topic).
This problem was fixed for awhile after a fresh erase and install of OS X. But it's back now. Shift clicking doesn't select a range, it just does the same thing as command click...
You guys got any solutions?
You guys got any solutions?
I guess it also works in column view (which is a sort of list view, or vice versa). I was just in whatever view it defaults to, which has happened to be icon view most of the time.
Yeah, you are right. I just tried it, and shift-click works in list view, but only selects individual files when viewing in icon view. Not sure why Apple designed it that way--kind of strange.
In Icon view you use Shift-drag to select (or deselect) multiple items. You can drag over any rectangular shape. The problem with Shift-click for a range is what constitutes a "range" when items aren't in a list?
If you want to think of it in terms of problems, then the problem isn't with shift selecting a range of icons, which other platforms have solved. The problem only exists in Mac OS, due to Apple's failure to implement a solution.
Whatever though I'm not whining, but at least I'm not making excuses. I'll just deal with it. My overall experience with Mac OS since I got my rMBP over a week ago (after installing BetterTouchTool) is generally pleasant.
Apple has a solution (which also exists on other platforms) -- drag. Shift-Drag lets you add or remove to the selection. At least this is the way I've always done it on Windows or the Mac.
To show the "problem", I click on Computer and shift-click on Adobe Reader X. How many icons have I selected? Hint -- it's more than 11 because there are some under the Internet Explorer window. If I drag I get exactly 11. I can also use drag to get only the left column, for instance. Can't do that with shift-click at all.
To show the "problem", I click on Computer and shift-click on Adobe Reader X. How many icons have I selected? Hint -- it's more than 11 because there are some under the Internet Explorer window. If I drag I get exactly 11. I can also use drag to get only the left column, for instance. Can't do that with shift-click at all.
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To me, not letting the user shift-select a range of icons isn't a solution to the problem of not letting the user shift-select a range of icons.
Whatever though. The workaround is switching into list or column view.
Well you are going to find a lot of disappointments then. OS X is not Windows and Windows is not OS X.
Just wait until you want to move a file. You don't do Control-X to "cut" the file at the source. You do a Cmd-C Copy, just like you are going to duplicate. But then at the destination you do a Option-Cmd-V to Move. Basically the selection of move versus copy is made at the conclusion rather than at the start of the operation.
Just wait until you want to move a file. You don't do Control-X to "cut" the file at the source. You do a Cmd-C Copy, just like you are going to duplicate. But then at the destination you do a Option-Cmd-V to Move. Basically the selection of move versus copy is made at the conclusion rather than at the start of the operation.
I appreciate the honesty; it's more respectable than excuses (i.e. "you can't cut files for your own protection," nothing worse than insulting my intelligence instead of owning up for the failure to modernize). Also, I appreciate that you mention the workaround for the lack of cut functionality, because right after leaving this thread I went to shift-select a range of files (in list view, of course) and cut them, and my blood started boiling. Now I know the workaround!
For what it's worth, you might be interested to learn that the problems generally aren't an OS-X-isn't-Windows thing. It's an all-modern-OSs-except-Mac thing. Ubuntu and Windows allow you to shift select a range of files. Ubuntu, Windows, Android, and iFile let you cut files.
The Mac way is different for sure. In my opinion, it's stubborn and locked down and no excuses will make it more acceptable to me. But I'm not whining about it, I'll just learn to deal and if I decide I can't handle it then I'll switch platforms.
The one thing I can say I am incredibly impressed by about Mac OS (which is really just an independent unofficial software hack, BetterTouchTool, in combination with the hardware clickpad, so it's not really a compliment about Mac OS per se) is the window management. Absolutely impressive and useful after disabling most of the Mac OS defaults and customizing my own.
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There is irony here -- until recently there was no keyboard command for move at all. That's new, so OS X could actually be viewed as more modern than the others.
At least from my viewpoint, cut/copy/paste was originally an IBM user interface guideline. Mark/copy/move was also very popular and was found in Wordstar which had probably 99% of the word processing market in the early 1980s. They are just alternatives for getting things done.
The Cmd-V copy (here) versus Option-Cmd-V move (here) actually fits in very consistently with the drag-and-drop functionality where the Option key also toggles between copy and move. I suggest you look into it. You can drag and drop just about anything anywhere and IMHO its the quickest way to move files, text, graphics... around.
IMHO, Ubuntu and Linux in general has always been "me too". Unlike Solaris which has a unique style Linux for years has been a Windows copycat, although recent Ubuntu distros have been stealing a lot of OS X features (menu bar now at top of screen, close/minimize/maximize buttons on left of title bar, the "Dash", even the presence of an App store and calling executables "apps").
I've been using BTT since it came out. It also works well for adding gestures to the Magic Mouse. It's not really a hack since it uses published system calls. The snapping feature is nice to have as well (which was on Windows 7 first).
Because some users using icon view don't keep their icons organized, unsorted, things are all over the place. A normal shift-click would be completely useless (what's supposed to stand between point A and point B of said selection?)
?? No different than 10.9 (or earlier, this thread is 1.5 years old and is talking about Mountain Lion!). Shift does multi-select (actually range select) just fine in list or column views. In icon view drag over the icons to select a range.
I tried shift+⌥ and noticed no difference from shift alone.
This is a terrible solution when you are trying to select files that don't line up in a rectangular shape. If there are any files at the start or end of the chain of files that you do not want to select, you will have to shift+drag at least 3 times. Generally when sorting files in finder I will use 'option+command+2' to clean up the files before hand, which effectively puts the files into a list and makes shift clicking the easiest way to select multiple files. I don't see why Mac doesn't allow for both.