Unable to Save to Desktop

[sgtbob]

For some reason, I am unable to save any documents to the Desktop. I've tried saving several documents to the Desktop as I used to do, but that feature is eluding me now. Can someone tell me where I am going wrong? I can't seem to find a fix.

Bob

iMAC, 4gb RAM, 1 TB HDD, Mavericks OS X 10.9.2

 

[chrfr]

I am unable to save any documents to the Desktop.

What does "unable" mean? Are you getting an error? If so, what is it?

 

[sgtbob]

'Unable' means that when I saved the document, it does not immediately appear on the Desktop; however, on a restart, the documents I had saved to the desktop then appeared, and now new 'saves' appear. Must have been a small glitch since it seems to be working now.

Thanks for the response.

 

[Partron22]

'Unable' means that when I saved the document, it does not immediately appear on the Desktop...

This behavior's been around intermittently at least since Lion. Finder's display of desktop is updated asynchronously now, which means if your Mac's real busy, it can take a while to show you your files. Sometimes it may miss doing the update altogether. You can usually fix this without a cold boot, just restart the Finder. Press command-option-escape to bring up the Force Quit window, and select Finder. Hit the relaunch button.

 

[fisherking]

possibly a good reason to NOT fill up your desktop with documents, files, folders.

just a thought: consider putting folders in your Documents folder, and aliases to those on the desktop.

 

[sgtbob]

fisher king - You're correct - I usually post the documents on Desktop for a short time though pending other actions.

 

[Partron22]

just a thought: consider putting folders in your Documents folder, and aliases to those on the desktop.

I specifically exclude desktop folder from Time Machine backup, which makes it a handy place to keep temporary items I know I won't need to restore sometime over the next decade. Those sometimes not so little temp files will chew through backup space to no useful purpose.

 

[beosound3200]

This behavior's been around intermittently at least since Lion. Finder's display of desktop is updated asynchronously now, which means if your Mac's real busy, it can take a while to show you your files. Sometimes it may miss doing the update altogether. You can usually fix this without a cold boot, just restart the Finder. Press command-option-escape to bring up the Force Quit window, and select Finder. Hit the relaunch button.

It also positions files weirdly on desktop. I have snap to grid turned on. Its such a basic functionality, why arent they fixing it

 

[Partron22]

Its such a basic functionality, why arent they fixing it

Because it deals with FILES, and we consumers are not supposed to have to worry our pretty little heads over that:

And eventually, the file system management is just gonna be an app for pros and consumers aren't gonna need to use it.
-Jobs

What Apple doesn't seem to realize is that when they remove complexity for consumers, they're failing to replace it with viable options for pros.

 

[beosound3200]

Because it deals with FILES, and we consumers are not supposed to have to worry our pretty little heads over that: What Apple doesn't seem to realize is that when they remove complexity for consumers, they're failing to replace it with viable options for pros.

so theres no way to repair that?

slow appearance of dragged and dropped file on the desktop, also weird placement, between the 'grid' spaces after appearing...

i would be grateful for any kind of information you have on the subject. thank you