Windows —> Mac OS newbie: I need Finder help

[MareLuce]

Pretend you are me for a minute. You are a consultant leading a bunch of different projects.
Your folders look like below, only more of them. Thousands of documents, some in directories 8 levels down.

You are in TextEdit creating an outline in a file located in: CompanyA \ Project1 \ charlie \ 5 \ …
You need to quickly save that same file to: CompanyC \ Project2 \ alpha \ 3 \ …
You are already in that specific Finder window for CompanyC.

How would you paste the “Where” complete file path for the CompanyC directory above into the Finder window that pops up in TextEdit —> File Save As (or Word —> File Save As)
so that you could quickly save that same file to: CompanyC \ Project2 \ alpha \ 3 \ …


I realize you can click Command-I (“GetInfo”), then copy the “Where” path.
But where in Finder can you paste the path to get to that target location quickly? … without mouse clicking through the directories back up and back down?


— Your folders

CompanyA \ Project1 \ alpha \ 1 \ LotsOfFiles.docx, *.xlsx, *.pptx, *.etc…
CompanyA \ Project1 \ alpha \ 2 \
CompanyA \ Project1 \ alpha \ 3 \
CompanyA \ Project1 \ bravo \ 1 \
CompanyA \ Project1 \ bravo \ 2 \
CompanyA \ Project1 \ charlie \ 1 \
CompanyA \ Project1 \ charlie \ 2 \
CompanyA \ Project1 \ charlie \ 3 \
CompanyA \ Project1 \ charlie \ 4 \
CompanyA \ Project1 \ charlie \ 5 \
CompanyA \ Project1 \ delta \ 1 \
CompanyA \ Project1 \ delta \ 2 \

CompanyA \ Project2 \ alpha \ 1 \
[…]

CompanyA \ Project3 \ alpha \ 1 \
[…]

CompanyB \ Project1 \ alpha \ 1 \ LotsOfFiles.docx, *.xlsx, *.pptx, *.etc…
CompanyB \ Project1 \ alpha \ 2 \
CompanyB \ Project1 \ alpha \ 3 \
CompanyB \ Project2 \ alpha \ 1 \
[…]

CompanyC \ Project1 \ alpha \ 1 \ LotsOfFiles.docx, *.xlsx, *.pptx, *.etc…
CompanyC \ Project1 \ alpha \ 2 \
CompanyC \ Project1 \ alpha \ 3 \
CompanyC \ Project2 \ alpha \ 1 \
[…]
etc..

 

[Uplift]

Right click finder -> go to folder

or Command + Shift + G shortcut.

 

[MareLuce]

Thank you @Uplift !

If you already saved the file to a certain location, how do you make that Save As finder window appear again (so that you can save it elsewhere, and pressing Command + Shift + G does not just result in a low beep noise?)

 

[Fzang]

Thank you @Uplift !

If you already saved the file to a certain location, how do you make that Save As finder window appear again (so that you can save it elsewhere, and pressing Command + Shift + G does not just result in a low beep noise?)

You mean Cmd + Opt + Shift + S for the classic 'Save As..'?

Apple chose to hide it a bit, a few versions back, because they have a different idea of how file systems should work.

 

[MareLuce]

You mean Cmd + Opt + Shift + S for the classic 'Save As..'?

Apple chose to hide it a bit, a few versions back, because they have a different idea of how file systems should work.

Yes! Thank you Fzang! Hidden - yes! I don't see that via any menu.


Is there a general way to think about how or why Apple grouped commands that are executed by

Command + key
vs
Option + key
vs
control + key
vs
fn + key
?

 

[Fzang]

Yes! Thank you Fzang! Hidden - yes! I don't see that via any menu.


Is there a general way to think about how or why Apple grouped commands that are executed by

Command + key
vs
Option + key
vs
control + key
vs
fn + key
?

Generally, it works like this:

Cmd + Key for most commands.

Opt usually reveals extra menus that are, for oblivious reasons, hidden by Apple. This includes Save As, Go to Library, and a select few other commands that "compete" for the same Cmd + Key combinations. You can open a menu in the menubar and press Opt to see them change.

Control is rarely used. It can be used for special characters, Ctrl + Click for right click (before two-finger tap was invented) and some "legacy" applications, including Terminal key commands.

Holding Fn is for the top row F keys, also rarely used in MacOS. And of course Fn + Backspace for the "Delete" button on Windows keyboards.

 

[Uplift]

Thank you @Uplift !

and pressing Command + Shift + G does not just result in a low beep noise?)

for CMD + shift + G to work you need to be in finder, which is either a standard window or save dialog.

 

[Zazoh]

Gary Rosenzweig has a great website for Apple information.

Here is his Keyboard Shortcut hint page: http://macmost.com/printable-mac-keyboard-shortcut-page-for-yosemite.html

In addition, lots of great info there; help me immensely when I converted to Mac after being on Windows since the beginning.

Another trick, while looking at a menu, press the option key sometimes other options appear
For instance "Save As" appears in a save dialog. Or, Library appears in the Finder Go menu, Apple has a knack for hiding power user options ... ;-)

 

[MareLuce]

Gary Rosenzweig has a great website for Apple information.

Here is his Keyboard Shortcut hint page: http://macmost.com/printable-mac-keyboard-shortcut-page-for-yosemite.html

In addition, lots of great info there; help me immensely when I converted to Mac after being on Windows since the beginning.

Thank you Zazoh! That's a very handy printout - much more condensed than Apple's web page on short cuts.

Mr. Rosenzweig needs to include that handy Command - Shift - G for Going directly to a location.


It truly is baffling to me that Apple would make something simple like "Save As..." only accessible via the lengthy:
Cmd + Opt + Shift + S
once I'm already in a finder menu. That's like playing a twister game with my fingers!

 

[Zazoh]

It truly is baffling to me that Apple would make something simple like "Save As..." only accessible via the lengthy:
Cmd + Opt + Shift + S
once I'm already in a finder menu. That's like playing a twister game with my fingers!

If you are seeing the menu for save already, then pressing the Option ket displays 'Save As' without the finger acrobatics.

 

[BrianBaughn]

I don't know if this makes sense for you but you might reconsider your folder naming scheme to indicate the path in the name. Something like "Project1-charlie-5" or an even more abbreviated "Proj1-ch-5" would be easy to search for and you'd know exactly where you are.