5 ms·

Nobody is claiming a gold standard. With that said, I prefer windows explorer because you can simply type a path into the address bar (with tab completion if

by 727374 12y ago

Nobody is claiming a gold standard. With that said, I prefer windows explorer because you can simply type a path into the address bar (with tab completion if you need it) and navigate to a place on the filesystem. That's all. If finder added this one feature I'd be overjoyed. Instead, I find myself opening up menus to get to so many locations on the machine. For example, if you want to simply go to your home directory you have to use the 'GO' menu, which is just too much work for something so simple and common.

eric_h 12y ago
Shift+Command+G doesn't seem particularly strenuous. Admittedly, you need to work to learn the shortcut, but like all shortcuts, once you've got it it costs nothing. [edit] it's Shift+Command+H for the home directory, which you were targeting specifically, Shift+Command+G lets you type in the path to any directory (with tab completion)
- jfroma 12y ago
  Yes, I use that a lot but something I miss from Windows Explorer is that i can actually copy the path. The widespread suggestion is that you can drag and drop the icon in the title but I prefer the other thing.
  - kagamine 12y ago
    Iirc you used to be able to have the path visible at the bottom of the finder window but like so many things in OSX you have to set it to visible in the View or settings menu. I'm at work on a Winbox right now, anyone want to confirm this?
    - jfroma 12y ago
      Yes, you can see it, but you can't select it and copy it.
  - nl 12y ago
    I miss that from Windows/Ubuntu too. You can setup an OSX service to let you do it[1]. Doesn't really work for network shares through. [1] see 4 from http://www.cnet.com/how-to/how-to-copy-a-file-path-in-os-x/ http://www.cnet.com/how-to/how-to-copy-a-file-path-in-os-x/
- anentropic 12y ago
  I just wish the shortcuts were discoverable via the UI... instead I use it infrequently enough I have to Google it every time.
  - Doctor_Fegg 12y ago
    It is discoverable - see the bottom of the 'Go' menu.
city41 12y ago
why do you need to use the go menu? command+shift+h takes you home. The keyboard shortcuts are listed right in the go menu you refer to. It's also a default in the Favorites pane on the left side of all Finder windows. I agree Finder could use some work, but I find your criticisms odd. If anyone is fantastic at consistent, system-wide keyboard shortcuts, it's Apple.
- sixbrx 12y ago
  I don't think Home is in the favorites pane anymore as of Yosemite (just created a new user to test ... it's not). What's worse is that choosing something known to be under the home, like Desktop or Documents, yields a bare window with no way of seeing what's above it, in any of the view modes. Eventually users will discover "Go" menu (yeah I guess Home is someplace I might want to "Go" - but I assumed that's where I already am and that it was just a view issue). Go menu seemss a pretty odd place to stash such an important location. Not going to bite on the subject of requiring a three-finger solute just to go home ...
  - MaysonL 12y ago
    Command-click on the folder icon at the top of the window to see all the parents of the folder.
    - kibibu 12y ago
      This is neither intuitive nor easily discoverable
  - city41 12y ago
    The "three finger salute" has a lot of utility, as cmnd+shift+a/d/f/h/o all take you to useful places and only Documents ended up with a second rate key (as D goes to desktop). cmnd-h is hide, and is hide in all apps so does have more utility than going home, so does deserve the shorter command IMO. I still strongly stand by that Apple's key commands are the best around, most consistent and better return on investment than any other desktop environment. Seems a lot of people don't know about holding command then clicking on the folder in the title bar to view the hierarchy. I'm not sure what I think of that because I think once it's learned it's a pretty decent solution to the problem. Discovery is an issue though. In the end I still say the Finder isn't perfect, but I find most complaints against it are from people that haven't learned it very thoroughly.
jayfuerstenberg 12y ago
Take your well-visited paths and drag them to the left (where Apps, Documents, etc… are). Then just click on those labels. It's even faster than typing the path in Window's location bar.
- TheOtherHobbes 12y ago
  Unless some of them are on a network share or a USB drive. Disconnect and they disappear, never to be seen again.

by 727374 12y ago

eric_h 12y ago

Shift+Command+G doesn't seem particularly strenuous. Admittedly, you need to work to learn the shortcut, but like all shortcuts, once you've got it it costs nothing. [edit] it's Shift+Command+H for the home directory, which you were targeting specifically, Shift+Command+G lets you type in the path to any directory (with tab completion)

jfroma 12y ago
Yes, I use that a lot but something I miss from Windows Explorer is that i can actually copy the path. The widespread suggestion is that you can drag and drop the icon in the title but I prefer the other thing.
- kagamine 12y ago
  Iirc you used to be able to have the path visible at the bottom of the finder window but like so many things in OSX you have to set it to visible in the View or settings menu. I'm at work on a Winbox right now, anyone want to confirm this?
  - jfroma 12y ago
    Yes, you can see it, but you can't select it and copy it.
- nl 12y ago
  I miss that from Windows/Ubuntu too. You can setup an OSX service to let you do it[1]. Doesn't really work for network shares through. [1] see 4 from http://www.cnet.com/how-to/how-to-copy-a-file-path-in-os-x/ http://www.cnet.com/how-to/how-to-copy-a-file-path-in-os-x/
anentropic 12y ago
I just wish the shortcuts were discoverable via the UI... instead I use it infrequently enough I have to Google it every time.
- Doctor_Fegg 12y ago
  It is discoverable - see the bottom of the 'Go' menu.

city41 12y ago

why do you need to use the go menu? command+shift+h takes you home. The keyboard shortcuts are listed right in the go menu you refer to. It's also a default in the Favorites pane on the left side of all Finder windows. I agree Finder could use some work, but I find your criticisms odd. If anyone is fantastic at consistent, system-wide keyboard shortcuts, it's Apple.

sixbrx 12y ago
I don't think Home is in the favorites pane anymore as of Yosemite (just created a new user to test ... it's not). What's worse is that choosing something known to be under the home, like Desktop or Documents, yields a bare window with no way of seeing what's above it, in any of the view modes. Eventually users will discover "Go" menu (yeah I guess Home is someplace I might want to "Go" - but I assumed that's where I already am and that it was just a view issue). Go menu seemss a pretty odd place to stash such an important location. Not going to bite on the subject of requiring a three-finger solute just to go home ...
- MaysonL 12y ago
  Command-click on the folder icon at the top of the window to see all the parents of the folder.
  - kibibu 12y ago
    This is neither intuitive nor easily discoverable
- city41 12y ago
  The "three finger salute" has a lot of utility, as cmnd+shift+a/d/f/h/o all take you to useful places and only Documents ended up with a second rate key (as D goes to desktop). cmnd-h is hide, and is hide in all apps so does have more utility than going home, so does deserve the shorter command IMO. I still strongly stand by that Apple's key commands are the best around, most consistent and better return on investment than any other desktop environment. Seems a lot of people don't know about holding command then clicking on the folder in the title bar to view the hierarchy. I'm not sure what I think of that because I think once it's learned it's a pretty decent solution to the problem. Discovery is an issue though. In the end I still say the Finder isn't perfect, but I find most complaints against it are from people that haven't learned it very thoroughly.

jayfuerstenberg 12y ago

Take your well-visited paths and drag them to the left (where Apps, Documents, etc… are). Then just click on those labels. It's even faster than typing the path in Window's location bar.

TheOtherHobbes 12y ago
Unless some of them are on a network share or a USB drive. Disconnect and they disappear, never to be seen again.