When do files downloaded from Net end up in the Download folder rather then the "Save to ,,," folder?

[krs]

The subject title says it all.
The macOS is El Camino.
The SSD of the 2017 MBa is getting full - looking to delete files.
I don't want to delete the files if they are not elsewhere on the Mac - any easy way to check that for 100's of files in the ownload folder?

 

[Slydude]

Which browser are you using? That might matter.

It has been a while since I used El Capitan but I believe that's set in the browser settings. Safari, for example puts almost all files downloaded from the net into the Downloads folder unless it has been told to do otherwise.

 

[krs]

Which browser are you using? That might matter.

It has been a while since I used El Capitan but I believe that's set in the browser settings. Safari, for example puts almost all files downloaded from the net into the Downloads folder unless it has been told to do otherwise.

I'm using Firefox - and yes, there is a selection of which folder one wants the downloads to go to.
I just checked and that is still the folder I had set up for that.
But I have also noticed occasionally when I downloaded a number of files in succession that the download folder shownin the "Save As..." menu changed to "Downloads" by itself.
When I catch it,I chage the target folder back to what it should be, but over the years I probably missed some. That would explain how files ended up in the download folder.

The way I typically work is to check my designated folder for the downloads when I'm done and if the downloaded file is not there download it again blaming the website or the internet connection.
Seems the real issue in those cases was that the download ended up in a different folder.

So this brings me back to the second part of my original post.

 

[MacInWin]

I don't want to delete the files if they are not elsewhere on the Mac - any easy way to check that for 100's of files in the ownload folder?

Try using something like EasyFind, or Find Any File, to search for the filename to see if there are more than one on the drive. PITA to go through them all, but there you are...

 

[krs]

Try using something like EasyFind, or Find Any File, to search for the filename to see if there are more than one on the drive. PITA to go through them all, but there you are...

That is the tedious job I was hoping to somehow avoid.

PS: I just thought of another way I will try tomorrow - select all the files in the download folder and drag them into the folder for downloads I had designated on the Mac. The Mac will tell me if that file already exists in that designated download folder.

 

[pm-r]

I don't want to delete the files if they are not elsewhere on the Mac - any easy way to check that for 100's of files in the ownload folder?

I'm not sure I fully understand your query, but why not use a duplicate finder application such as Duplicate Sweeper.app???



- Patrick
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[toMACsh]

That is the tedious job I was hoping to somehow avoid.

PS: I just thought of another way I will try tomorrow - select all the files in the download folder and drag them into the folder for downloads I had designated on the Mac. The Mac will tell me if that file already exists in that designated download folder.

Hundreds of files? I'd do 25% at a time. Why would you suspect that they would be hidden from view in the folder you had designated? I think if you don't see them, they aren't there.

 

[krs]

Hundreds of files? I'd do 25% at a time. Why would you suspect that they would be hidden from view in the folder you had designated? I think if you don't see them, they aren't there.

I'm sorry if I gave you the impression that any files are hidden from view - not sure how you reached that conclusion.
To be more specific:
The 100's of files in the download folder are atually 4544 files using 15GB of storage
The number of files in my designated folder for downloads are a bit over 42000

I want to trash the 4544 files to recover the 15GB of storage but make sure each one of the files in the download folder is already elsewhere on the Mac

 

[krs]

I'm not sure I fully understand your query, but why not use a duplicate finder application such as Duplicate Sweeper.app???

Have you used that app?
I'm always a bit nervous using random apps by (I assume) unknown developers - I have seen too many that just end up making a mess of things on the Mac - comes up on the forum regularly.
The app would also have to be able to let me select which files to search a duplicate for, not just search for duplicates in general

 

[pm-r]

Have you used that app?

Yes, I have used Duplicate Sweeper.app and some other similar utilities that I can't remember the name of right away, and as I recall, it showed the duplicates fairly clearly and allowed one to choose what to do with either one found.

I actually at first just used it to see what was on my hard drive and it found more exact duplicates than I thought I had and probably ended up saving me a few gigabytes by the time I got finished.

You made an interesting comment on an earlier post that I thought was rather good considering you want to keep a copy and that was to dump any folders full of downloads into a single folder and let the finder sort out and let you know which ones are duplicates.

Then you don't need a duplicate finder utility for such a case assuming you only have a few folders of downloads.




- Patrick
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[MacInWin]

The 100's of files in the download folder are atually 4544 files using 15GB of storage
The number of files in my designated folder for downloads are a bit over 42000

Woah, that is a LOT of downloaded files sitting in downloads! Can I suggest you seriously think about dumping those files, either to Trash or to an external storage? Do you really need to keep those downloads on your precious internal storage like that? It's totally up to you how to use your system, but I try to keep my downloads folder and destinations as clean as possible. If I think I might need something again, like an installer, I move it to an archive external drive. If I need an app, I install it and then decide whether or not to keep the installer. If it's an image, I use it for whatever I wanted it and archive it. Music goes to Music, ebooks to to either Kindle or Books. Once I have the files where I want them, I let my backup system preserve them for me and trash the download.

It is totally up to you, but I think at least you should think about it.

 

[pm-r]

It is totally up to you, but I think at least you should think about it.

I was very tempted to mention the same thing and it does seem to be a huge big waste of a mounted and working hard drive's space, especially if it was one's Startup Drive.

Unless there is some reason that I haven't thought about keeping that many download files.



- Patrick
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[Jimmysb]

When I down load a file, app or anything that goes into my download folder, usually with a week the file is categorized and moved to its new home, in my downloads now I have 6 folders and 4 files, all the rest were deleted or moved. I have been managing (and that is the point) downloads like this for 20 years, even in Windows.

 

[IWT]

Well each to their own; and that's how it should be.

My approach has always been to regard the Downloads Folder as a temporary facility that contains files (of any sort) which are acted upon or placed appropriately in the Mac.

So, for me, my Downloads Folder is a temporary holding point and, for the most part, is empty or near so.

Ian

 

[Jimmysb]

Well each to their own; and that's how it should be.

My approach has always been to regard the Downloads Folder as a temporary facility that contains files (of any sort) which are acted upon or placed appropriately in the Mac.

So, for me, my Downloads Folder is a temporary holding point and, for the most part, is empty or near so.

Ian

Due to the way the Mac handles downloaded files you are probably correct, and I need to find an alternative location. My point was, that files downloaded should be managed, and not left to languish in the download folder.

 

[pm-r]

So, for me, my Downloads Folder is a temporary holding point and, for the most part, is empty or near so.

Ditto.

And my Desktop is my download preference for browser downloads where it is easy to deal with for installation and storage or disposal.

Downloaded files are only in the typical download format in order to get them through the internet in one intact piece.



- Patrick
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[krs]

Woah, that is a LOT of downloaded files sitting in downloads! Can I suggest you seriously think about dumping those files, either to Trash or to an external storage?

As I explained, I did not expect any files in the "Download" folder. Downloads should have never gone there. That's what I'm trying to fix with the least manual effort.
As to moving them to external storage - not pratical with a laptop, I need the files with me when I go somewhere an not have to take another box with me.

I was very tempted to mention the same thing and it does seem to be a huge big waste of a mounted and working hard drive's space, especially if it was one's Startup Drive.

Unless there is some reason that I haven't thought about keeping that many download files.

There is on;y one internal drive which is of course the start up drive.
What's the point of having a 500 GB or 1 TB internal drive if one doesn't use the storage for files that one wants to keep. The files are mostly research files that are often difficult to find and impossible to find a second time.

Due to the way the Mac handles downloaded files you are probably correct, and I need to find an alternative location. My point was, that files downloaded should be managed, and not left to languish in the download folder.

AFAIK, the "Download" folder is just a normal folder, it's not handled differently by the Mac than any other folder. The only reason to move files out of the download folder is for one's own sanity when looking for a file.

 

[MacInWin]

As to moving them to external storage - not pratical with a laptop, I need the files with me when I go somewhere an not have to take another box with me.

"Taking another box" is not a real drudge these days. Here is a 2TB SSD that is 85mm x 57 mm x 8 mm (3.35 X 2.24 x .31 inches), weighs 2 ounces. Even with a cable, takes up less room than an iPhone.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0874Y5XFG/?tag=macforums0e4-20

You could even use Velcro to stick it to the MBP case! Draws power from the Mac through the cable, no external power supply needed. I have two of these, use them when I travel because they are great to hold a backup for me and to store the pictures I take when traveling (Usually in the 1,000's each trip).

I don't know how much space you have on the internal SSD, but good practical use of an SSD is to keep it about 50% free. You can move up more without performance degrading, but above 50% you are going to impact the total life expectancy of the SSD.

But, as we have all said, you can do whatever you want, it's your system.

 

[krs]

"Taking another box" is not a real drudge these days. Here is a 2TB SSD that is 85mm x 57 mm x 8 mm (3.35 X 2.24 x .31 inches), weighs 2 ounces. Even with a cable, takes up less room than an iPhone.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0874Y5XFG/?tag=macforums0e4-20

Size is not the issue.
There are even smaller SSD's roughly half the size, eg
https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B09F6279PY/

It's taking and keeping track of another separate item when I don't need to since I have room on the internal SSD.
I was surprised to read that some people don't keep all of their data on their boot drive.

 

[pm-r]

It's taking and keeping track of another separate item when I don't need to since I have room on the internal SSD.

Ahh... That's a bit of a different situation, and I guess I was misreading your posts and understanding that you were short of space with an excessive number of downloaded files.

If you have room on your drive, then by all means keep the ones you might need on your boot Drive where it's handy and convenient.

But maybe another folder named something other than the Downloads folder, maybe ResearchStuff folder.




- Patrick
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