In Mac OS X, how come files/apps can be renamed while being used?

[remain]

In Mac OS X, how come files/apps can be renamed and moved while being used?

(edit: can be renamed AND moved)

I've always loved this ability in Mac OS X; this is one thing I really wished Windows could do.


Can anyone give me a semi-technical explanation?
(as in not in layman's terms, but not too overly technical and complicated either)

 

[ToddG]

The app icon you are seeing is the name of the package, not the actual "program" itself. OS X just represents the package as a single file.

So you can change the name of the package (like changing the name of a .zip file without changing the files contained therein) on the fly.

Sorry, that's about as technical as I can get.

 

[surfwax95]

Todd's right.

An application in OS X isn't a single file. It's actually a folder (referred to as a package when it contains executables).

You're simply changing the name of the folder.

 

[remain]

Actually, I'm aware of the fact that apps are just folders that end with ".app" that contains a bunch of files inside.

But that's still renaming the folder that contains those the files (which are in use),
something that can't be done on Windows either.

(Oh yeah, I forgot to write both "renamed AND moved.")

Basically, other than permanently deleting a file in use (i.e. the file is in the Trash, then you do "Empty Trash),
almost anything can be done to a file in use:
rename the file, rename the parent folder(s) containing the file, move the file, move the parent folder(s) containing the file.


I'm wondering why this is possible.

 

[mac57]

Did you know that in addition to this, Mac OS X aliases follow the file, even if you move the file AFTER you have made the alias! The alias still works, no matter where you move the file after alias creation (at least on the same drive - I haven't tested this between drives).

This is just another example of Mac OS X superiority over Windows, where an alias is a fixed link. Move the file and the alias becomes crippled.

 

[eric]

in windows i can rename some files while in use. mainly mp3s while open in wmp10 under xp pro. i can move or rename them, i just can't edit the ID3 info.

 

[wylien]

in windows i can rename some files while in use. mainly mp3s while open in wmp10 under xp pro. i can move or rename them, i just can't edit the ID3 info.

i didnt know there was an app for windows but it is good to know too - cause it is a long task correcting file by file -

i have also encountered the same problem with the ID3 tags, it'd be nice to have an app that would take care of both at the same time - i think i saw one app for mac out there on the internet not too long ago that does both but i cannot remember why i didnt try it (either not free or just lazy)