App for easier viewing and organising files ?

[AMACL]

Hi,

I find myself a bit overwhelmed by all the locations on my computer + iCloud Drive, not to mention Desktops, Documents, and copies of desktops and documents that I have put on USB sticks to take them on trips (in case I was unable to access iCloud)... long story short, there is a tangle of locations and I no longer know what is where.

The way files and folders are displayed in Finder is OK but I do not find it conducive to getting an overview that would allow me to move the files to better locations.

Anyone have a suggestion for either a better way to do this using built-in software or a third-party app?

I'm running Mojave on my new 2019 iMac as well as on the 2017 Macbook 12".

Thanks !

 

[Raz0rEdge]

While there are apps that might help with this, most will just show you the files in the locations you've saved them.

To that end, simplify the process and come up with something that works for you.

For example, I use the following "rules":
- Nothing stored on Desktop (ever!)
- All of my documents (Word, PDF, XLSX, etc.) go into Documents under folders that allow me to group them and find them in the future
- All of my pictures (and videos too) go into Pictures under folders
- I use the Downloads folder as a place for all of my downloads either from the browser or otherwise. This is meant to be a temporary holding place. If I'm installing an app, once installed, I delete the installer or DMG/PKG file unless I need to save that for any reason. Other files that fall into the broad categories above get moved to the appropriate folders.

I follow these rules for all of my files stored on iCloud and Box.

With this, I end up with just a handful of places to search for files and the format makes sense to me.

 

[MacInWin]

I, like Ashwin, have organized where I put things. Never on the Desktop, except for really short term items that I move to their proper location within minutes). Downloads get used and discarded, or moved to final locations, so that the Downloads folder is empty. I don't copy to USB thumb drives, although I do make backups to external drives and take those with me when I travel as a backup. iCloud just sits in the background, I don't store Documents there. I only use iCloud to sync Mail, keychain, etc. I want to be able to get to all my documents even when I have zero access to internet.

So figure out your storage system, stick to it and your file finding will be much easier.

There are third party tools like EasyFind or FindAnyFile to do searches on your drives, but I only use them when I don't remember the name of the file I want, but do remember something that was IN the file.

 

[chscag]

Anyone have a suggestion for either a better way to do this using built-in software or a third-party app?

Great suggestions by Ashwin and Jake. However, if you wish to use a more enhanced "Finder" like app, you might want to try "Path Finder". Not free but an excellent way to organize files and folders with a dual browser view. They do have a 30 day free trial so that you can test the app.

 

[MacInWin]

Charlie, I tried that for a while, but found that I could get the same kind of results through Finder itself. Finder/File/New Finder Window will open a second Finder and you can drag from one to the other. Also Finder/File/New Tab will let you copy/paste from one to another. Path Finder integrates those two, which is good, but you can get the job done without it.

 

[chscag]

While that's true for Finder, Path Finder does have other enhancements that Finder does not. Granted, maybe it's fluff for most people, but I use the fluff quite often.

 

[MacInWin]

Fluff?

 

[chscag]

LOL, good one Jake.

 

[IWT]

No one has mentioned "tags".

I use them for just about every file I ever save. You can create as many tags as you wish for a particular file.

For example: say I wanted to save a particularly useful piece of advice from our Forums The tags might be "Mac Forums"; "Clean Install"; "Selling Mac"; etc. By adding sufficient tags to relate to the file in question, it would be easy to locate that file again.

One shouldn't go OTT on this. Keep them brief and to the point.

My only grumble with Apple is that they don't yet allow one to search under more than one tag.

Just an idea.

Ian

 

[Raz0rEdge]

Ian,

I imagine with the use of tags, it's less important where the files are located. Have you noticed how quickly files of a particular tag are found and displayed? If the speed is fast (because it is likely indexed), this might be the best solution and one that I'll have to start employing.

 

[IWT]

Ashwin,

Good questions and thank you for asking them.

File location becomes irrelevant once you have the great majority of your files associated with tags. But this takes time. I've been doing it ever since tags were introduced.

Have you noticed how quickly files of a particular tag are found and displayed?

Instantaneous. If I open Finder, Tags are shown as a Header at the bottom of the Sidebar. Under this Header, the most recently used tags are shown (you can select the number in Preferences); then at the bottom of this list is "All Tags".

Click on that, and every tag is listed alphabetically. Click on any tag (recent or under all tags) and every File associated with that tag is displayed - instantly.

As a side effect, you might say, it demonstrates how many duplicated Files you have. Sometimes quite an eye opener!

In my case, the duplicates arose from my uncertainty about finding a specific File, so I saved them in more than one location. Now, no need for that. Give the File all the tags you want and save it it wherever you want.

My hope for the future is that I could search under Tag (a) AND Tag (x) AND Tag (z). Thus narrowing the search characteristics. Tremendously helpful with scientific papers, for example.

Hope that helps a bit

Ian

 

[Raz0rEdge]

Ian,

That is awesome that the results are instantly displayed, as far as your multi tag search dilemma, let me propose a solution that might involve a bit of work but might work for you.

Within Finder, in the Search box, enter some random character to get results, then immediately delete that junk, you'll be left with the results page with no results. Now to the right there will be a Save button and +, click on the + to add a new criteria line. The first drop-down will be Name, click on that and then choose Other.. and search for Tags and select it. On the right of this criteria line, you'll see - and + buttons, click on the + as many times as you want to create multiple criteria lines and set them all to Tags.

You can have more criteria lines than what you intend to use, so go crazy.

Do NOT enter any criteria at this point, but rather choose to Save the search and give it a name that makes sense like "Multi Tag Search" and keep the option to Add to Sidebar selected.

Once the search appears in your sidebar, click on it and you will see no results (this is expected). Right-click on it and choose Show search criteria to expose your lines. The criteria will now always be visible each time you visit the search.

Now add your tags to each of those lines and see the results appear after each entry. If you leave the search, you will be prompted to save the search, I would choose not to do so, but the next time you visit the tags will be pre-filled with what you search for last, so you might want to clear the tags before leaving the Saved Search.

Hope this helps your workflow with tags.

 

[IWT]

Ashwin,

I am indebted to you. Right now I'm busy with a few projects; but tomorrow, I shall follow your advice and post back.

Ian

 

[Slydude]

@Raz0r That sounds brilliant. I used to do something similar when the smart search feature was introduced but I've never applied the idea to tags.

I haven't used tags much. Maybe it's time I start.

 

[IWT]

Ian,

That is awesome that the results are instantly displayed, as far as your multi tag search dilemma, let me propose a solution that might involve a bit of work but might work for you.

Within Finder, in the Search box, enter some random character to get results, then immediately delete that junk, you'll be left with the results page with no results. Now to the right there will be a Save button and +, click on the + to add a new criteria line. The first drop-down will be Name, click on that and then choose Other.. and search for Tags and select it. On the right of this criteria line, you'll see - and + buttons, click on the + as many times as you want to create multiple criteria lines and set them all to Tags.

You can have more criteria lines than what you intend to use, so go crazy.

Do NOT enter any criteria at this point, but rather choose to Save the search and give it a name that makes sense like "Multi Tag Search" and keep the option to Add to Sidebar selected.

Once the search appears in your sidebar, click on it and you will see no results (this is expected). Right-click on it and choose Show search criteria to expose your lines. The criteria will now always be visible each time you visit the search.

Now add your tags to each of those lines and see the results appear after each entry. If you leave the search, you will be prompted to save the search, I would choose not to do so, but the next time you visit the tags will be pre-filled with what you search for last, so you might want to clear the tags before leaving the Saved Search.

Hope this helps your workflow with tags.

Ashwin,

Bloomin' magic. It works just as you said. Moreover, as I add each Tag, the results appear instantly.

I started with one Tag = 22 results
Added second Tag = 7 results
Added third Tag = 2 results

Instantaneous, accurate, exactly what I was looking for.

Thank you so much.

Ian

PS Can't give Rep points - got to spread them around. So I have to say publicly, "Brilliant".

 

[Raz0rEdge]

Ian,

That's awesome! Glad this is helpful.

 

[Ratsima]

I'm a long time user of Path Finder; mainly for the convenience of the Dual Browser, but for other innovative features as well.

But, the big rewrite released as 8.x has been a disappointment due to many annoying bugs; some of which have been fixed, some not.

I checked to see if Ian's tag trick would work in PF. It does, but I can't get PF to show the saved search in the Sidebar.

There are a couple reports of this bug on the PF forum, but no substantial response from the developers:

There's no way I can figure out to add a 'Saved Search' to any areas of the sidebar in PF8. PF7 allowed this.

I won't bother to list all the bugs I've encountered with this release, but anyone considering PF as a Finder alternative should realize that they're out there.

 

[badshoehabit]

Does no-one use a Spotlight search?

 

[Raz0rEdge]

Does no-one use a Spotlight search?

Spotlight search works to an extent to find files, but has a lot of extra stuff in there cluttering things up. It also does not search tags. I've found spotlight largely to be useful to launch apps, that's about it.

 

[IWT]

I agree, Ashwin, for me, Spotlight is best for launching apps. Fast and accurate.

And, to be fair, you can use these tips from Apple on how to narrow your searches either in Spotlight itself or via Finder: Narrow your search results on Mac - Apple Support

Otherwise Spotlight is pretty hopeless.

But nothing beats Tags for finding files or data; but, big but, that requires endless diligence from the user to tag all saved Files. (see #9-12 above)

EasyFind and Find Any File are third party apps of considerable merit.

Ian