Cut and paste

I am 3 days into the world of mac and have yet to figure out how to Cut and paste as opposed to Copy and paste which requires both more time as well as deleting the original.

oldtraveler said:

I am 3 days into the world of mac and have yet to figure out how to Cut and paste as opposed to Copy and paste which requires both more time as well as deleting the original.

Click to expand...

Hello and welcome to the forum! The commands shown in the image below are the long-standing usual ones that have been around a long time for the functions above (assuming that is what you are asking about?) - this screen capture is from this LINK, which has 'dozens and dozens' of more keyboard shortcuts. Dave
.

Highlight whatever you want to cut, and option/click for the options.

Whatever you cut will be available in the clipboard for pasting elsewhere.

Not forgetting that when pasting any new copied stuff, whatever is selected and highlighted will be overwritten and replaced with the new pasted data, all in one operation.




- Patrick
======

pm-r said:

Not forgetting that when pasting any new copied stuff, whatever is selected and highlighted will be overwritten and replaced with the new pasted data, all in one operation.

Click to expand...

@ Oldtraveler - as stated by Patrick, be careful w/ the CMD-X option, i.e. once cut and not pasted, the clipboard will be overwritten by the next copy command - I do use that command, but also think of it as a 2-step process that I do in immediate sequence. Dave

@ Oldtraveler - as stated by Patrick,

Click to expand...

And I'd be amiss if I didn't suggest one of the best and simple FREE multi clip apps I've used for ages and still do, ClipMenu.app that Apple should have provided something similar ages ago:

https://www.macupdate.com/app/mac/29988/clipmenu
http://www.clipmenu.com

But do modify its default setup and display for what's been copied for many copied items. Mine scrolls over to a second page with another 40 items. Its not obtrusive or excessive.






- Patrick
======

There's also CopyClip by FIPLAB - straightforward and very useful.

As to the ⌘X - unfortunately, it doesn't work with files and folders, so if OP meant that, rather than just text in a particular document, etc - they would have to use ⌘C and then [option]⌘V to move a file/folder or selection of files.

MBP17•David;1740770 said:

There's also CopyClip by FIPLAB - straightforward and very useful.

As to the ⌘X - unfortunately, it doesn't work with files and folders, so if OP meant that, rather than just text in a particular document, etc - they would have to use ⌘C and then [option]⌘V to move a file/folder or selection of files.

Click to expand...

Good point David - I guess our OP will need to return to better clarify the rather brief original post - Dave

I was trying to move 4 Carbon Copy Clone folders into one new folder. Together they totaled about 24GB so cut and paste would have been much more efficient.

oldtraveler said:

I was trying to move 4 Carbon Copy Clone folders into one new folder. Together they totaled about 24GB so cut and paste would have been much more efficient.

Click to expand...

Well Oldtraveler - you really should have explained this purpose in your original post - you've wasted a lot of follow-up posts assuming your goals were 'something' much simpler - I've used CCC for 3 years and just plugged in my CCC HD for my MBAir - the image below shows a half dozen folders - I assume that all of these would need to be transferred for proper function - not sure? Please try to explain what you are trying to do w/ CCC backups and you may want to visit the Bombich Website and search their FAQs and/or leave an email (I've left a few and they are quite prompt in responding) - Dave
.

oldtraveler said:

I was trying to move 4 Carbon Copy Clone folders into one new folder. Together they totaled about 24GB so cut and paste would have been much more efficient.

Click to expand...

There is no way to cut and paste files or folders in the MacOS. The Macintosh does this in a more graphically-oriented way.

On the Macintosh moving files or folders is done by simply dragging and dropping them where you want them.

If you want to drag and drop several files or folders at the same time, you can do that by Shift-clicking on all of the things that you want to move to select them, and then clicking and holding on any one of them. You can then drag and drop them all in unison.

Alternately, if the files/folders that you want to move are all located in proximity to each other, you can click and hold on a blank area near them. Now, when you move your cursor (keeping the mouse button held down) a selection box will appear, and you can drag the selection box around all of the proximal items to select them all. You can then drag all the selected items in unison by clicking and holding on any one of them. (This is all a lot faster and easier than it sounds.)

Here is an inexpensive third party tool that will allow you to move several files/folders in yet another way:

DropShelf ($5)
https://pilotmoon.com/dropshelf/

Using DropShelf you can drag *anything* to the edge of the screen, and a shelf slides out. Drop files, folders, text clippings or links onto the shelf and they are stored there. The shelf can instantly be hidden. At any time you can slide the shelf out and drag anything or everything out and put them where you want them.

There is no way to cut and paste files or folders in the MacOS.

Click to expand...

Thanks for beating me to posting that info and saving me from typing just some basic stuff…






- Patrick
======

I'm definitely with you on this one Patrick, it has saved me time and time again from searching for things that I accidentally overwrote with a new copy or cut. I think this really is an invaluable addition.

Randy I use Yoink, does the same thing, is available on the App Store. I move a multiple movie and TV series around between 3 different drives and this makes the task so much easier. Unfortunately it's now a little more expensive than when I got it on a $2 Tuesday offer. I don't know about DropShelf but this app also allows you to keep the items on the display in order to paste in multiple locations an QuickLook is available as well.

Rod Sprague said:

Randy I use Yoink, does the same thing, is available on the App Store.

Click to expand...

It looks slick! Thanks!

Their Web site doesn't say if Yoink will handle folders, which is what the original poster wanted.

Does it also handle text clippings like DropShelf?

They also don't specifically say if they support Sierra, but I'm guessing that they do.

Randy, folders yes, clippings not sure. Can't check at the moment.

Being an ex-Linux user, I actually prefer keyboard shortcuts, including for moving files or folders, so again (as already posted in #7 above) to cut-and-paste in macOS:

⌘C ---> [option]⌘V

Slightly more awkward than normal ⌘X ---> ⌘V but still manageable.