Ask HN: OS X folks – do you use Finder? | Hacker News Reader

Ask HN: OS X folks – do you use Finder?

22 pointstericho64 comments

I've been on OSX since Lion, before that I spent my time on Windows. Finder is pretty awful compared to Windows Explorer. Are there any alternatives people use?

PS. Please don't say Terminal. I use the CL for development but for browsing & interacting with photos and documents of any substantial quantity I enjoy a UI.

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I'm not sure if this is common knowledge or not, but I didn't learn about Cmd+Down (open file/folder) and Cmd+Up (go to parent dir) in Finder until recently. This has completely changed my productivity in Finder since I can now navigate quickly without the mouse. I used to hate Finder a lot more before I knew this.

Thank you!

I've always used Cmd+O for open. Interesting that Down would open.

The major (and really only) criticism of Finder is a lack of an "address" bar. I would really like a bar where I can change directories quickly instead of doing ALL navigation using mouse clicks. Yes, I know you can invoke a Command-Shift-G to do this in a secondary menu, but Explorer has this built in. Having an address bar with tab completion and unix file-system shortcut support (i.e. "~", ".", "..") would be great!

Since I always seem to have a Terminal window or three open for one reason or another, I quite often find myself just typing (e.g.) "open ~/physics/books/" when I need that sort of thing. If you don't have Terminal up, it's more of a pain. (Spotlight isn't as handy for that use, though it can be pretty effective in other ways.)

Agreed. I think that Apple wants to keep things simple, but this is a reasonable option for power users. Heck, I would settle for being able to enter paths in the search widget! It would be trivial to interpret searches starting with forward slash to be interpreted as "go to that path".

The best way I've found to mimic an address bar is to use Command-Shift-G to open the "Go to this address" dialog. It gets the job done well enough when I do end up using Finder over Terminal.

The "Go to Folder" input box does support command completion (e.g., type Command-Shift-G, enter "~/Doc", and type Tab), but it's super lame compared to what you get on the command line: Finder only gives you the first possible completion. So if you want to open up "~/Library/Application Support", you have to type all the way up to the "u" before hitting tab, because "~/Library/Application Scripts" is the first match.

This may help. One little-known feature: if you drag a folder to a File Open/Save dialog, it'll navigate to that folder! (This is unlike Windows, where it would move that folder.)

If you have the folder already open in another Finder window, you can drag its icon next to the title in the titlebar (top of window.)

You can also drag a folder (or that icon) to Terminal to grab the path.

I had to experiment today on how to copy current path in Yosemite [1], is there a better way without custom scripts or addons?

[1] http://apple.stackexchange.com/a/161525/74761

Command-Shift-G does support tab completion and "~".

I love the Miller columns, the preview column and QuickLook. I hate the lack of an address bar and to be able to jump to a terminal directly. For the second issue I use a shortcut that cds the path of the front-most Finder window using AppleScript. You can have QuickLook in the terminal too by the way:

    # Quicklook given file
    ql () {
    	qlmanage -p $* 2>/dev/null
    }

And one tweak I often use is that I have mapped Ctrl-Shift-t to the "Tags..." menu entry which can be done in System Preferences > Keyboard > Shortcuts > App Shortcuts > + > Application=Finder, Menu Title=Tags...

You can have something like cd .. in Finder using Cmd-up and cd - is Cmd-[. When you Cmd-click the icon in the window title bar you can see the whole path, which I use a lot too. Finally, I use Cmd-2 and Cmd-3 to switch between column and list view.

> I hate the lack of an address bar

I can get by with these:

• Cmd+Shift+G ("Go to Folder")

• "View > Show Path Bar"

It would be nice if "/" and "~" opened "Go to Folder", like it does in file dialogs.

I'm not saying Apple made the right choice, but it is legal to include "/" and "~" in OS X filenames. This means that pressing "/" or "~" is already reserved for jumping to a file in Finder, just as pressing "a" would take you to the first file beginning with the letter "a"

Correction: '~' is legal. '/' is actually ':'.

You are correct in a sense, but not in the context of the Finder. In the Finder, you see '/' instead of ":" and therefore "/" is a character that needs to be reserved for selecting files. But in the context of using the command-line, or (some?/most?) programming libraries, you would be correct.

Just a note - the Go to Folder dialog supports tab completion. Pretty handy.

The lack of an out of the box jump to terminal option drives me crazy. I've tried multiple third party solutions but they are always kind of buggy (e.g. switching desktops). I love the new batch rename from Finder that they added in Yosemite, though.

You can just drag the path to Terminal though, easy breazy. Here's a video: http://jdon.at/1c1g4

Finder can be tamed if you master its keyboard shortcuts. For example, in a folder of photos, press Cmd+Y to view a single photo. Then use arrow keys to browse photos, Windows-style. Indispensable.

Or, Cmd+Backspace to delete a file.

Or just press Space to view the photo.

The lack of a consistent keyboard shortcut system is one of my main problems with OS X.

On Windows everything is logical, consistent and discoverable ~ every classical menu is accelerated via Alt + underlined letter in the menu title and shortcuts are stated in terms that actually appear on the keyboard! (e.g. A Windows menu item will say: Alt + Shift + T whereas an OS X shortcut will show you those weird symbols that nobody can ever remember, that are not even printed on the keys).

I use Finder constantly. That said, I use an extension called Default Folder (which I've been using since long before Mac OS X) which not only works around many of its shortcomings, but is almost impossible to live without. E.g. if you have a Finder window open in the background, when you are in an file dialog you can focus it on that window by clicking on it in the background, it remembers where you were in a given folder (and which folder you were in for each application), and so forth. It also gives you access to most of Finder's functionality from inside file dialogs (which is something I do miss from Windows).

I don't find Finder "awful" compared to Windows Explorer — quite the reverse in general. But if you're not used to the Mac's keyboard navigation standards (which have remained largely consistent since 1986 or so (i.e. HFS)) you may not realize it. First -- list view is the best view. Second -- the same keystrokes work in list view and in file dialogs.

I have a pet peeve. I have setup OSX to show the hidden and dotfiles. So, everywhere I go using finder (say mounted drives), I get that .DS_Store file. Is there a way to avoid seeing that in the list?

I'm not aware of a way to prevent just seeing them with hidden file visibility turned on. However, there's several options to disable per-folder .DS_Store file creation: http://www.chrisnovoa.com/os-x-lion-ds_store-disabling/

Xtrafinder has been my saving grace, and it's free (https://www.trankynam.com/xtrafinder/)

- Cut & paste

- Hide dotfiles on Desktop

- Automatically adjust column widths

- Backspace to go to back

- Add "go up" to toolbar

- Add functionality to menus (e.g. new terminal here, new file (with templates), copy path, show hidden items, refresh, launch as root)

- Dual window

- Visual tweaks

- A few other niceties

I use Finder and I don't understand what people don't like about it.

SMB is slow for me on Mountain Lion, so Windows file shares are annoying. But that's not Finder's fault.

Yes, I use Finder, since Puma. I also put in considerable hours using Windows Explorer. I personally find neither significantly better or worse than the other.

Likewise, except I started using finder with Snow Leopard. I use it on 3 macs at home all the time, and at work I use Explorer all day. I also find neither better or worse, they are just different.

Here's a nice tool to add more value to the Finder:

https://github.com/jbtule/cdto/releases

Add the app to the Finder toolbar then whenever you're in a folder and you want to open a terminal/iterm window in that folder just click the icon.

Also, when you're in a terminal window and you want to open a Finder window in that directory just run the command:

$ open .

Tip: In Mavericks you have to hold command+option to drag an app into the toolbar. I forget the key combo for dragging it to the toolbar in Yosemite, I want to say either just command or no key combo is required.

I use TotalFinder. $20, worth every penny. Solved every problem I had with Finder.

What TotalFinder offers is probably worth the 20 bucks, but I find my Finder dissatisfaction itch is scratched by Xtrafinder for free.

Combo of Quicksilver + Finder + knowing the keyboard shortcuts works ok for me. Quicksilver partially covers for the lack of address-bar – CMD+Space and type the name of the folder you want to go to. I suppose Spotlight can serve the same purpose, but the killer app for me is moving files. I find the column-browse mode vastly superior to the others. Quicklook helps a lot. Ditto tabs.

For a sort of online alternative to the finder, check out: http://are.na/.

I'm curious, what is so bad about Finder?

Ugh, well, Terminal. iTerm 2, rather.

I barely have need of Finder on a day-to-day basis. When I do use it, it's sufficient for what I need. No major complaints.

I'm a long time Mac user (since 1984) and the paradigms and shortcuts are ingrained. The current Finder uses a lot of them, so for me predictability around selection and navigation via keyboard is there and I've never really found it lacking. Look in Help for "shortcuts," and google for the same. There are a lot of them, and many are supported throughout the OS and most apps.

I use path finder, i find it way more powerful and useful than finder. http://www.cocoatech.com/pathfinder/

I mostly use spotlight for navigation via keyboard commands. Cmd + space bar gets spotlight and then type what you're looking for. It's not perfect but it's on every mac and it really minimized the need for a mouse.

The only other mod is to show the full path in the finder window title:

  defaults write com.apple.finder _FXShowPosixPathInTitle -bool YES
  # then restart finder
  osascript -e 'tell app "Finder" to quit'

I'm also in the "what's wrong with Finder?" crowd. I find Explorer to be cluttered and harder to use, especially when it comes to drag and drop support.

I did turn on a couple neat dock modes with Mountain Tweaks[1] and installed some quick look plugins for security certs and archive files but that's about it.

[1] http://tweaksapp.com

The biggest problem I have is there is nothing showing your path so no quick way to navigate up a few levels. I've been using OSX for about 5 years now and I still have no idea how to get to the parent dir. There is an option in the GUI to go "back" if you navigated to the folder but if you got there from a shortcut/link how do you get to the parent?

I found in this thread you can use CMD up to go to the parent. Why isn't there anything in the UI? edit: I guess it's File -> Go -> Enclosing folder. Seems like too many steps compared to Windows Explorer which is 1 click.

Control-click on a Finder window and select "Customize Toolbar..." from the menu. Drag a "Path" widget to wherever you like.

Per other comments in this thread: Cmd-Up will go to parent. (This also is indicated in the menu item that you just pointed out.)

If you don't like using the keyboard:

* Right click on the title bar, choose "Customize Toolbar..." and drag the "Path" option to your toolbar. You'll then have a dropdown button to navigate to the parent and any ancestor of the current folder.

* Alternately, you can choose "Show Path Bar" in the View menu, and it will display your path at the bottom of the window. (You have to double click on an entry to go to it.)

* Or right click the little folder icon in the window's title bar. (You can also drag that little icon - for example to a terminal window.)

Thanks. This is awesome. I guess it never bothered me enough to just google "show path in finder".

I use Finder and Alfred about equally. If you don't have Alfred, get it (http://alfredapp.com). Just type ~ or / to switch the file mode. It's really useful for just finding a file quickly, when you only need something fast and transient (it closes when you press enter).

I like using the keyboard so I forked an awesome console column based file browser and gave it fancy OSX features:

https://github.com/trishume/macranger

It's not quite ready for other people yet, it requires around 4 different components to work nicely, only 2 of which are public.

> Please don't say Terminal.

Okay, I'll say the second best option: Dired.

http://www.gnu.org/software/emacs/manual/html_node/emacs/Dir...

I really miss the Start Menu on the Mac. To get close to what I want, I have dragged the Applications folder to the dock next to the Downloads folder, and I've set it to display as a Folder (vs. a Stack) and as a List (vs. Automatic).

Sure, I totally understand your desire to do things the way you're used to, but launching apps (imho) has never been easier for me by invoking Spotlight, typing the first letter or 2 of the appname and when the app you want is highlighted, hit return. Spotlight knows where all your apps are so you don't have to.

Oh, I know about Spotlight. I've been using that for a long time, too. (And of course, that's a feature of Explorer and other shells, too.) This may sound strange, but sometimes I find it easier to navigate through the menu. Even stranger is that I love the Windows 8 Start Screen but detest Mission Control. I hate to admit it, but it isn't rational.

I'm roughly 50/50 using Finder or Terminal.

You haven't said what about Finder you don't like, so I've got no suggestions for you. For me, it does the job just fine. (Is it possible that you're just more accustomed to Windows?)

Yes, I've never had any issues with it. I pretty much only use it when I'm going to my PDF's directory.

(I know you said not to, but for pretty much every file operation, I use the terminal.)

I only moved to Mac this year. The one thing that annoys me about finder is the inability to back-swipe. File browser, web browser - they should work the same way, no?

I have been using Mac for many years, finder is indeed awful.

I also don't understand why apple doesn't allow "file cut", only "file copy".

Command-Option-V after you copy should do what you want (move instead of copy).

Somewhat related to this topic why is there not way (at least intuitively through cmd-x cmd-v) to cut-and-copy a file? I find it mind boggling.

Cmd+Alt+V is the "move" instead of "copy", holding Alt would also modify the Paste option in the right-click menu.

Cocoatech's Path Finder - I love it.

Oh thanks god, I thought I was the only one who hates finder after comparing with windows explorer.

I too use PathFinder. It's definitely the best Finder replacement one out there.

Everyday. I'm heavily using photos in my line of work so it's necessary.

I use totalfinder on OSX to make up for a lot of finder's defeciencies.

Same, I find both totalfinder and totalspaces really improve my workflow, though I still go back to terminal for a lot of0 tasks like searching for particular files...The sheer speed of commands like ack just cant be matched if trying to do similar things in finder.

Only for interacting with photos. Normally, I just use terminal :).

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