Hide those desktop folders

[blodwyn]

For those who like a clean desktop, here's how I tidied mine up a bit but still kept my desktop folders.

I copied a 32x32 pixel image from a section of my desktop wallpaper, created a folder on my desktop, and changed the folder icon to the 32x32 image (to do this, open the 32x32 image in Preview and copy the image to the clipboard. click on the folder and bring up the info pane with Command-I. Click on the folder image at the top left of the info pane and paste the 32x32 image with a Command-V). Then I changed the folder name to a couple of spaces, and carefully dragged the folder icon over the section of the wallpaper that I copied it from. When you don't have the folder selected it's invisible on the desktop, but it's there if you click on it. I chose a section of wallpaper that I can find easily, on the right edge of my screen.

You can have several folders, each with a different number of spaces in the name. You should chose an image pixel size to match what you have the icon size set to in Finder > View Options.

I've attached a couple of clips with a folder selected and deselected.

 

[radiantm3]

For those who like a clean desktop, here's how I tidied mine up a bit but still kept my desktop folders.

I copied a 32x32 pixel image from a section of my desktop wallpaper, created a folder on my desktop, and changed the folder icon to the 32x32 image (to do this, open the 32x32 image in Preview and copy the image to the clipboard. click on the folder and bring up the info pane with Command-I. Click on the folder image at the top left of the info pane and paste the 32x32 image with a Command-V). Then I changed the folder name to a couple of spaces, and carefully dragged the folder icon over the section of the wallpaper that I copied it from. When you don't have the folder selected it's invisible on the desktop, but it's there if you click on it. I chose a section of wallpaper that I can find easily, on the right edge of my screen.

You can have several folders, each with a different number of spaces in the name. You should chose an image pixel size to match what you have the icon size set to in Finder > View Options.

I've attached a couple of clips with a folder selected and deselected.

That seems like a lot of work for some thing that can be accomplished a lot better with an app like deskshade (http://www.macrabbit.com/deskshade/).

 

[JDar]

blodwyn, that is very cool, not to mention educational and free! Got to try that now.

 

[pknz]

How long did you spend doing that?

 

[radiantm3]

blodwyn, that is very cool, not to mention educational and free! Got to try that now.

You could just save yourself some trouble and download some blank folders: http://maxthemes.com/guistuff/?guistuff=Blank Dock Separators

 

[reh]

Or just don't store crap on the desktop...

 

[blodwyn]

How long did you spend doing that?

About 1 minute with Graphic Converter, and a few seconds to paste the image and rename the folder.

 

[JDar]

You could just save yourself some trouble and download some blank folders: http://maxthemes.com/guistuff/?guistuff=Blank Dock Separators

Please, radiantmark, I'd rather do it myself. It takes less than a minute and gives a great sense of satisfaction.

 

[FFTT]

I've learned the value of keeping a temporary storage folder on my desktop for anything I need to sort through, file or burn at some later time.

It's the perfect place to store all the stuff you download and really does
help keep your desktop looking well organized.

When my Storage Folder gets over 600 MB, I decide what I need to file away in my Home folder and what I need to burn to CD and what is trash.

Although I have SuperDrive, I Generally prefer to keeps smaller amounts
of data on CD's.

I also make a habit of creating a new folder for each installer.dmg adding
a brief Text Edit note with the appropriate authorization key and version number. This way all my installers are ready to go if I need to re-install them.

Even though your OS updates are copied to your "packages" folder,
I burn a redundant update .pkg folder, so any OS updates I've downloaded stay together.

This is especially important since I'm downloading at a heart pounding 2.2kb dial-up.

It may be overkill, but I have at least 3 copies of anything I consider important.

 

[Sirus The Virus]

What happens when you change your background?

 

[Lacero]

I just store my folders in a hierarchy on my root drive and point an alias to the dock. By right-clicking on the dock, you can have access to all your folders in a convenient list that's out of the way.

You can also store folders in favorites for easy access from any finder window.

Here's to the Crazy Ones ​

 

[Vader]

What happens when you change your background?

You do it all again.

I would think a better way would be to just make an icon that is a square, that is only 1% opaque, then you will barely notice it, and you wouldn't have to re-do it when you change desktops.

 

[maya]

You do it all again.

I would think a better way would be to just make an icon that is a square, that is only 1% opaque, then you will barely notice it, and you wouldn't have to re-do it when you change desktops.

Or you can use a clear alpha channel icon image that is a folder and you are good to go.

 

[Vader]

If it is completely clear, I thought you couldn't click on it?

 

[maya]

If it is completely clear, I thought you couldn't click on it?

You select the text/title of the folder section.

 

[Vader]

Ah, cool, I realize now that I of course knew that, just didn't think of it.

 

[Sirus The Virus]

I think a better idea would be to just make one folder on the desktop. Then, just put all the other folders into one folder. Thats what I do.

 

[SummerBreeze]

Maybe I'm weird, but I just don't keep stuff on the desktop. I just have my pretty little hard drive icon and that's it. This does seem like an interesting way to do it, although a bit too difficult in my opinion. I'll just obsessively organize my desktop instead.