Would like to Use Mac Full time, but issues still with Mac File Managers. .

Joined
Oct 4, 2013
Messages
21
Reaction score
0
Points
1
I am finding that any MAC file managers I've looked at do not have the following two features which I need. This is keeping me from jumping over completely to Mac (which I would like to do as two computers side by side gets old very fast.)
1. Display in the browser line Word comments and keywords file properties data. In Mac file managers, the only way to see the comments is to back click the mouse for each individual file. I would like to see them in the display line similar to "type," or "size" because it allows for an overview of my documents.
2. When copying a file from one drive to another the MAC Display box does not show file data properties such as size and last time time each file was modified. This would help prevent one from overwriting the wrong file.


I am using Forklift which seems a bit easier to work with than Finder.
I am also seeing if I can do an "end round" with other organizational programs (such as MacJournal) but none offers the sweeping overview that comments display right in the browser gives.

If someone knows how to accomplish this on Mac, I would be grateful to hear. Thank you.
.
 
M

MacInWin

Guest
Aleese, I'm not sure what "back click" means in your post, but based on your earlier thread and comments I would suggest you do one of two things:

1. Sell the Mac. It's not going to work the way you want it to and you will never be happy with it. OSX is not windows. OSX doesn't work for everybody. Not everybody can, or wants to, make the transition away from Windows thinking. For example, in your second point about wanting to see the size and date of a file in the transfer window, Finder will show that data in the List view for you, but it won't show when you decide to move a file from one folder to another. The assumption is that YOU looked at the data and have made that decision. It does give you a warning if the file has the same name, but it's up to you to check in Finder to make sure of what you are doing. That's not wrong, just different. May be wrong for you, but I like it. That's why there are choices in this universe.
2. Reformat the HD and install Windows to run natively, abandoning OSX. You'll have all of the virus/malware downsides of Windows, but you'll have great hardware on which to run it and all of your favorite utilities will work just fine. I know several folks who have done just that and are very happy with their decision. That's an expensive solution, too, as you may be able to find a cheaper Windows box that runs well enough for you. But again, that is why there are choices in this universe.

If you want to keep OSX and play with it to see if you can make it work better, you could use BootCamp to install Windows as a dual-boot solution and boot to Windows for your work, and OSX for whatever else you may want to do. BC is free, it's already on your Mac. You just need an installable copy of Windows.
 
Joined
Sep 30, 2007
Messages
9,962
Reaction score
1,235
Points
113
Location
The Republic of Neptune
Your Mac's Specs
2019 iMac 27"; 2020 M1 MacBook Air; macOS up-to-date... always.
I am finding that any MAC file managers I've looked at do not have the following two features which I need. This is keeping me from jumping over completely to Mac (which I would like to do as two computers side by side gets old very fast.)
1. Display in the browser line Word comments and keywords file properties data. In Mac file managers, the only way to see the comments is to back click the mouse for each individual file. I would like to see them in the display line similar to "type," or "size" because it allows for an overview of my documents.
2. When copying a file from one drive to another the MAC Display box does not show file data properties such as size and last time time each file was modified. This would help prevent one from overwriting the wrong file.


I am using Forklift which seems a bit easier to work with than Finder.
I am also seeing if I can do an "end round" with other organizational programs (such as MacJournal) but none offers the sweeping overview that comments display right in the browser gives.

If someone knows how to accomplish this on Mac, I would be grateful to hear. Thank you.
.

There will be some significant enhancements to the Finder coming in 10.9 Mavericks, though I don't know whether or not they will fit your needs. You can try some 3rd party software that enhance or replace Finder. I'll post links to a couple:
Path Finder 6 by Cocoatech
TotalFinder brings tabs to your native Finder and more!
muCommander: a cross-platform file manager
https://www.macupdate.com/app/mac/42067/xtrafinder
Disk Order. OS X File Manager with dual pane interface
 
OP
A
Joined
Oct 4, 2013
Messages
21
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Yes, I may try the BootCamp down the line. I'll research that.

Right now I've installed the app "Together" which offers some help in file organization. It has a landscape view which shows comments. They are not tied to Word documents like file properties, but they can be helpful.
Both MAC and PC have positive and negative.
That's good you are happy and comfortable with the MAC copy dialog box which does not give the full info. But it doesn't feel as reliable and this is one feature, I think, where Windows (especially with managers such as Directory Opus) is superior--or at least it seems that way as a newcomer to Mac.

Aleese
 
OP
A
Joined
Oct 4, 2013
Messages
21
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Lifeisabeach,
Yes, I am quite interested in the updated Finder which will be released. I am testing the other file managers that you listed. It's just hard for a Directory Opus gal. That file manager is awesome and elegant.
Aleese
 

pigoo3

Well-known member
Staff member
Admin
Joined
May 20, 2008
Messages
44,210
Reaction score
1,418
Points
113
Location
U.S.
Your Mac's Specs
2017 15" MBP, 16gig ram, 1TB SSD, OS 10.15
By the way. If you're going to be a "Mac-User" the popularly accepted abbreviation for Macintosh is "Mac" not "MAC".

Abbreviations in all caps are acronyms. For example "PC" stands for "Personal Computer". "MAC" doesn't stand for anything Macintosh related...but it does stand for:

- MAC = Military Aircraft Command
- MAC = Machine Address Code
- MAC = Money Access Center
- etc. etc.

But "MAC" has nothing to do with Macintosh computers. Just a "heads up".:)

- Nick
 
M

MacInWin

Guest
If you just want a comments column, Finder has one. Right click on the bar with Name, Date, Size, Kind, etc and select Comments to show the comment field. Once it displays, you can even sort on it.

EDIT: There is also a Version field you could use. None of it tied to Word, but you could do whatever you want.
 

pigoo3

Well-known member
Staff member
Admin
Joined
May 20, 2008
Messages
44,210
Reaction score
1,418
Points
113
Location
U.S.
Your Mac's Specs
2017 15" MBP, 16gig ram, 1TB SSD, OS 10.15
OP
A
Joined
Oct 4, 2013
Messages
21
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Hi Jake,

One thing which is nice is that the way the comments work in Mac allows user to comment on any file type (pdf, etc). This helps if you want to make a quick revision note. (The comments are entered under spotlight comments under "get info")
Jake, thanks for the info on versions column. I set it up and then looked under "get info" but did not find a place to enter them.
PS. I also have a correction to make about my original complaint about copying files.
I found out the issue was not with Mac's Finder but with the file manager "Forklift." [It's back up file safeguards are inadequate and I lost my morning's work.)
So perhaps my advice for fellow switchers is to not switch too quickly to the substitute file manager system until you completely investigate "Finder."
For a newcomer from Windows, Finder is different, but I think it is more reliable than the alternative app.
When copying to another drive (my correction here), Finder does ID -if not with specific file size in the dialog box but with a note saying which file is "old" and which file is "new." Forklift that I was using did not do this. Backing up files on Finder is different from a PC in that it seems to rely solely on drag and drop rather than "right" clicking the mouse (or copy to). Anyway, it does have safeguards when copying files which I appreciate.
This is my process of backing up to external drive:
I open two Finder windows (which acts as a dual pane interface). One window has the Mac hard drive and the second Finder window has my external drive. I then can back up by dragging the file to the external drive. (I haven't figured out yet the difference between dragging and copying versus dragging and moving as sometimes it does one or the other).
When backing up files on Finder in the column view, one can also see in the column the file property info. So this is probably why you, Jake, were saying you were happy with Finder and I was saying the opposite. My apologies--as I was talking about a different file manager, assuming Finder was the same.
 
M

MacInWin

Guest
Aleese, I'm happy you are getting more used to OSX and Finder. I have a couple of comments:

1. To change the comments fields, Right click on the file, choose Get Info and at the top of the window that opens you will see a field labeled "Spotlight Comments." That's where the comments can be entered. I'm not sure how Version gets populated, but I'll do some research and get back to you on that.

2. If all the dual windows needs are for backups, why not automate that and not mess with it? Time Machine (it's on your system) can be set to backup whatever you want (actually, you tell it what NOT to back up), and it does that backup in the background, every hour. Turn it on in System Preferences and tell it under Options what NOT to back up and point to the drive you want to hold the backups. If once an hour is too often, there is a third party product called Time Machine Editor that can be used to set whatever interval you want.

Another option is Carbon Copy Cloner, which is not free anymore, but which will let you schedule copying from one drive to another automatically as well, with options to keep archives of files that have changed. It can be scripted to do whatever you want, whenever you want it to act.

EDIT: Wow, I totally missed your third sentence! Sorry for the repeat on how to edit the Comments field.
 
M

MacInWin

Guest
OK, Version is for Applications. Apparently it's not for your own files, just applications.
 

Slydude

Well-known member
Staff member
Moderator
Joined
Nov 15, 2009
Messages
17,596
Reaction score
1,072
Points
113
Location
North Louisiana, USA
Your Mac's Specs
M1 MacMini 16 GB - Ventura, iPhone 14 Pro Max, 2015 iMac 16 GB Monterey
If you just want a comments column, Finder has one. Right click on the bar with Name, Date, Size, Kind, etc and select Comments to show the comment field. Once it displays, you can even sort on it.

EDIT: There is also a Version field you could use. None of it tied to Word, but you could do whatever you want.

Thanks for that heads up. Gotta experiment with it a bit. Might be worth a mention in a forthcoming video cast.
 
OP
A
Joined
Oct 4, 2013
Messages
21
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Hi Jake,
Yes, I have Time Machine set up on another drive. It's working well (easy to view prior versions) but it was unable (because it backs up only hourly) to recover the writing I had just done. Thank you for the suggestions regarding the other automated back up programs (and the feedback about Versions).
Aleese
 
Joined
Sep 30, 2007
Messages
9,962
Reaction score
1,235
Points
113
Location
The Republic of Neptune
Your Mac's Specs
2019 iMac 27"; 2020 M1 MacBook Air; macOS up-to-date... always.
Backing up files on Finder is different from a PC in that it seems to rely solely on drag and drop rather than "right" clicking the mouse (or copy to). Anyway, it does have safeguards when copying files which I appreciate.

With a combination of an Automator action and OS X's Services feature, you can create your own "Copy To" context menu available by right-clicking on a file or group of files. You can even assign a keyboard shortcut to it. If there's particular location you frequently copy to, you can make an action that copies straight to that location instead of prompting.
 

cwa107


Retired Staff
Joined
Dec 20, 2006
Messages
27,042
Reaction score
812
Points
113
Location
Lake Mary, Florida
Your Mac's Specs
14" MacBook Pro M1 Pro, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD
Lifeisabeach,
Yes, I am quite interested in the updated Finder which will be released. I am testing the other file managers that you listed. It's just hard for a Directory Opus gal. That file manager is awesome and elegant.
Aleese

Ah, Directory Opus brings back such pleasant memories. Were you an Amiga user back in the day, by chance?
 
OP
A
Joined
Oct 4, 2013
Messages
21
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Thank you "lifeisabeach" for telling me about Automator Action, which I didn't know existed. I will research and attempt to add those functions later.
 
OP
A
Joined
Oct 4, 2013
Messages
21
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Hi CWA,
No, I never was an Amiga user, but I find Opus to be incredible. This is why I can't completely give up my PC. Its dual pane is like a double Windows Explorer with two trees and its copying features are fast and highly reliable.

I am using Mac for Circus Ponies Notebook and Scrivener. Both those programs help me with desperately needed "overview" of my writing. (Scrivener is now available for Windows, but it doesn't yet have all the features of the Mac version.)
 
Joined
Oct 1, 2007
Messages
7,163
Reaction score
275
Points
83
Location
UK
Your Mac's Specs
Mac Mini i5 (2014 High Sierra), iPhone X, Apple Watch, iPad Pro 12.9, AppleTV (4)
Have a look at Total Finder as well as having tabs, Cmd+U brings up a double Finder pane.

Makes copying/moving files to multiple locations much easier
 
OP
A
Joined
Oct 4, 2013
Messages
21
Reaction score
0
Points
1
MrPlow
Yes, I have researched Total Finder and some of dual panes file managers for Mac. They aren't the same. Also after getting burned by "Forklift" which overwrote some writing I liked, I have an appreciation for Mac's default file manager "Finder," which does have safeguards when copying files.
 

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