VERY fundamental MOVE option on Mac Book Pro

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pixeltaker


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Somehow my Documents folder got moved from the Desktop to >Users>my name> then it positioned itself under the "desktop" folder. I want to have that folder, Documents on my desktop, but when I try to MOVE it, it tries to copy everything. I didn't use the option key, but the command key, thinking it would MOVE the Documents folder to the Desktop. Any help will be appreciated.
 
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chas_m

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Your computer is smarter than you are.

You DO NOT want your Documents folder on the desktop. You shouldn't be storing **anything** on the desktop. What you actually want is an ALIAS of the Documents folder on your desktop (sometimes also called "shortcut" by ex-Windows users). Right-click or control-click on the Documents folder, select "Make Alias," then put the alias anywhere you want.

Personally I think it is smarter still to just drag the Documents folder to the right side of the Dock (this essentially does the same thing as an alias). Right-click on the Dock folder, choose "Show as Folder," and sort how you like (I use "last modified" so my most recent stuff is at the top). Even better, IMO.

The CORRECT place for the Documents folder is in your Home Folder, not as a subfolder of "Desktop" but just on its own. Don't move it from there.
 
bobtomay

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ditto

Storing all your stuff on the Desktop in Windows is likely one of the reasons you found that it began slowing down over time as you put more stuff there.
You shouldn't keep all your stuff on the Desktop in Windows, nor should you do it in OS X.
 
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pixeltaker


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Hey chas_m. I did drag it to the Dock and that worked, but when I right clicked, there was no option for "Show as Folder". It actually shows up as a folder (with itty bitty folders behind it, I guess because my Documents folder has subfolders). Thanks again. Seemed such a simple question since I've had my Mac for over a year.
 
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The correct position for the Documents folder is where you stated it currently is; Macintosh HD > Users > username > Documents. it would be very unwise to have it anywhere else because it is part of the default file path of the Operating System. Any attempt to move it will, as you have found out, only result in a copy. In addition any changes you make to the copy will not be reflected in the "original." So if you must have your Documents folder on the desktop I might add it is an infamously unsafe place to keep anything long term then an alias (shortcut) is all you need. If you simply select the folder and drag it to the Dock, just to the right of the little divider bar near Trash and Downloads you will have access to it in any window. You may want to adjust view options (Right click on folder) to show as a list or icons, in time order or alphabetically or at the bottom just open in a Finder Widow. I already have my Documents folder set up this way as well as Movies, Downloads and Mac Tips. See below;
Screen Shot 2016-01-06 at 10.10.33.png
 
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pixeltaker


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Rod Sprague said:
The correct position for the Documents folder is where you stated it currently is; Macintosh HD > Users > username > Documents. it would be very unwise to have it anywhere else because it is part of the default file path of the Operating System. Any attempt to move it will, as you have found out, only result in a copy. In addition any changes you make to the copy will not be reflected in the "original." So if you must have your Documents folder on the desktop I might add it is an infamously unsafe place to keep anything long term then an alias (shortcut) is all you need. If you simply select the folder and drag it to the Dock, just to the right of the little divider bar near Trash and Downloads you will have access to it in any window. You may want to adjust view options (Right click on folder) to show as a list or icons, in time order or alphabetically or at the bottom just open in a Finder Widow. I already have my Documents folder set up this way as well as Movies, Downloads and Mac Tips. See below;
View attachment 23565
Click to expand...

Yes, mine is in the order yours is also. I did move it to the dock. Thank you.
 
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chas_m

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Awesome! It's possible you haven't turned on right-click, so to get the submenu you see above, you would hold the CONTROL key on your keyboard and click (or left-click) and you'll get the option to "Display as Folder"
 
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pixeltaker


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chas_m said:
Awesome! It's possible you haven't turned on right-click, so to get the submenu you see above, you would hold the CONTROL key on your keyboard and click (or left-click) and you'll get the option to "Display as Folder"
Click to expand...

Actually "Display as Folder" is grayed out, with the option key or without. Next question. I want to copy that document folder to my external hard drive, but no matter what key I hold down it looks like it is going to MOVE it. I don't complete the action because the Documents folder disappears from the Dock.
 
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chas_m

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The Documents folder in the dock is a shortcut -- it looks like it is going to be removed because it will be (but not the actual Documents folder, because it never moves).

To copy your Documents folder to an external drive for backing up, just drag it from your Home folder (ie where the actual folder is) to the external hard drive. The Mac always copies folders moved to another volume; it never just moves them.

As for your issue with the "Display As" ... are you holding down the CONTROL key (this is not the same thing as the option key)? As seen in the image above, the words "Display As" are *supposed* to be grayed out, but not "Folder" -- it should have a check mark next to it if you've selected it. Does it?
 
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pixeltaker


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chas_m said:
The Documents folder in the dock is a shortcut -- it looks like it is going to be removed because it will be (but not the actual Documents folder, because it never moves).

To copy your Documents folder to an external drive for backing up, just drag it from your Home folder (ie where the actual folder is) to the external hard drive. The Mac always copies folders moved to another volume; it never just moves them.

As for your issue with the "Display As" ... are you holding down the CONTROL key (this is not the same thing as the option key)? As seen in the image above, the words "Display As" are *supposed* to be grayed out, but not "Folder" -- it should have a check mark next to it if you've selected it. Does it?
Click to expand...

Even when I hold down the Control Key it is still grayed out. BTW, the advice you gave to copy the documents folder to the EHD worked perfectly.

Screen Shot 2016-01-06 at 9.48.18 AM.png
 
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MacInWin

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It's not greyed out on the image you posted. Just click on Folder under the Display As header. The header is being displayed in a lighter color, not greyed out.
 
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pixeltaker


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MacInWin said:
It's not greyed out on the image you posted. Just click on Folder under the Display As header. The header is being displayed in a lighter color, not greyed out.
Click to expand...

I changed from Stack to Folder. I see no difference when I pull up the Documents folder. What was it supposed to do?

New screen shot.png
 
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MacInWin

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Ops my system all it does is change the icon on the Dock to show a stacked set of icons for the items in the directory. I don't have Documents on the Dock, but I do have Downloads and that's where I tested it.
 
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pixeltaker said:
I changed from Stack to Folder. I see no difference when I pull up the Documents folder. What was it supposed to do?
Click to expand...


If you want to have your original "Documents" folder in your Dock and have it act like a normal folder, make an Alias of the original folder and drag the alias to your Dock.
 
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pixeltaker


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pm-r said:
If you want to have your original "Documents" folder in your Dock and have it act like a normal folder, make an Alias of the original folder and drag the alias to your Dock.
Click to expand...

Thank you, I've done that.
 

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