How to move files without dragging and dropping?

I have tried to move files with dragging and dropping, but there are two problems with this:

1. If the destination folder is out of view, ie, requires scrolling down, it is not possible to move the file at all! What am I doing wrong?

2. Dragging and dropping can result in moving the file to the wrong folder, then how do I know where my file went?

I would like to be able to move files without dragging and dropping. How do I do this on OSX?

Thanks!

If you really want to, there's Terminal. Open Terminal and type 'man mv' without the quotes.
Also check out man cp for copying.

1. Right click on the file or folder you want to copy. Select "copy."

2. Navigate to the destination. Right click and select "paste."

3. Trash the "original."

There are several other ways, but that's a sure-fire one.

If you hold the dragged file over a target directory, the directory will open and holding the dragged file above or below a column of directories will make them scroll. However, I simply drag the file to the desktop, navigate to the destination folder and then drag the file to its new home. Not elegant but safer than dragging direct.

chas_m said:

1. Right click on the file or folder you want to copy. Select "copy."

2. Navigate to the destination. Right click and select "paste."

3. Trash the "original."

There are several other ways, but that's a sure-fire one.

Click to expand...

Chas_m suggests the most sensible approach.

Alternatively open two finder windows - one with the source folder open, one with the destination folder open. Click drag drop from one to the other.

mrplow said:

Chas_m suggests the most sensible approach.

Alternatively open two finder windows - one with the source folder open, one with the destination folder open. Click drag drop from one to the other.

Click to expand...

This is what I do.

When you have the finder selected, Command + N will open a new finder window.

chas_m said:

1. Right click on the file or folder you want to copy. Select "copy."

2. Navigate to the destination. Right click and select "paste."

3. Trash the "original."

There are several other ways, but that's a sure-fire one.

Click to expand...

My issue with this approach is that it physically has to copy the data to another part of the hard disk. Doing this on a 700 meg file for example takes a non-trivial amount of time.

Then substitute 'cut' for 'copy' in step 1

And skip step 3!

Lol, there is no cut option...thus my question!

Thanks!

foul_owl said:

Lol, there is no cut option...thus my question!

Thanks!

Click to expand...

If you hold the CMD key while dragging and dropping you can. Or, if you're in Snow Leopard/Lion, just CMD + C (copy) and then CMD + Alt + V (Move).

foul_owl said:

Lol, there is no cut option...thus my question!

Thanks!

Click to expand...

You never mention you were missing the cut option. Nor did you mention your OSX version.

I wrongly assumed it was Lion where Cut/Copy/Paste are available on the menu

mrplow said:

You never mention you were missing the cut option. Nor did you mention your OSX version.

I wrongly assumed it was Lion where Cut/Copy/Paste are available on the menu

Click to expand...

I see "cut" under the "edit" menu - but mine is grayed out???? What am I doing wrong?

rpg51 said:

I see "cut" under the "edit" menu - but mine is grayed out???? What am I doing wrong?

Click to expand...

Well, you have to select something first ...

I did select a file to cut. Using finder I browse to a file in one of my folders, highlight the file by clicking once and then go to the Edit menu at the top of the screen. The "cut" menu item is grayed out.

???

Cut/Paste of files/folders is a Lion thing.
Cut and Paste Files & Folders in Mac OS X Lion
Snow Leopard and earlier - you cannot do anything but cmd-drag to move a file unless you bought a third party software like total finder or path finder. (Or use command line)

I was wondering about that myself, that article cleared it right up. Thanks Ivan!

There is an easy solution if you have OSX Lion. Copy the file with Cmd+C, navigate to the target folder and hold the Alt/Option key while you paste the file with Cmd+V. Lion will move rather than copy the file. This tip (and 79 other useful ones) can be found at 80 handy OS X Lion tips and tricks | News | TechRadar

I am using Lion. Still - the option to "cut" is grayed out in the edit menu even after I have selected a file in finder to move. ????

Apologies, I've had TotalFinder for so long perhaps I'm forgetting which features are built into OSX and which are from Total Finder (I can highly recommend it btw).

The drag and drop solutions, as posted before will work as per your original question.

But what I don't understand is that I am given the option to "cut" in the edit menu but it is grayed out so I can't use it. I would like to have that option. Wish I could sort out why it is grayed out. This - and the lack of a true "delete" key, are annoying lapses in this software/hardware to say the least.

I'll check out total finder.