Looking for OS X navigation add-on...

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fishcarpfishcarp
Posted:
in macOS edited January 2014
With my primary focus being Audio and Graphic Design, I'm one of those hold-outs who has yet to switch to X, although I am planning on purchasing Jaguar.



However, I read in the Macworld review (more of an overview, really) that in OS X, including the upcoming release, you cannot jump to a file by typing the first or first few letters of the file. Is this true? If so, does anyone know of a third party add-on that would give this functionality?



I know there are many third party extensions that bring back certain pre-X features, and I'm guessing (although I don't know) that my navigational savior Default Folder may add the feature I want in Open/Save dialogs, but this doesn't address Finder Windows.



As a side note: I'm certainly no programmer, but doesn't this seem like it would be a fairly easy thing for Apple to have included in X - it's one of those features that I use so much I don't even think of it as an "added" feature - just a basic interface function.



Anyway, any help would be appreciated.



Thanks

fISH

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 16
    ringoringo Posts: 329member
    [quote]Originally posted by fishcarp:

    <strong>

    However, I read in the Macworld review (more of an overview, really) that in OS X, including the upcoming release, you cannot jump to a file by typing the first or first few letters of the file. Is this true?</strong><hr></blockquote>



    Absolutely not. It works just as it did in OS 9. It's always worked if I'm not mistaken... Can anyone tell me if it was ever not present?
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  • Reply 2 of 16
    mac gurumac guru Posts: 367member
    It works for me. I just type in the name and it goes to my file.



    Mac Guru
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  • Reply 3 of 16
    jambojambo Posts: 3,036member
    Does it work in all views? Icon, List and Column?



    I'm on a PC now or I'd check.



    J :cool:
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  • Reply 4 of 16
    cubedudecubedude Posts: 1,556member
    I think what you're looking for is <a href="http://www.obdev.at/products/launchbar/"; target="_blank">LaunchBar.</a> It goes in the menu bar, and when your mouse slides over it, a menu slides down.
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  • Reply 5 of 16
    ghost_user_nameghost_user_name Posts: 22,667member
    This has always worked fine in the Finder.



    However, it as been and STILL is broken in the Open/Save dialogs. ARRGG.
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  • Reply 6 of 16
    agent302agent302 Posts: 974member
    It only seems to not work in the Open/Save dialogs of Carbon Apps in 10.1 (I think). I seem to recall the Open sheet in OmniWeb allowing me to navigate with the keyboard.
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  • Reply 7 of 16
    ghost_user_nameghost_user_name Posts: 22,667member
    Open/Save dialogs in Carbon have been broken in this regard since Public Beta. They still wig out, jumping to the top of the hierarchy and often throwing up some graphical glitches if you try it in 10.2. It's been the exact same for two whole years. I'm shocked that Apple hasn't fixed this one yet.



    You are correct, though, that it works fine in Cocoa apps.
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  • Reply 8 of 16
    kecksykecksy Posts: 1,002member
    Does anyone know if this has been fixed in Jaguar?
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  • Reply 9 of 16
    ghost_user_nameghost_user_name Posts: 22,667member
    Is what fixed? The text navigation in Carbon Open/Save dialogs?

    Didn't I just answer that? No, this has not been fixed.
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  • Reply 10 of 16
    keyboardf12keyboardf12 Posts: 1,379member
    you need default folder. take a look at versiontracker.com
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  • Reply 11 of 16
    star-affinitystar-affinity Posts: 105member
    [quote]Originally posted by keyboardf12:

    <strong>you need default folder. take a look at versiontracker.com</strong><hr></blockquote>



    And Apple needs to wake up!!!



    There are too many things in the basic interface of OS X that's horrible.

    One thing is the open/save dialogs.



    More options please!



    On Mac OS it's always been a must (at least for me) to install a few third party apps to make work flow smooth.



    I don't feel the need for this in Windows XP. How come? Aren't Mac OS supposed to be more intuitive? :confused:

    Or am I just messed up in my head so I feel more comfortable with the complicated? <img src="graemlins/hmmm.gif" border="0" alt="[Hmmm]" />
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  • Reply 12 of 16
    kecksykecksy Posts: 1,002member
    Can't you use the full keyboard access feature in OS X to navigate through open/save dialogues as well as the entire OS.
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  • Reply 13 of 16
    hobbeshobbes Posts: 1,252member
    [quote]Originally posted by Brad:

    <strong>Is what fixed? The text navigation in Carbon Open/Save dialogs?

    Didn't I just answer that? No, this has not been fixed.</strong><hr></blockquote>



    Why Apple doesn't deem this bug important enough to fix for the lifespan of OS X is completely beyond me.



    Are they having trouble fixing it? Is it something in Carbon that developers need to update? Do they think it's not important? What's going on?



    This better be fixed by 10.2.x. <img src="graemlins/bugeye.gif" border="0" alt="[Skeptical]" />



    [ 08-20-2002: Message edited by: Hobbes ]</p>
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  • Reply 14 of 16
    ghost_user_nameghost_user_name Posts: 22,667member
    If it's something in Carbon that developers need to update, then Apple's own developers haven't fixed it for its Carbon apps. QuickTime Player, iTunes, iMovie, etc. all suffer this problem.



    Honestly, I have no idea why this hasn't been fixed yet. <img src="graemlins/hmmm.gif" border="0" alt="[Hmmm]" />
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  • Reply 15 of 16
    cygsidcygsid Posts: 210member
    not to state the obvious, but it might be a good idea to report this to Apple on their OS X feedback page, probably yet again, just in case..
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  • Reply 16 of 16
    fishcarpfishcarp Posts: 26member
    Thanks for the feedback everyone - glad to hear that Macworld was incorrect (or that I misunderstood them - it has been known to happen! :confused: )
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