Hello Alex, To answer your question, yes, you can simply type a path to the folder for any file in Finder. Use the shortcut key sequence Command-Shift-G for "Go to folder" when you're in Finder or in any dialog window that asks you for a file. In the text box type or paste in the path you want to use and press return. This path can be to a folder on a mounted external disk, a system library, another user's account, etc. For example, if I have a file named "my_paper.doc" in a sub-folder of "Documents" named "Papers" on a Crucial USB memory stick that in plugged into the USB port on my computer, I can navigate to that folder with Command-Shift-G and type in a path like: /Volumes/Crucial/Documents/Papers and press "Return". This will point Finder to this folder, and I can then navigate to the file I want, for example, by typing the first few letters of the file name. If I press Command-Down Arrow when I am on that file I will open it with the default application (e.g., TextEdit for a text file, Preview for a PDF file, etc.). If I navigated to an application, then pressing Command-Down Arrow launches the application.
However, most applications will be in either the Applications folder or the Utilities subfolder of the Applications folder, and there are separate shortcuts to move to those folders (Command-Shift-A for "Applications"; and Command-Shift-U for "Utilities"). HTH. Cheers, Esther On Oct 4, 2011, at 17:12, Alex Hall wrote: > Here's what I have found by just experimenting... > > 1. The list and sidebar are both important. The sidebar is where you > select your location, and the list (after the vertical splitter) shows > the contents of what you have selected. > 2. Cmd up closes a folder in a tree, and cmd down opens one. > 3. It is easiest to hit cmd-3 when in the finder. In this mode, right > arrow opens folders and left arrow closes them, just like trees in > windows. > > Again, this is what I have found while playing around so I could be > wrong. By the way, has anyone found a way to just type a path? In > windows, I nearly always just open up the run box and type the path to > where I want to go, but I'm not sure if finder has a way to do that. > Sometimes I just want to fire up bash and forget the rest of the > interface exists! > > On 10/4/11, Marcia Yale <[email protected]> wrote: >> I can definitely relate--Finder is one of the most confusing aps and I agree >> it takes much longer to find files for me than it does on my Windows >> machine. I find both Finder and ITunes confusing in the way they are laid >> out and would welcome any tutorials on either one of these aps. I have >> already read the Apple 101 tutorial for ITunes but found it sadly lacking as >> it didn't have any information relating to VoiceOver. >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: [email protected] >> [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of David Eagle >> Sent: Tuesday, October 04, 2011 4:32 PM >> To: macvisionaries >> Subject: The continuing adventures of David eagle and his Apple Mac >> computer. this time it's about Sendspace. >> >> Hi, here we go again. Every time I switch on my Mac I take a deep breath. I >> think about all the amazing reviews I’ve read about these computers and >> assume that perhaps, this time, I will finally have a really positive >> experience. Today’s task was uploading something to sendspace. Things >> started off so well. Sendspace.com loaded no problem; I found the select >> file button no problem/ when I clicked on it, I got a window opening for me >> to choose my file. I’m not saying this is the fault of the Mac; it’s >> probably me and my stubbornness after years of using windows, but it took me >> ages to find the file I wanted. Did I have to interact with the sidebar or >> the thing that was called list. There was also a popup menu with a folder >> selected. >> Choices choices. After a few minutes of pressing buttons I found the file. >> The process seemed to have some level of cohesion to it, but I’m not sure >> what exactly it was. I’m sure it’s very clever and much simpler than the >> windows way of doing things. In windows I could have found my file in three >> seconds, rather than four minutes. >> >> Anyway, I accept that this is probably just something I need to learn and >> practise. Fine. I found my file and went to upload. I pressed the upload >> button and I got: “Safari busy. Busy. Busy. Busy”. After a half a minute I >> eventually heard “safari, ready”. Hurrah, I can finally check to see if my >> file is uploading. I pressed VO right arrow and heard to my dismay “Safari >> busy. Busy. Busy”. I quit safari and tried again. But I got the same >> problem. Yet again I shut down my Mac and booted up my windows machine. >> Within two minutes my file was happily uploading to send space. While it >> uploaded I checked my emails using another instance of Internet explorer. >> The file has now finished uploading and I am going to email it to my >> friends. Windows hasn’t said “busy” at me once. And what really gets me >> about this is that the netbook cost £150 and I’m using the free screen >> reader NVDA. >> >> How is it possible? I really want to know. I’ve got way more am than my >> windows machine, and my Mac cost fifteen times more than my netbook. How >> come I have to keep turning off my Mac and turning on my windows machine? >> The mac looks great; it’s fast; it’s really quiet – very little fan noise. >> But it can’t do things. It’s ten times faster than my windows computer, but >> that only means it can do much more to annoy me in a far shorter period of >> time than my windows computer. >> >> I want to join the Mac party. You all seem so elated by your Macs. Is there >> a magic button to press that starts making it behave. I know I’m ranting >> again but surely you can see my point. Is my experience so anomalous? I read >> about all these people who say they bought a Mac and now never use windows. >> But if I didn’t have a windows computer then I’d achieve nothing. >> >> I know this isn’t’ VO specific. I know it may even annoy some of you. >> I know it’s not a particularly productive email. But if you do find this >> email to be annoying and unproductive, think of it as a metaphor for my >> general experience with the Mac. I feel as if I am the odd one out, and I am >> waiting for the day that I am castigated from this list for being “too PC”. >> O what irony. I hope you all enjoyed my hilarious ending joke. I’m so sorry >> for ranting. I feel like an idiot. Please, treat me like one. Tell me how I >> get the Mac to do the fundamental element of a computer. That is: to >> compute! Because I am going to end up not bothering to turn this machine on, >> which is such a shame because it should be a great computer? Apparently. >> >> I’m sure I’ll get there, and I promise, if I do, I’ll be singing the Mac’s >> praises. >> Thanks to everyone for being so patient and understanding. >> >> >> >> -- >> http://www.davideagle.co.uk -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "MacVisionaries" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/macvisionaries?hl=en.
