16 years PC, now over to MAC: Help! :)

When I mark several files in a folder, how do I find out the combined size? If I click "get info" there is a bunch of windows opening. So the good old fashion windows right click "properties" is gone and in windows all I need to do is to move my mouse over a file to know how big it is. So I'm sure apple has some clever way of doing this but I just can't figure out how.

Thanks.

magnitude said:

When using Microsoft Excel on a PC I can click F2 to edit a cell. On my mac keyboard that only controls the light on the screen. How do I get inside the cell using the keyboard not double clicking with the mouse?

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Ctrl - U (which I found from Google).

Sawday said:

Ctrl - U (which I found from Google).

Click to expand...

There it is! Thanks!

Why do I need to have the lid open when using an external screen to have normal wireless speed? When I connect my MacBook Air to my 27" screen, my internetspeed is really terrible. If I open the lid, the speed is normal.

Where is the antenna? Can I purchase an external antenna and use that so that I don't have to have mye laptop open collecting dust etc.

Thanks.

The antenna is built into the screen assembly, as it is on most laptops. I'm guessing the aluminum lid is the inhibitor, since the glass is pressed against the chassis.

I'd just run Ethernet to it if you're sitting at a desk.

Well I'm refurnishing my house so I'm sitting in my basement. Ethernet is not an option right now. But thanks for helping.

magnitude said:

Well I'm refurnishing my house so I'm sitting in my basement. Ethernet is not an option right now. But thanks for helping.

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You could go with an external wireless card (USB). ASUS has a model that I know works on the Mac (USB-N10). But this site is somewhat an authority on Mac wireless adapters:

Your One Stop for WiFi and Power Products for Mac.

What kind of router is it? Is the antenna orientation adjustable? You may also be suffering from significantly reduced signal strength because you've just put your antenna's polarization 90 (ish) degrees out of phase with the router's when you shut the lid. For giggles - experiment with reorienting the router's antenna identically - or simply turning your MacBook up as if the lid were opened.

You might be surprised at the difference in signal strength.

BrianLachoreVPI said:

What kind of router is it? Is the antenna orientation adjustable? You may also be suffering from significantly reduced signal strength because you've just put your antenna's polarization 90 (ish) degrees out of phase with the router's when you shut the lid. For giggles - experiment with reorienting the router's antenna identically - or simply turning your MacBook up as if the lid were opened.

You might be surprised at the difference in signal strength.

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Want to be able to use it with the lid closed so I purchased a external antenna, Quicky3 from the webpage advised here. I recon my problems will be over soon now

Hey guys,

New problem. Does anybody out there use Outlook 2011 for mac and at the same time use rules?

I'm a long time user of Outlook and since I work with emails daily at work and receive MANY during a day and have lots of folders, I use the "rules" system in Outlook.

On my PC I can tell outlook that emails that have XXX in the subject should go to my designated folder. I also make a rule that an email with YYY in the senders address should go to my designated folder.

In addition since there are two email accounts I tell my PC that all emails to [email protected] should normally go to folder "A". But then on PC I can create a rule in that rule that says EXCEPT if senders address contains YYY or subject contain XXX, because in that case the email is going to different folder. That way if no other rules on any emails received to [email protected] for the senders address or subject of the email, the email goes to the folder "A". I have another account which uses the main email folder called inbox and also lands in some other folders if rules are met.

The problem on the mac is that I can't figure out the "EXCEPTION" part. So When I create a whole bunch of rules for all the folders I make, most of them land in folder "A" and the other rule is neglected. Strangely enough it works for some emails, meaning some rules does work and the emails with a certain content in the senders address lands in the correct folder, but most just land in folder "A".

I just can't figure out how to fix this and I would LOVE if some of you mac freaks out there could help me out since now I manually have to drag and drop every single email I receive in to the right folder hundreds of times every day. It's a pain in the….

Thanks!

Your wireless problem may be something else. I use my Macbook Pro with the lid closed all the time with no discernible difference in wifi reception. However mine is an early 2008 model so I don't know if their antennas were built differently or what. I think your issue may be with the way your devices are arranged.

If you want to get the total size of multiple files, select the files you want, right click on one of them and then press the Option key. The context menu will change slightly and one of the options will be "Show Inspector". This will show you the total size of the selected files.

Oneironaut said:

Your wireless problem may be something else. I use my Macbook Pro with the lid closed all the time with no discernible difference in wifi reception. However mine is an early 2008 model so I don't know if their antennas were built differently or what. I think your issue may be with the way your devices are arranged.

If you want to get the total size of multiple files, select the files you want, right click on one of them and then press the Option key. The context menu will change slightly and one of the options will be "Show Inspector". This will show you the total size of the selected files.

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So THAT'S how you do it!!! My god I can't tell you how many times I have done the mistake of selecting lots of files and right clicked "Get info" and a million windows have opened with me screaming "NOOOOOOO"

;D

Thanks a bunch!

Regarding the wireless, I don1t think it is something to do with how the devices is arranged. When I use my laptop or my external screen with the lid open it work flawless. Anyway, like I said, I have purchased a external antenna so it won't be an issue for long now

On my PC i regulary had to defragment the HD and clean disc and all that. Is there any maintenance I need to do on my mac? Such as deleting temp files etc.?

Thanks.

magnitude said:

On my PC i regulary had to defragment the HD and clean disc and all that. Is there any maintenance I need to do on my mac? Such as deleting temp files etc.?

Thanks.

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Defragging is a non issue on OS X for the most part, providing that you leave a good portion of the system drive empty (20% is a general rule).

Some users like to clean up caches and log files on occasion. The easiest utility for this (in my opinion) is a free little program called Maintenance. Do note though, that this should be done sparingly. I don't find that I need to run it more than once or twice a year.

Double plus like for everything cwa107 said.

cwa107 said:

Defragging is a non issue on OS X for the most part, providing that you leave a good portion of the system drive empty (20% is a general rule).

Some users like to clean up caches and log files on occasion. The easiest utility for this (in my opinion) is a free little program called Maintenance. Do note though, that this should be done sparingly. I don't find that I need to run it more than once or twice a year.

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Thank you!

Does anybody know how I turn of the autocorrect function in MS outlook for mac 2011?

Are you talking about the iPhone-like autocorrect feature in OS X Lion? If so, in the Language and Text section in System Preferences, you can turn it off under the Text tab. If there's a certain autocorrect that's unique to Office, my best guess is that it's somewhere in the Office Preferences menu.

Btw, another way to move items in the Finder rather than copy them is to use the spring-loaded folders method. You can drag a file and hold it over another folder and after a brief moment that folder's contents will be revealed and then you can drag and hold the file over the next folder and the next until you arrive at your final location. Then let go and the file will be moved. In System Preferences you can change how long spring-loaded folders will take to open up, or you can hit the space bar as soon as you have the item over a folder.

If you have Lion, you can now cut and paste in the Finder as well. Just press Command-C as usual, but use Option-Command-V to move the item rather than paste a copy.

Oneironaut said:

Are you talking about the iPhone-like autocorrect feature in OS X Lion? If so, in the Language and Text section in System Preferences, you can turn it off under the Text tab. If there's a certain autocorrect that's unique to Office, my best guess is that it's somewhere in the Office Preferences menu.

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This is something in all OS I guess. When I write the word "go", the autocorrect function in MS outlook will automatically change this to the word "og" (a norwegian word which means "and"). Some typical spellings are almost like doing changes even if it's not the right language.

Anyway, there is a function in Outlook which is under outlook Preferences which is called "AutoCorrect". yesterday I finally was able to install the Norwegian dictionary and then suddenly I could stop those auto correct words that has been bothering me when typing english. Problem solved.

Oneironaut said:

If you have Lion, you can now cut and paste in the Finder as well. Just press Command-C as usual, but use Option-Command-V to move the item rather than paste a copy.

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Thank you!!!!!!!! I did not know this!!! Man have I missed this. I just tried. It works!! FINALLY Apple has adopted this MUCH better way to organize your files. I am so glad. Thanks again for sharing!

I'm having problems understanding how to operate my mouse in Lion in terms of scrolling and such touch movements.

I use a Apple Magic Mouse. Basically there is just one function which I really miss. And that is "back" and "forward" in my browser. In Tiger OS it was two or three fingers to the side, left for back and right for forward, that doesn't work now. FYI I use Chrome.

Anyone knows?