"Get Info" sucks. Well, sort of...

dstranathan

I just noticed that, for example, if I get info on 4 items in the Finder, that I cant get 4 different "Get Info" property boxes, I get one composite box. This is a pain, as I have to change file names and info on mutiple files all day long, and I really liked OS 9's ability to get seperate "Get Info" boxes (1 per file).



Is there a secret key-stroke or key combo that will allow me to get individual "Get Info" boxes again like OS 9? Or do I need a utility to do this now?

bauman

You could use the dynamic Inspector (cmd-opt-I)... that changes dynamically depending on what's selected.



It's not exactly what you ask for, but it's better than what you're doing currently.

ast3r3x

Why do you have to change file permissions multiple times per day?

scott

I hate to say this but you may want to learn the command line. Or go the other way and write an applescript.

gon

Sounds like a job for some scripting. What do you do to the files, exactly?

dstranathan

Its not for me actually, ita a production employee who is a ftp/webmaster of sorts. She gets lots of files in and needs to change the names a lot (with a rigid naming convention). You are right, it is a automation/script related problem in the big picture. I am savvy at the command line, but the employee is not. I just migrated her to OS X from OS 9, and she loves it EXCEPT for this problem.

ast3r3x

Quote:

Originally posted by dstranathan

Its not for me actually, ita a production employee who is a ftp/webmaster of sorts. She gets lots of files in and needs to change the names a lot (with a rigid naming convention). You are right, it is a automation/script related problem in the big picture. I am savvy at the command line, but the employee is not. I just migrated her to OS X from OS 9, and she loves it EXCEPT for this problem.

So AppleScript, it's a great application for it.

buonrotto

I've *always* complained about how Apple hasn't improved the Fidner in OS X to actually handle batch changes well. It's long overdue, even iPhoto and other apps do this reasonably well. I don't know why they haven't improved the Fidner in this regard. I expected it for 10.3 before we knew the details about it. I should go back and re-sbumit this as feedback for 10.4's Finder.

bauman

Code:

tell application "Finder"

repeat with afile in (selection as list)

select afile

tell application "System Events"

tell process "Finder"

tell menu bar 1

tell menu bar item "File"

tell menu "File"

click menu item "Get Info"

end tell

end tell

end tell

end tell

end tell

end repeat

end tell





You could even tag it to cmd-I with a third party program, relabling the cmd-I in system prefs.

lundy

Quote:

Originally posted by dstranathan

Its not for me actually, ita a production employee who is a ftp/webmaster of sorts. She gets lots of files in and needs to change the names a lot (with a rigid naming convention).

This little script will let you secleect files in the Finder and change ther names. Right now the default name is "untitled", but it could be set to be anything, even changing with each file through the loop.





(* Select the Items in the Finder that you want to change the names of*)

(*Run the script*)

tell application "Finder"

\t

\tset theSelection to (selection as alias list)

\tif the selection is {} then

\t\tdisplay dialog "There is nothing selected in the Finder.

Select some items and run the script again." buttons "OK" default button 1

\t\tquit

\tend if

\trepeat with theItem in theSelection

\t\t

\t\tset newName to text returned of (display dialog "Type a New Name" default answer (name of theItem as text) buttons {"OK", "Cancel"} default button 1)

\t\ttry

\t\t\tset name of theItem to newName

\t\ton error

\t\t\tdisplay dialog "Item with that name already exists in this selection. Try another name. "

\t\tend try

\tend repeat

end tell