Mac Help! - DPChallenge Forums

Canon EF 17-40mm f/4.0L USM

06/04/2007 11:02:19 AM · #1

Trying to force myself to use my Mac Mini in advance of switching to mac for my main desktop. I have to say I'm finding it difficult, perhaps just a big conceptual shift.

I kind of missed the start menu and the depth of the Quick Launch toolbar in Windows (I have about 30 icons in quick launch--the dock doesn't seem as capable though it's easier to see the icons)

Anyway, I just screwed something up big time. I wanted easier access to apps, so I've been creating shortcuts/aliases to apps on my desktop.

That worked fine, until I decided to make a shortcut to the Applications item itself. I pressed the two keys required to drag an alias, dragged applications from the sidebar to the desktop. Unlike other files, I saw a little cloud and a poof, and now I don't have an applications item. There's no undo visible in finder. Did I just lose my whole applications menu, with that little drag and drop. It's very cool (not) when the same method to create an alias destroys a whole tree of it :(

Help!

PurpleFire

Canon EOS-7D

06/04/2007 11:10:10 AM · #2

The cloud and poof was you deleting a short cut - not the app.

You can drag any app/file/folder into the dock and re-size to suit your preference.

If you active the side-bar in finder, you can now also add short cuts to apps/files/folders again by just dragging into the the side bar.

Remember, cloud and poof equals deleted short cut - nothing else. You can find the applications again by going to HDD > User (I think? My Mac is at home, I'm in the office and it's such second nature I forget the exact steps).

ETA: By the way, dragging an item out of the dock or sidebar will remove the shortcut from there (cloud and poof) - which I figure is the answer to the actual question!

Good luck

Message edited by author 2007-06-04 11:13:08.

scarbrd

Leica M10

Leica 35mm f/1.4 Summilux M Aspherical MF - Black

06/04/2007 11:10:59 AM · #3

go to the trash can and see if they are there. If so you can restore them.

Just don't empty the trashcan before you recover them!

hahn23

Canon EOS-5D Mark IV

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS II USM Lens

06/04/2007 11:12:10 AM · #4

I think you just dragged the alias off the dock. That killed that alias, but it can be easily replaced on the dock by going into your Applications folder, selecting the application icon, click, drag and drop onto the dock.

It should also work to place an alias on the desktop by using the same method.

I'm pretty sure you didn't delete your application, just the alias link.

scalvert

Canon EOS-5D Mark III

06/04/2007 11:22:52 AM · #5

What Hahn said is also true of the sidebar. Open any window so you can see the sidebar, Find the Applications folder (should be root level on your hard drive), and drag it back to the sidebar to replace the shortcut. Not a big deal.

Drag any individual application to your dock or sidebar to create a shortcut (no need to press buttons). You can also drag the Application folder itself to the right side of your dock to create a pop-up list of all the contents.

Message edited by author 2007-06-04 11:24:52.

06/04/2007 11:24:07 AM · #6

Yes, sort of.

I'm not quite up on my apple terminology, but I dragged it from the left pane of the finder "list" window, not the "dock" with all the app icons. But it's another sort of dock, I just don't know what it's called. (Edit: Thanks Shannon--that's it, the sidebar--I was typing this and didn't see your post until afterwards.)

I was able to restore it just by navigating in my hard drive to applications and dragging it there.

I knew all I had deleted was Aliases, but I thought it was pretty rude to destroy the link without a second chance--it wasn't in the trash and there was no undo.

Another thing driving me crazy: perhaps I should not have bought this mac keyboard. On the PC, when typing in a box like the DPC Forum area, I can use the home/end navigation keys to go to the beginning and end of a line, and even go word to work using arrows and control arrows. How do I do that on the mac?

Message edited by author 2007-06-04 11:25:25.

scalvert

Canon EOS-5D Mark III

06/04/2007 11:26:16 AM · #7

Originally posted by nshapiro:

How do I do that on the mac?

System PReferences > Keyboard & Mouse > Keyboard Shortcuts

zeuszen

Canon EOS-1Ds Mark II

Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR II

06/04/2007 11:28:37 AM · #8

To find the application folder, double-click your Macintosh HD icon (top right on the desktop). Then double click the Application folder (if you set it to list or column view, they'll be sorted in alphabetical order), select whatever app you want and drag to the dock. Everything to the left of the dividing line is for apps - to the right of it for folders.

Drag carefully until you can see the dock opening a space for either before you let go. If you're sloppy, the item will go "poof'. But, as others have already said, you're only deleting an alias, not the original.

You can do the same thing with the whole application folder. Access via your HD (Macintosh HD) and drag the folder to the right of the dividing line in the dock. You may want to do this with any folder you want quick access to: your whole Home folder, a a Documents folder, Downloads, Browser Bookmarks or what ever you wish to create. The dock is quite expandable, too. I keep over forty aliases there.

Why you miss a Start Menu, is beyond me. I'd prefer to have things ready and under my nose than have to navigate through hierarchies.

I think you should play a little more with the OS, and don't worry about srewing things up. It's very difficult to do this.

dacrazyrn

Nikon D300

06/04/2007 11:37:40 AM · #9

I set my desktop up like this

I then have the windows arranged so that the HD (large window open on top) butts up to the R edge. Whenever I click over on that very R edge it brings up the HD window, so that I can browse through to any file). I have all my most used programs and "permanent" files in the Dock on the bottom.
Otherwise learn to use Expose (System Prefs), where you set up each corner of the screen to display (something). Works great for movig beween windows, etc.

Tamron SP AF 28-75mm f/2.8 XR Di for Canon

06/04/2007 03:48:04 PM · #10

Originally posted by scalvert:

Originally posted by nshapiro:
How do I do that on the mac?

System PReferences > Keyboard & Mouse > Keyboard Shortcuts

Nothing in there about navigating within a text entry box. So when you are typing, how do you navigate around the text field without using the mouse? Is there any way to have "Home" and "End" behave like they do under Windows (going to the beginning and end of the line)?

I see I can move word-by-word by using Option-(arrow).

Well there's a home key on the mac keyboard, but it doesn't seem to do anyting (option-home brings up your default web page).

freakin_hilarious

Canon EOS-550D Rebel T2i

06/04/2007 03:57:46 PM · #11

I don't use a mac, but I found these online somewhere real quick.

ctrl + left/right â�� Next word/start or end of word/case change within word
option + left/right â�� next word/start or end of word
cmd + left/right â�� start/end of line

06/04/2007 04:36:22 PM · #12

Originally posted by freakin_hilarious:

Thanks. That cmd+left/right was just what I needed.

Thanks as well to all who have offered advice and help in this thread.

Now it's on to finding a replacement for Codewright (programmers editor) on the mac. I've never been a fan of vi or emacs.

MelonMusketeer

Nikon D7000

Nikon MF 50mm f/1.4

06/04/2007 04:52:52 PM · #13

Back to your original post in the thread. Anytime you oops on your Mac, the two key "command z" action will return you back to where you were, up to several steps back. It's really handy when editing.
I also use the "hot corners" thing a lot. It is handy when you want to drag things to the desktop, and then later put them in an email or such.
If you get the .mac account from mac.com, then you will have access to all kinds of things Mac, including a Mac developer /guru/nerd forum where any problem that can't be solved will cheerfully be compounded.
Have fun.

scalvert

Canon EOS-5D Mark III