Comments on: Finder keyboard navigation

By: gurney

gurney — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 13:58:45 +0000

@chuck masonk and op: thats awesome, thanks.
@baisez: i really love your use of google translate – i get what you’re saying, but its a hilarious bit of english. (im not mocking you or what you’re saying, i agree – im laughing at the translation).

By: arghwhydoineedaname

arghwhydoineedaname — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 23:51:06 +0000

@masonk: i have the same question as you!! there MUST be a way to navigate through the sidebar but i can’t find it neither =/ if someone can help us out please do so =p

By: chuck

chuck — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 23:50:20 +0000

dang it… just played with keys and apple+delete works. sorry.

By: chuck

chuck — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 23:47:54 +0000

Is it possible to delete files by clicking delete (or fn delete.. or some other combination?). This would be SUPER helpful.

By: Celeste

Celeste — Sun, 06 Apr 2008 05:19:00 +0000

thankyou masonk!!!! brilliant!

By: masonk

masonk — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 20:24:55 +0000

pi, thank you for that trick! That makes my life a little bit better. I have a few more to share.

1. Leopard introduced hotkeys for changing how finder displays the files. Cmd [1,2,3,4] change between the different view modes.

2. Typing while browsing a folder is a mini find-as-you-search that moves the selection to the closest match. If it matches nothing, it goes to the top folder.

3. Knowing this, something like /, which cannot be part of a file name, will always take you to the top file.

4. At the top file of the current folder, pressing “up” does nothing. However, shift tab lets you wrap around to the bottom file.

5. Tab and Shift Tab function like up and down, with one difference. They wrap when the get to edge of the file list.

6. Spacebar on a selected file opens Quicklook on that file (new in leopard).

Now I have a question. Does anyone know how to navigate to the shortcuts panel to the left of the finder? I thought there used to be a way, but I can’t remember it now.

By: svenson

svenson — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 15:59:00 +0000

@Alex:
half way right
you can open/close an expanded folder in list view using the right/left arrow key in tiger. what you CANNOT do in tiger (and probably all the way back to system 7): highlight a document in an expanded folder, press left arrow key to jump up to the containing folder. at least on my powerbook that only works in leopard (tested 10.4.11 vs 10.5.2).

By: Tanya

Tanya — Sun, 24 Feb 2008 20:59:30 +0000

As a new Mac user I found this trick useful. I keep Trics, Tips, and Tools in my Dashboard and look forward to them. Thank you!

By: pi

pi — Sun, 24 Feb 2008 08:47:30 +0000

you also might enjoy the use of
command + down arrow
and
command + up arrow
which–instead of expanding–navigates you inside the folder you’re highlighting or moves you up one level in the path. It basically means you won’t have to move you hand over to your mouse if you don’t want to.
You can navigate through finder windows entirely on a keyboard. Which, if you’re a fast typer, can really save time.
I used to navigate solely by keyboard on an Apple IIc. I thought that the invention of the mouse was a silly thing. Something that would never take root. Never said I was Nostradamus. Anyway. I still prefer the keyboard. If you can play it like a piano, no need for the mouse. Happy hunting (and pecking).

By: jakke

jakke — Sun, 24 Feb 2008 08:43:48 +0000

It came with system 7!