OSX newbie questions

[confuzatron]

Hi, I got a mac mini a couple of months ago, and I like it a lot (as a developer, I just can't get used to the beautifully be-iconed but feeble Finder, and it does seem to lock-up a little bit more than I'm used to) and I have a couple of things I havent been able to work out:

1) In windows, you can navigate controls on a web form with the tab key, but on OSX, the tab key appears to navigate between a subset of all the controls (e.g: checkboxes dont seem to be included). What am I missing?

2) A silly one. In iTunes there's an 'Import' menu item, that brings up a file dialog. What can be done from this dialog?? I havent been able to find anything importable! I cant seem to find any helpful documentation in the application's help.

(I had some other shortcut-key-related questions, but I went to the control panel before posting, and found them - and switch to white on black is cool )

PS: Finder - just my opinion, put down that pitchfork

 

[PlaceofDis]

to tab though things on webpages, open up system prefs, go to keyboard and mouse, go to keyboard shortcuts and turn on full keyboard access

and the import menu i believe is for adding exisiting MP3 or AAC files to your library

 

[Applespider]

Hi, I got a mac mini a couple of months ago, and I like it a lot (as a developer, I just can't get used to the beautifully be-iconed but feeble Finder, and it does seem to lock-up a little bit more than I'm used to)

How much RAM do you have in your mini? While OS X is good at memory management, if you have a lot of apps open it does like lots of memory to play with. Soon as I put a GB of RAM in my PB, it's barely locked up since.

Anything in particular bugging you in Finder? It is very different from the Windows Explorer method but there are ways around some things. The sidebar is your friend for keeping folders you need to get to regularly (the folders I'd have saved under 'Favourites' in Windows, I have in my Sidebar). The springloaded folders under Column View loses some of the Finder's beautiful icons but does speed saving/moving stuff.

 

[wrldwzrd89]

Hi, I got a mac mini a couple of months ago, and I like it a lot (as a developer, I just can't get used to the beautifully be-iconed but feeble Finder, and it does seem to lock-up a little bit more than I'm used to) and I have a couple of things I havent been able to work out:

1) In windows, you can navigate controls on a web form with the tab key, but on OSX, the tab key appears to navigate between a subset of all the controls (e.g: checkboxes dont seem to be included). What am I missing?

2) A silly one. In iTunes there's an 'Import' menu item, that brings up a file dialog. What can be done from this dialog?? I havent been able to find anything importable! I cant seem to find any helpful documentation in the application's help.

(I had some other shortcut-key-related questions, but I went to the control panel before posting, and found them - and switch to white on black is cool )

PS: Finder - just my opinion, put down that pitchfork

I don't know what the Import feature in iTunes is for, but it really isn't needed. The way I add tracks to my iTunes library is by dragging the file(s) or the folder(s) containing the file(s) to the iTunes icon in the dock. If iTunes can handle the files I dragged to it, it adds them to its library.

 

[confuzatron]

Turns out it's a browser problem

to tab though things on webpages, open up system prefs, go to keyboard and mouse, go to keyboard shortcuts and turn on full keyboard access

Yes, I had done that. On a hunch I fired up safari and had a go - you can tab to checkboxes no problem. So, it looks like a firefox issue.

and the import menu i believe is for adding exisiting MP3 or AAC files to your library

But - mp3's are greyed-out - who knows?

 

[confuzatron]

I don't know what the Import feature in iTunes is for, but it really isn't needed.

Yes, it's not a huge deal, just a mystery...

 

[confuzatron]

How much RAM do you have in your mini?

I've got 1/2 a gig. It's really more a problem of rogue processes going a bit mental and locking up the machine at 100% CPU. In windows I can (and often do) ctrl+alt+del to taskmanager and brutally execute pretty much anything I want, but in OSX, there isnt quite the same facility that I can find, or if there is, it might not be accessible when the machine locks-up. Ive had the menu bar and the dock die on me on separate occasions.
I also found a scratched CD that caused iTunes to bring the computer down when I tried to import it

Anything in particular bugging you in Finder? It is very different from the Windows Explorer method but there are ways around some things.

I often feel lost without an equivalent of explorer's folder treeview, and I use the address bar a lot in windows. I also use ctrl+x and so on to move files about - Im not a fan of drag-n-drop. Ive been installing stuff and then getting exasperated trying to find where it went (admittedly, the different file layout is an issue here) Okay - the find facility is quite nice, if a little simplistic.
Even though explorer can be faulted for its UI - not doing stuff The Right Way and so on - it does succeed in providing more 'power user' orientated views, IMO.
Im seriously considering looking for some linux explorer clone that might come with Fink

 

[PlaceofDis]

But - mp3's are greyed-out - who knows?

then it is a mystery indeed

and a fyi, there is a similar feature to control alt delete its command option escape, it will allow you to force quit any frozen app

 

[whocares]

I've got 1/2 a gig. It's really more a problem of rogue processes going a bit mental and locking up the machine at 100% CPU. In windows I can (and often do) ctrl+alt+del to taskmanager and brutallys

Give 'Command-Option-Escape' (or 'apple-alt-escape' if your not used to Mac weird key names yet!) a try for similar features.


You might get used to drag and drop, it's really great - especially with spring-loaded folders.

And for powerful search utilities, you can always use Terminal.app

 

[confuzatron]

then it is a mystery indeed

and a fyi, there is a similar feature to control alt delete its command option escape, it will allow you to force quit any frozen app

Yep, but in this case, the frozen 'thing' wasnt an app as such. Killing all the apps didnt fix the problem. I think I might have been able to bring up a terminal and use command-line tools to fix the problem, but Im not sure - it was hard to run anything as the UI was kind of unresponsive.

 

[confuzatron]

And for powerful search utilities, you can always use Terminal.app

Steady on!

 

[Pittsax]

I often feel lost without an equivalent of explorer's folder treeview, and I use the address bar a lot in windows. I also use ctrl+x and so on to move files about - Im not a fan of drag-n-drop.

The closest thing I can think of to the treeview in Windows Explorer is if you set the Finder window to List View (it's the second icon in the window, or you can just hit command-2). The little triangles are handles not unlike the + and - 's in Explorer. If they point to the right, the folder is closed (like the +). If you click on it, it will rotate down and you'll see the contents of the folder (like the -).

Hope this is helpful!

 

[abhishekit]

Yes, it's not a huge deal, just a mystery...

Its used to import the .xml file which keeps track of your library. So if you are migrating your library, it would come handy...

 

[MisterMe]

The closest thing I can think of to the treeview in Windows Explorer is if you set the Finder window to List View (it's the second icon in the window, or you can just hit command-2). The little triangles are handles not unlike the + and - 's in Explorer. If they point to the right, the folder is closed (like the +). If you click on it, it will rotate down and you'll see the contents of the folder (like the -).

Hope this is helpful!

You should try column view. MacOS X inherited this view from NeXTstep. Windows tree view is a pale imitation of it.

 

[confuzatron]

You should try column view. MacOS X inherited this view from NeXTstep. Windows tree view is a pale imitation of it.

Ah yes. Column view - different strokes for different folks as they say. Maybe if I had two widescreen monitors side-by-side, or something.

 

[andysmith]

I missed having a tree, or an easy way to go 'up' one folder in Finder - then I discovered the path button.
Ctrl-click on the finder's toolbar, select 'customise' and drag 'path' onto it.
It'll give you something like this:

 

[wrldwzrd89]

I missed having a tree, or an easy way to go 'up' one folder in Finder - then I discovered the path button.
Ctrl-click on the finder's toolbar, select 'customise' and drag 'path' onto it.
It'll give you something like this:

Command+clicking (or Apple+clicking, it's the key with the Apple logo on it) the text in the window's title bar achieves the same thing without a toolbar button, in case you feel like trying other methods.

 

[confuzatron]

I missed having a tree, or an easy way to go 'up' one folder in Finder - then I discovered the path button.

Command+clicking (or Apple+clicking, it's the key with the Apple logo on it) the text in the window's title bar achieves the same thing without a toolbar button, in case you feel like trying other methods.

I had found the path button but I didnt know about apple-clicking the title bar text.
Anyway - thanks, everyone. I must admit I would like more keyboard accessibility for little things like this, or maybe more configurability for 'power users' (those of us who dont mind messing up an elegant design for our own misguided needs) but I feel churlish moaning about it when everyone's been so helpful.

 

[whocares]

I had found the path button but I didnt know about apple-clicking the title bar text.
Anyway - thanks, everyone. I must admit I would like more keyboard accessibility for little things like this, or maybe more configurability for 'power users' (those of us who dont mind messing up an elegant design for our own misguided needs) but I feel churlish moaning about it when everyone's been so helpful.

You'll find that many things are already there, it's just a matter of finding them
For example you can duplicate a file/folder with 'Option+drag'
or create an alias with 'Option-Command+drag'
or my personnal favorite, to hide the active application, just 'Option+click' on different application's window. Ssssweeeeet


You can also define your own kb shortcuts with System Preferences -> Keyboard & Mouse

 

[yellow]

Either use /Applications/Utilities/Activity Monitor to see what is sucking up 100% of your CPU, or /Applications/Utilites/Terminal and type:

top -u -s5

Wait 25 seconds and see what the culprit is at the top of the list.

 

[confuzatron]

Either use /Applications/Utilities/Activity Monitor to see what is sucking up 100% of your CPU, or /Applications/Utilites/Terminal and type:

top -u -s5

Wait 25 seconds and see what the culprit is at the top of the list.

In fact, I had activity monitor running - its icon was set up to show CPU usage, but unfortunately, it was the Dock which was knackered, so I couldnt open it up. However, if it happens again, I may be able to find some way of getting at it... hmmm...

 

[yellow]

In fact, I had activity monitor running - its icon was set up to show CPU usage, but unfortunately, it was the Dock which was knackered, so I couldnt open it up. However, if it happens again, I may be able to find some way of getting at it... hmmm...

Make an alias and put it on your Desktop. (alias = Windows shortcut)

 

[confuzatron]

Make an alias and put it on your Desktop. (alias = Windows shortcut)

Well, I tried creating an alias, and managed to bugger about for a while dragging the actual app onto the desktop, then dragging it back and making an alias and dragging that onto the desktop, then finding that it wouldnt run etc etc.
So basically I now have a non working activity monitor (When you double click it, it appears briefly in the dock and then disappears as quickly - with a nice animation effect, though)

I had a look in the console and found this...
"2005-03-08 21:50:09.156 Activity Monitor[592] The tool is not setuid root - please repair the privileges"

I have found another thread about this, which I intend to read so I can fix the problem.

 

[mkrishnan]

Yes, I had done that. On a hunch I fired up safari and had a go - you can tab to checkboxes no problem. So, it looks like a firefox issue.

Confuzatron, please see this thread -- the issue with full keyboard access in FF is due to an idiosyncracy in the way FF's preferences are set on default, and is fixable.

 

[yellow]

Ways to make an alias:

Way 1:

Right click (or Ctl-click) file/app/folder/disk/mount/etc.
Select Make Alias, an alias file is created named "<name> alias", where "<name>" is the file/app/folder/disk/mount/etc..
Move the alias to where ever you want.
Double click alias to open file/app/folder/disk/mount/etc

Way 2:

Click file/app/folder/disk/mount/etc once to highlight.
Select Make Alias from File pull down menu (or press Cmd-L), an alias file is created named "<name> alias", where "<name>" is the file/app/folder/disk/mount/etc..
Move the alias to where ever you want.
Double click alias to open file/app/folder/disk/mount/etc

How to repair permissions:

Way 1:

Open /Applications/Utilites/Disk Utility
Select your boot drive
Press the Repair Permissions button

Way 2:

Open /Applicaitons/Utilites/Terminal
Type:
sudo diskutil repairpermissions /
Press return and enter your admin password

.