"Shelf" utility sort of thing?

Posted:
in Mac Software edited January 2014
I'm looking for a small utility application that acts like a folder and allows me to store stuff on it. Now, before you say, "There are tons of those!" believe me, I know. I've tried iClip, for one, and Quicksilver has the "Shelf" plugin and there are various clipboard utilities, but the thing I don't like about those is that they use copies or aliases rather than the actual file.



Basically, I'm looking for a window that will pop out when I move my mouse to the side of the screen that I can LITERALLY put stuff into, not just store aliases to certain files that are stored elsewhere, or lauch certain programs that stored elsewhere, I want to ACTUALLY STORE the stuff on the shelf.



Also, Workstrip is pretty amazing, but again it uses aliases.



Any help is appreciated. Thanks guys!



Philip

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 15
    bergzbergz Posts: 1,045member
    What you mean is like a constantly floating finder window? I don't know of any.



    What do you need this for?



    --B
  • Reply 2 of 15
    Quote:

    Originally posted by bergz

    What you mean is like a constantly floating finder window? I don't know of any.



    What do you need this for?



    --B




    Imagine the Dock, except when you drag something there it literally is there. It doesn't just make a cool icon that points to a file, or points to an application, it IS the file/application. And if I drag it off this "Shelf" into the trash, the file is trashed. Gone. Removed from hard drive. Not "the alias is gone but the file is still where it was originally."



    So, yes, you're right. Basically, a constantly floating finder window.



    Why do I need this? No reason =P It would just be very convenient for me. I'm a very organized person, and aliases just double the amount of stuff to keep track of. Why bother having an alias that points to a file? Why can't the Dock just be its own folder? It doesn't make sense to me. Plus, when you want to REALLY delete the file, you have to delete the real thing anyways.



    Anyways, it's not big deal. It's just something I would find convenient. I absolutely LOVE the WorkStrip concept but I find it to be completely unusable because it's just a bunch of aliases. What good does that do me? I want a shelf where I can put things, get to them easily, and trash them easily.



    Actually, I suppose the best analogy would be "a constantly floating mini-desktop".



    Phil
  • Reply 3 of 15
    ahh, the good ole pop-up window tab of os9. i actually forgot how much i liked that until you mentioned it.
  • Reply 4 of 15
    OK, this is a real fudge and probably not what you are looking for... but why not make a folder on the desktop, put it on the right hand side of the dock, and then drag your stuff in there?



    You can launch stuff by right-clicking the folder so a list comes up. To trash stuff, click the folder to open it then drag to the trash.
  • Reply 5 of 15
    In fact, you don't even need to right-click if you're stuck on a one button mouse, just holding down the mouse button on that folder in the dock will give you a pop up list of all of the files. It's a little easier than doing the control-click tango.
  • Reply 6 of 15
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Mr Skills

    OK, this is a real fudge and probably not what you are looking for... but why not make a folder on the desktop, put it on the right hand side of the dock, and then drag your stuff in there?



    You can launch stuff by right-clicking the folder so a list comes up. To trash stuff, click the folder to open it then drag to the trash.




    That's exactly what I've been doing =)



    Just thought I might as well ask if there's a program that does this in a slightly more "sleek" manner hehe.



    I guess I just love those programs where you move your mouse to the side of the screen and it pops up. So convenient =)



    Phil
  • Reply 7 of 15
    If you find a program that makes Finder windows pop-up like they did in OS 9, please post it. I too miss the OS 9 Finder window tabs. Sure the Dock kind of does this but it isn't as handy. It would be great if you could tab your finder windows to the sides or bottom (really anywhere but where the Dock is).



    I have considered purchasing Drop Drawers but I too don't want alias and I think it uses alias. Expose is handy but I still miss the Window Shade and Tabbed Windows features of OS 9.
  • Reply 8 of 15
    the best thing ive found is "DragThing" but it uses aliases. Hovever, it looks and acts EXACTLY like a 2nd dock, so it's pretty cool.



    still on the lookout for something that DOESNT use aliases =)
  • Reply 9 of 15
    oh, and you can get http://www.unsanity.com/haxies/wsx if that is what you mean by Window Shades
  • Reply 10 of 15
    oooooo i found some nice shareware at http://www.donelleschi.com/



    i actually like FileGazer the best!
  • Reply 11 of 15
    Thanks, I think Sticky Windows is what I have been looking for. It looks just like tabbed Finder Windows from OS 9. I down loaded it and I will give it a try. The demo on their site looks pretty cool.
  • Reply 12 of 15
    rokrok Posts: 3,519member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by stedwick

    the best thing ive found is "DragThing" but it uses aliases. Hovever, it looks and acts EXACTLY like a 2nd dock, so it's pretty cool.



    still on the lookout for something that DOESNT use aliases =)




    i am a big dragthing fan, myself. i can't imagine anyone using al of the configurability of that lil' app, and it'll store clipping files for you, too, and has configurable file previews, and scriptability (one example is that you can script the previews up to 512 pixels wide, which is awesome).



    my one issue, which has always been a problem with this app, is that it is so configurable, the preferences can be an overwhelming nightmare to configure. james (the author of the app) is planning a new preference layout for the next major update. plus, he was one of the first to release an intel-univeral binary of his app to beta test.
  • Reply 13 of 15
    all sticky windows needs is an option to make the sticked window pop out automatically when the mouse moves to the edge of the screen



    and it would be cool if it could slide in and out like with expose =)

  • Reply 14 of 15
    I agree with you on the Sticky Windows needing to pop out. On my computer when you click on a tab it is slow to open the window and its slow to re-tab them. If they keep working on this it could turn into a very useful app.
  • Reply 15 of 15
    have you looked at delicious library? it's literally a shelf for your stuff, complete with images of your real possessions. or maybe you're looking to only store word docs on your shelf.
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