Simple question about moving objects

chris fitzgeraldchris fitzgerald
Posted:
in macOS edited January 2014
I've just downloaded "MacJanitor" to help clean up some old log files on my wife's iMac. It shows on the desktop as a mounted disc. I want to move it off of the desktop so I don't have to look at it all the time, but every time I try to move it to another location, it creates an alias of itself, and the original stays on the desktop. I know this is really basic, but what did I do wrong? (tiger)

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 3
    placeboplacebo Posts: 5,767member
    I assume that MacJanitor comes as a .dmg file you download? When you double-click that .dmg file or let it auto-open from Safari (sounds like you're already past this step), a white HD-like icon appears. Inside it is the application.



    Now, you can run the app from inside the image, but the way it's supposed to be gone about is you quit the app if it's running, and drag its icon from inside the mounted disk image (the white hard drive icon) into your Applications folder. Then it should copy into Applications, you can now eject the disk image by pressing the eject symbol next to it in the sidebar, or selecting it on the desktop and choosing Eject, and delete the disk image.



    Next time you want to use the app, launch it from your Applications folder.
  • Reply 2 of 3
    lundylundy Posts: 4,466member
    A mounted Disk Image File looks like a disk to the Finder, so if you try and drag the MOUNTED image to another location, it will follow the rules of moving disks - namely you cannot move a disk into a folder - it makes no sense. So the FInder will just make an alias to the disk (volume) in that circumstance.



    Since the actual Disk Image (.dmg) file is just a file like anything else, you CAN easily place it anywhere you wish. I have a folder called "Disk Images and Installers" where I put all the downloaded image files after I am done mounting them and dragging out the enclosed Applications or running the enclosed Installers.



    So to move it off the desktop, UNMOUNT it like any other disk/volume (either by selecting it and choosing "Eject", dragging the image to the Trash (trashing a volume unmounts it, not erases it), or clicking the little arrow to the right of it in the Finder Sidebar. Then you can find the actual .dmg file (usually on the desktop or wherever your download folder is) and put it wherever you want. If the .dmg file is NOT where it was downloaded to, then the developer enabled "Internet Enabled Disk Image" on that image and it will automatically mount itself, copy out its contents to the download location, unmount itself and trash the disk image file. If you want the disk image (.dmg) file back for some reason, then you will find it in the Trash (all of its contents have been copied to the download location so it isn't needed).





    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Chris Fitzgerald


    I've just downloaded "MacJanitor" to help clean up some old log files on my wife's iMac. It shows on the desktop as a mounted disc. I want to move it off of the desktop so I don't have to look at it all the time, but every time I try to move it to another location, it creates an alias of itself, and the original stays on the desktop. I know this is really basic, but what did I do wrong? (tiger)



  • Reply 3 of 3
    endymionendymion Posts: 375member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by lundy


    A mounted Disk Image File looks like a disk to the Finder, so if you try and drag the MOUNTED image to another location, it will follow the rules of moving disks - namely you cannot move a disk into a folder - it makes no sense. So the FInder will just make an alias to the disk (volume) in that circumstance.



    You can get around this by holding down the option key which will allow you to then copy the image's contents as a folder.
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