Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Gary King

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Jun 14, 2004
495
1
How can I show the full path that I'm in, in the Finder? Like the address bar in Windows Explorer. I know you can cmd+click on the folder name to see where you are, but it is much more convenient to be able to see the current path, immediately.

I can't see why this wasn't made like this already, because it seems to be a much easier way to see where you are. If you can only see the current folder, then what good is that, when many folder names on their own are very undescriptive and unhelpful? Such as, 'Library', which exists twice, as an example.
 
You can view the current directory structure tree (path) by clicking on the path button at the top of the Finder window. (It looks like three dashes on top of each other next to a downward arrow (screenshot below). If its not defaulty there(I dont remember if it is or not, you can add it by rightclicking the Finder toolbar, clicking 'Customize Toolbar' and then dragging the 'Path' button from the selection area to the finder windows toolbar.
 

Attachments

  • path.jpg
    path.jpg
    158.4 KB · Views: 3,815
I already mentionned in my post that I didn't want to cmd+click to view the path. So, both of your posts aren't really helpful :(
 
  • Like
Reactions: rmpbklyn
Gary King said:
I already mentionned in my post that I didn't want to cmd+click to view the path. So, both of your posts aren't really helpful :(
you could just put it in column view
 
Gary King said:
I already mentionned in my post that I didn't want to cmd+click to view the path. So, both of your posts aren't really helpful :(

I think they are being as helpful as they can be. As a recent switcher, OS X (and the mac) seems to be a lot less "dependent" upon a user's knowledge of the hierarchal file structure than some other OS's out there. I don't think there's a way to do what you want like there is in windows where you can have an address bar in windows explorer. Besides, adding the path button to the finder toolbar doesn't require you to cmd+click.
 
Gary King said:
I already mentionned in my post that I didn't want to cmd+click to view the path. So, both of your posts aren't really helpful :(

Yes I'm aware you didn't want to cmd+click, and as timmac pointed out, the 'path' way that I mentioned, you just have to click to use. Surpassing that though, your only alternative(other than column view as maxterpiece suggested) would be to substitute finder with something more appropriate of your aparent wanton need of an always visible path display. Path Finder is a good alternative, and it always displays the path at the top fully (as seen in the screenshot attached).
 

Attachments

  • pathfinder.jpg
    pathfinder.jpg
    188.6 KB · Views: 3,651
tag said:
Yes I'm aware you didn't want to cmd+click, and as timmac pointed out, the 'path' way that I mentioned, you just have to click to use. Surpassing that though, your only alternative(other than column view as maxterpiece suggested) would be to substitute finder with something more appropriate of your aparent wanton need of an always visible path display. Path Finder is a good alternative, and it always displays the path at the top fully (as seen in the screenshot attached).
Thanks I'll probably use PF.
 
This is an old thread, but to display the full path in the Finder title in Leopard, open Terminal.app and run:

$ defaults write com.apple.finder _FXShowPosixPathInTitle -bool YES

then

$ osascript -e 'tell app "Finder" to quit'

Then relaunch the Finder from the dock. To undo:

$ defaults write com.apple.finder _FXShowPosixPathInTitle -bool NO
 
Well in leopard you can go view>Show path bar But i don't know if this exists in Tiger.
 

Attachments

  • Picture 1.png
    Picture 1.png
    334.1 KB · Views: 1,440
  • Picture 4.png
    Picture 4.png
    37.3 KB · Views: 82,029
The problem with the Path Bar is that it doesn't show the Computer Name. I have a few windows PC's networked to my Mac and they ALL have a 'My Documents' folder, so the directory path doesn't tell me the full story.

Does anyone know if Pathfinder will show the computer name?
 
This is an old thread, but to display the full path in the Finder title in Leopard, open Terminal.app and run:
$ defaults write com.apple.finder _FXShowPosixPathInTitle -bool YES
then
$ osascript -e 'tell app "Finder" to quit'
Then relaunch the Finder from the dock. To undo:
$ defaults write com.apple.finder _FXShowPosixPathInTitle -bool NO

Thanks "mkc999" that mod at least displays the path, but ..
C'mon folks, lets stop BSing about! Finder needs to display the path in a box that the USER can select the path text and copy it to wherever they need to.
If you are using your Apple Mac to program scripts or even just simple website html, this functionality is a must..
Its becoming more apparent to me that Apple has targeted the "Toy" market with pretty much all its apps.
But I digress... I have read that Xfile is more "real-world" than Finder, so will try it.
 
Last edited:
If you are using your Apple Mac to program scripts or even just simple website html, this functionality is a must..
Its becoming more apparent to me that Apple has targeted the "Toy" market with pretty much all its apps.

You have some lame reasoning there. If you want to quickly grab the path you can easily do so with AppleScript or a Service. You can also drag a folder/file toward Spotlight, open Spotlight and drop it in and it will show the path.
 
TFinder needs to display the path in a box that the USER can select the path text and copy it to wherever they need to.

You can drag something from a Finder Window into this window (the one I'm typing in) and it will show the path and file name on a single line. The same thing works in TextEdit. In Word, the contents of the file are imported into the document instead of the path and name. So, you'd have to drag it to TextEdit, then copy and paste into Word if you needed the path shown there.
 
Not a big fan of the Drag n Drop method. Im not always running both screens and DnD into the Windows (on VMware ) is not always gonna work.
I now use Path Finder which has, in my humble opinion, much better functionality. The Right click functions can be customized for more usable functions than Finder.
PF has a CUT item, and COPY PATH item with UNIX, Windows and other formats.
Its Almost perfect.
Problem w PF and Finder is that:
1. Neither are able to handle Pasting a Folder containing Files onto a Folder of the same name without first Deleting ALL of the files in the Destination folder.
Windows and UBUNTU Linux handle this fine.
2. When using any OSX app, the Open/Save File "window" does not have full functionality to move, delete, open-with, cut/copy/paste etc that windows explorer has. The ONLY thing you can do is browse and Open/save files.
3. Theres no "Select All" on the right mouse Click.
Very Limited. Dissapointed
 
Last edited:
Im always getting in trouble when I point out to my Apple-FanBoy mates, some of the things windows does a bit better than Mac, but here I go again ...
In windows file manager (aka explorer) you can simply copy the path text from the address bar and then paste it into the address bar of another Explore window and bingo, you're where you want to be, no clicking on folders down thru the directory tree. I use this often when using windoze. Neither Finder nor PathFinder have an editable address bar.
 
Last edited:
I also use PathFinder as it contains the features that really should be in Finder.
 
Copy and paste the folder into the terminal

You can just click and drag the folder and it pastes the path into the command terminal. Quite elegant if that's what you're trying to do... :apple:
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.