Hi David, Mike is correct that you can use Command+Left bracket to move back a previous step in Finder and Command+Right bracket to move forward in Finder. This is like navigating web pages in Safari, in that your previous history is remembered. Zack is also correct that if you choose to use column view for your display format in Finder (chosen with the Command+3 option), then folder hierarchies can be navigated with left and right arrows.
However, one way to move down into a folder that works is to use Command+Down arrow to move into a folder and Command+Up arrow to move back out. This is different from the Command+Left bracket shortcut that Mike outlined which remembers your navigation history, because if you move to a different folder or viewing option with a shortcut key, Command+Left bracket will move you to your previous location or viewing option in Finder -- which need not be the folder above your current level. In Finder, when your focus is on a file, Command+Down arrow will open that folder with the default associated application. If your focus is on a folder, then Command+Down arrow moves you into that folder. This is convenient, because it works with different view settings, although I use it principally if I switch between icon view (Command+1) and list view (Command+2). And when I use column view (Command+3), I generally use the right and left arrow keys that Zack outlined. For example, I may choose to browse my files in List View mode, because list view contains information on the date a file was last modified. In cases where I want to examine the most recent documents in a folder, I might want to move to the column giving the last modified date, and sort entries according to date modified (with Command+Shift+Backslash on an English language keyboard). I generally use Command+Down Arrow to move into the folder I want to examine, in that case. Just as a suggestion, have you taken a look at the "Take Control of Switching to the Mac" guide that you can purchase at 80% discount through your affiliation with this list? It covers a lot of the conceptual differences in moving to a Mac. For those users with iOS devices, you can also download versions of the Take Control Guides in ePub format, and read them on your iOS devices (for example, in iBooks). HTH. Cheers, Esther On Aug 24, 2011, at 12:42, Zachary Kline wrote: > Hi David and all, > I'd investigate column view if this sort of navigation of folder hierarchies > is something you do often. It lets you move back up one level with the left > arrow and downward into the selected folder with right. It's quite > efficient, and I use it almost exclusively now. It can be found in the View > menu of any Finder window. > Best, > Zack. > On Aug 24, 2011, at 3:08 PM, David Griffith wrote: > >> Dear list I am struggling to achieve efficient folder navigation in finder. >> Essentially I am using cmd O to open folders and cmd w to close folders. >> What I need to do often though is move back one folder to the previous >> parent level. rather than close the folder. >> I sometimes come across a back button in the toolbars of folders. Is there a >> quick way of accessing this function? >> >> Regards >> >> David Griffith <--- Mac Access At Mac Access Dot Net ---> To reply to this post, please address your message to [email protected] You can find an archive of all messages posted to the Mac-Access forum at either the list's own dedicated web archive: <http://mail.tft-bbs.co.uk/pipermail/mac-access/index.html> or at the public Mail Archive: <http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/>. Subscribe to the list's RSS feed from: <http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/maillist.xml> The Mac-Access mailing list is guaranteed malware, spyware, Trojan, virus and worm-free! Please remember to update your membership options periodically by visiting the list website at: <http://mail.tft-bbs.co.uk/mailman/listinfo/mac-access/options/>
