Weird things with new folders.

[hoody]

Hi all,
On my imac, if I right click for new folder it comes with a load of stuff on it when I've actually done nothing as far as using it goes. Could I have altered a setting without realising it? A screen shot of a new folder should be on here.

 

[toMACsh]

I don't understand the screen shot. When I right click in Finder and select New Folder, a folder icon pops up on the screen and is called untitled folder - until I type in the name I want. Isn't that what you are seeing?

 

[ferrarr]

What happens if you use the gear icon and select New Folder?

 

[hoody]

Here's a screen shot of a new untitled folder that I haven't added anything to.

 

[hoody]

If I go to finder and select new folder with the gear icon I get this.

 

[hoody]

Then if I open it in new tab I get this.

Previously all I had to do to get a new empty folder was to right click on the desktop and select 'new folder.'

 

[MacInWin]

In the column view you have highlighted the "untitled folder" so the second column shows what is in that folder, i.e., nothing. The column where the "untitled folder" is located shows all files and folders at that same level as the "untitled folder," not what is in it. I see that in the path bar at the bottom the full path is "iCloud Drive > Desktop > untitled folder." That tells me you have turned on the option to store Documents and Desktop information in the cloud. If that is NOT what you want, don't just turn it off or you will lose the data stored there. Create a temporary space for all of the things that are on the Desktop, only don't put it ON the Desktop, or in Documents, put it somewhere else. Then copy everything from Desktop and the Documents folder to that location and only after you have those copies safe, turn off the option to store in the cloud in System Preferences. Once you have it turned off, the system will create a new, empty Desktop and Documents folder on your Mac. You can then copy back from the safe location what used to be on the Desktop and in Documents. PITA, I know, but that's what you have to do.

 

[hoody]

Thanks Jake,
I must have turned it on without realising it. Would drop box be a good place to put things from the desk top?

 

[MacInWin]

Thanks Jake,
I must have turned it on without realising it. Would drop box be a good place to put things from the desk top?

Well, if you put things in DB, then they have to replicate up to the cloud. So that would be a double hit. Plus, if you have the DB folder in Documents, and if you copy Documents to that folder, it may well go up to the iCloud as well as being replicated to DB meaning a third transfer over you internet connection.The things you see on the Desktop and in the Documents folders are actually stored in iCloud so when you move them to some other location they have to be fully downloaded from the Cloud to your system. If you then put them in the DB folder, they will be uploaded to the DB site. Technically, that's fine, but it's two transfers of EVERYTHING on the Desktop or in Documents, which can be a lot of data and take a very long time. It might be better, if you have an external drive with the space, to copy them from the Documents and Desktop to that drive, and then after you turn off the feature, you can copy them back to the new, empty folders that get created without having to download again. It's much better if you can copy the two locally to an external drive. And the idea of a DB folder being replicated to iCloud and to the DB online folder and then re-replicated again makes my head hurt...

 

[hoody]

I copied everything from the desktop and documents on to an external drive, then I turned off icloud in system pref's and the desktop was then clear. Then I put all that stuff back on the desk top, created a new folder by right click and select 'new folder' and it did the same as before. I don't think I did anything wrong... did I.

 

[MacInWin]

I copied everything from the desktop and documents on to an external drive, then I turned off icloud in system pref's and the desktop was then clear. Then I put all that stuff back on the desk top, created a new folder by right click and select 'new folder' and it did the same as before. I don't think I did anything wrong... did I.

What is "it did the same as before?" You mean it created an empty folder or that it shifted to column view? Reread post #7. The folder you created there was exactly what one should expect, given the column view. An empty column in the middle shows that the "untitled folder" is created and empty. In your screenshot in post #6 this shows you are in column view:


If you want icons, click on the far left button with six boxes. If you want a list view, click on the second left with 5 lines.

I'm struggling to understand what you think is wrong, to be honest.

 

[hoody]

I knew I'd done something wrong! I changed the view to icons and an empty folder appeared. Thanks for your help and sorry for being so dumb.

 

[MacInWin]

Been there, done that, got the t-shirt, wore it out.

 

[Slydude]

Been there, done that, got the t-shirt, wore it out.

I was wondering where my shirt went.

 

[toMACsh]

The more things stay the same, the more you notice a little change.

 

[hoody]

The more things stay the same, the more you notice a little change.

Yeah you're not wrong.