Applications empty in Finder

[salmar]

I hate to keep asking for support but I am new to Macs and I don't have any friends that use a Mac that I can ask for help. When I open Finder I see a bunch of folders in there with Applications being the first one. When I open up that folder it is empty 0 KB. It shows up when I click on the hard drive icon and all the programs are in there. Is it a big deal if the Applications folder is empty in Finder or should I somehow get it to show all the programs? Thanks for a reply.

20" alum iMac 2.4

 

[louishen]

You have two or more Applications folders - depending on how many users there are.

HardDisk > Users > YOU > Applications
Where applications just for your User account live

HardDisk > Applications
The default area for applications where you will find that all your applications are really at (this folder is the apps folder for all Users on your machhine)

 

[salmar]

louishen, thanks for the reply, but is it okay that the applications folder is empty when I open up finder? I am the only user on this computer. So are you saying that it isn't a problem if the application folder is empty in the Finder?

 

[the8thark]

Oh I've had that happen to before. The folder is not really empty. More a false empty you're getting.

There are 4 ways of getting to the applications folder.

1. Navigate directly to the folder wherever it is.
2. Have the folder in the dock.
3. Use an alias of the folder
4. On the left of any open finer window is a places list. And the folder can be in that.

And if you are getting this empty applications folder for any of 2-4, all you have to do is delete the folder: from the dock/places menu/alias of it. And recreate whatever you deleted by recreating another alias of the folder or draging the actual folder into the dock/places menu.

Then it should register properly and everything should pop up when you access the folder from the different places.

 

[salmar]

Thanks for the reply but I am just going to leave well enough alone. I can access the applications folder other ways without going into Finder. Thanks, appreciate your help.