Stopping Autocomplete with "Go To Folder" Function

Joined
Dec 2, 2011
Messages
2
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Location
Bakersfield
Your Mac's Specs
2008 Aluminum 13" Macbook, 2006 iMac, both running Mac OS X 10.6.8 Snow Leopard
Hello everyone. Absolute newbie to this forum speaking. First ever post. However, I am very familiar with how forums work and the etiquette involved. I have also been using both Mac and Windows since I was 6 (back in the Power Mac days). I look forward to assisting others with their problems in the future, but for now I have one of my own.

I have created a hidden folder named "669201" on my external hard drive, the reason for this is that I don't want any of my Mac savvy friends to happen across it. It contains import information. Contained inside this hidden folder is another hidden folder.

My reasoning for this setup is that only those who know exactly where these folders are and what the names of them are will be able to use "Go To Folder" to access them.

Here's the problem, on my machine (Mac OS X 10.6.8 on a 2008 aluminum Macbook) once I've used Go To Folder to navigate to this folder once, it remembers that I have done so and will auto-complete the name of the hidden folder after I simply type "6".

Here is a screenshot.
Screenshot2011-12-02at104311AM.png


I do not want "Go To Folder" to remember what folders I've accessed in the past. This would defeat the purpose of hiding the folder and calling it something cryptic like 669201. (this is not the real name, I created a dummy folder as an example, but I have hidden folders in several locations)

I want to know how to stop Go To Folder from remembering the directories I have typed in the past. Therefore, only those who know the names and locations of the hidden folders would be able to access them. I am aware of the holes in this security tactic, Terminal could be used by a very savvy Mac user to find these folders, but I am not worried about that.

Thanks in advance and I hope to be helping out others in the future.

-Luminoscity
luminoscity.bravehost.com
 
Joined
Dec 2, 2011
Messages
40
Reaction score
1
Points
8
First, Welcome! ;)

Regarding your question... Another person would first need a reason to type 6 into the search field, which is probably not very likely. However, to make it even harder for them to find the folder, simply use an underscore in front of the number (_123456) and that would make it even harder and more unlikely for them to find it. The problem that you have is that if others use this computer then they have access to all the features (unless you make a separate account). You could probably turn off the auto complete feature, but then nothing is stopping someone else from turning it back on again, and then you're even worse off than before because now you'll think that you're safe, but they've turned auto complete back on without you knowing it so now your folder is "out there" without you knowing about it. Best to either call it something unique, or get a separate program to control your private folders...
 
OP
Luminoscity
Joined
Dec 2, 2011
Messages
2
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Location
Bakersfield
Your Mac's Specs
2008 Aluminum 13" Macbook, 2006 iMac, both running Mac OS X 10.6.8 Snow Leopard
Great idea

To make it even harder for them to find the folder, simply use an underscore in front of the number (_123456) and that would make it even harder and more unlikely for them to find it.

First, Great Name.

Second, an excellent suggestion. I will definitely do that, but I am curious as to how to stop the search field memory. I very much doubt that anyone who uses this computer will ever know that Go To Folder has an auto complete feature that I have switched off. I have searched every preference that I could find, and I can't figure out how to turn that search field memory off. If I can turn it off, it is extremely unlikely that it will ever be turned on again.

Thanks MyMac8MyPC, does anyone have any further input as to switching off this feature?

-Luminoscity
luminoscity.bravehost.com
 
Joined
Dec 2, 2011
Messages
40
Reaction score
1
Points
8
Auto-complete is handled by the individual applications, so there won't be a way to turn it off completely in one setting - you'll need to figure out how to do it (if possible) for each seperate app. I don't have 10.6 but it sounds like you'll either need to use terminal to turn it off, or find a program that will do it for you.
 
Joined
Dec 2, 2011
Messages
40
Reaction score
1
Points
8
I dug a little deeper and this might work for you.

Go System Preferences...>Language & Text > Text...

See if turning off the "correct spelling" feature helps....
 

Shop Amazon


Shop for your Apple, Mac, iPhone and other computer products on Amazon.
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon and affiliated sites.
Top