Right click?

becbec
Posted:
in macOS edited January 2014
I've used Windows most of my life and just bought a Macbook last night. There's an image I'd like to save to the Mac, but since there is no right button...how can I do this?



Thanks.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 20
    elronelron Posts: 126member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by bec

    I've used Windows most of my life and just bought a Macbook last night. There's an image I'd like to save to the Mac, but since there is no right button...how can I do this?



    Thanks.




    Try dragging it to the desktop (or any other folder, really). Isn't that elegant? If you absolutely must do it from a context menu (a terribly inelegant way to do it, but I'll let you slide ), try pressing the control key on the keyboard while you click the mouse button.
  • Reply 2 of 20
    becbec Posts: 68member
    *jaw drop* Wow. I have no idea why I switched to Windows those years ago! Thank you for your help!



    So if I ever wanted to find out the properties to something like an image, there isn't really an inelegant way? : p



    Example, setting an image from the web to one's wallpaper, or clearing a song from your iTunes.
  • Reply 3 of 20
    hobbeshobbes Posts: 1,252member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by bec

    *jaw drop* Wow. I have no idea why I switched to Windows those years ago! Thank you for your help!



    So if I ever wanted to find out the properties to something like an image, there isn't really an inelegant way? : p



    Example, setting an image from the web to one's wallpaper, or clearing a song from your iTunes.




    BTW, your MacBook also has a nice feature (you may have to switch it on first in System Pref > Mouse & Keyboard): put two fingers on the trackpad and click the button to do a "right-click", IOW, bring up a contextual menu. Control-clicking will of course always work too.



    Here is how I'd set an image as a desktop picture: (1) drag image to desktop, (2) open System Preferences > Desktop & Screen Saver, (3) drag image into the image well in that panel.



    Or, if you're fond of contextual menus: (1) control-click the image, while holding down option, select "Save Image As..." and save to your ~/Pictures folder, (2) control-click on the desktop and select "Change Desktop Background", (3) select from Pictures, and viola.



    As for clearing a song in iTunes, you mean deleting it? Select it and then hit the delete key. Or drag it to the Trash.
  • Reply 4 of 20
    becbec Posts: 68member
    That was extremely helpful, thank you for outlining that so clearly for me!



    There's quite the learning curve it seems when it comes to switching from Windows to Mac. I have to stop myself from using the control key and learning to use the apple key instead, lol.
  • Reply 5 of 20
    hobbeshobbes Posts: 1,252member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by bec

    That was extremely helpful, thank you for outlining that so clearly for me!



    There's quite the learning curve it seems when it comes to switching from Windows to Mac. I have to stop myself from using the control key and learning to use the apple key instead, lol.




    No problem! There's always a lot to learn in when learning a new OS. Have fun.
  • Reply 6 of 20
    Quote:

    Originally posted by bec

    So if I ever wanted to find out the properties to something like an image, there isn't really an inelegant way? : p



    Usually command (the apple key) + i will activate the Get Info pane, which is similar to the properties pane. Certainly Finder and QuickTime do, if you ever need yourself wanting the Get Info pane, chances are it is in the application and it should be accessed by command + i.



    Hope that makes sense...
  • Reply 7 of 20
    mr. hmr. h Posts: 4,870member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by bec

    I've used Windows most of my life and just bought a Macbook last night. There's an image I'd like to save to the Mac, but since there is no right button...how can I do this?



    Thanks.




    Ah, you are referring to Windows' insanely stupid: if you want to create anything other than a shortcut via drag and drop, you have to drag with the right mouse key and then select which function you want once you've finished dragging?



    I know the question's been answered already, but to add more colour:



    the "shift", "ctrl", "option", and "command" keys are often referred to as "modifier" keys, because they modify the behaviour of another key or action. For example, in the Finder, if you drag and drop a file from one folder to another, if the folders are on the same volume, the file is moved. However, if you hold down the "option" key whilst dragging, the file is copied instead. If you hold down "option" and "command" together whilst dragging, an alias is created.



    If you drag and drop a file from one volume to another, the default action is a copy. But if you hold down "command" whilst dragging, the file will be moved instead.



    Someone mentioned the two-finger trick for bringing up the contextual menu; they didn't mention that if you turn on both "clicking" (where tapping the trackpad is the same as clicking the button) and "two-fingers-whilst-clicking to bring up a contextual menu", then tapping the trackpad with two fingers will bring up the contextual menu.



    Welcome back to Macintosh!
  • Reply 8 of 20
    becbec Posts: 68member
    Thanks so much for the clarification.



    And I can't tell you how relieved I am to be able to tap the trackpad again. After four years with a Compaq laptop I've been tapping this thing by accident all day.
  • Reply 9 of 20
    I'm also a recent "switcher" so to speak (I still need windows for my job and programming).



    Is there some place that lists tasks and key combos you can do in windows and their equivalent in Mac?



    For example, the Home and End keys on a windows keyboard will take you to the beginning and end of a line. Can this be done in Mac?



    Also, what about a way to show the options on a menu via the keyboard? In windows, for example, I would press Alt + F to drop down the file menu and then could use the arrow keys to navigate if I just wanted to browse the options. I know in Mac there are some Apple key combinations but I haven't found a way to simply drop the menus down for viewing.



    I know there are others that have frustrated me during this switch, but I can't think of them off the top of my head right now. So, is there a cheat sheet of sorts?



    Thanks!



    -Shelly
  • Reply 10 of 20
    meelashmeelash Posts: 1,045member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Mr. H

    I know the question's been answered already, but to add more colour:



    the "shift", "ctrl", "option", and "command" keys are often referred to as "modifier" keys, because they modify the behaviour of another key or action. For example, in the Finder, if you drag and drop a file from one folder to another, if the folders are on the same volume, the file is moved. However, if you hold down the "option" key whilst dragging, the file is copied instead. If you hold down "option" and "command" together whilst dragging, an alias is created.



    If you drag and drop a file from one volume to another, the default action is a copy. But if you hold down "command" whilst dragging, the file will be moved instead.







    No need to memorize these. When you're dragging and you hold down option a plus appears, etc...
  • Reply 11 of 20
    a_greera_greer Posts: 4,594member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by bec

    Try dragging it to the desktop (or any other folder, really). Isn't that elegant? If you absolutely must do it from a context menu (a terribly inelegant way to do it, but I'll let you slide ), try pressing the control key on the keyboard while you click the mouse button.

    Report this post to a moderator




    Hate to burst y'alls bubble but Windows does the exact same thing...





    You would be surprised just how many mouse jestures are intrinsic in Windows...it is just that no one really knows it...
  • Reply 12 of 20
    mr. hmr. h Posts: 4,870member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by ShellyFM

    Is there some place that lists tasks and key combos you can do in windows and their equivalent in Mac?



    Not that I know of, but Mac Help (make sure Finder is the active app, then go to the "help" menu) usually has the answer.



    Quote:

    Originally posted by ShellyFM

    For example, the Home and End keys on a windows keyboard will take you to the beginning and end of a line. Can this be done in Mac?



    When you are in a text box (e.g. a Web Browser address bar, or renaming a file with the Finder) the "up" arrow key will take you to the beginning, the "down" arrow key will take you to the end.



    Quote:

    Originally posted by ShellyFM

    Also, what about a way to show the options on a menu via the keyboard? In windows, for example, I would press Alt + F to drop down the file menu and then could use the arrow keys to navigate if I just wanted to browse the options. I know in Mac there are some Apple key combinations but I haven't found a way to simply drop the menus down for viewing.



    I know there are others that have frustrated me during this switch, but I can't think of them off the top of my head right now. So, is there a cheat sheet of sorts?



    Thanks!



    -Shelly




    1.) Open "System Preferences" (in the Apple Menu)



    2.) Choose "Keyboard and Mouse".



    3.) Click on the "Keyboard Shortcuts" tab.



    4.) Scroll down to "Keyboard Navigation".



    Ta-Da!
  • Reply 13 of 20
    Quote:

    Originally posted by ShellyFM

    Also, what about a way to show the options on a menu via the keyboard? In windows, for example, I would press Alt + F to drop down the file menu and then could use the arrow keys to navigate if I just wanted to browse the options. I know in Mac there are some Apple key combinations but I haven't found a way to simply drop the menus down for viewing.



    Hit ctrl+F2 to highlight the menu bar - to jump to a specific menu hit the first letter in menu name, to open the menu hit the down arrow.



    For example to get to the paste command:

    ctrl+F2 > e > ↓ > p
  • Reply 14 of 20
    Thank you so much to both of you! These are great! It will take a little bit of a learning curve, but I'm sure these will be a lot quicker to use in the long run as I'm mostly keyboard centric with my computer use.



    Thanks!



    -Shelly
  • Reply 15 of 20
    lundylundy Posts: 4,466member
    Control-click is a right-click, always has been on the Mac.



    If you have a 2 button mouse, right-click works just as you would expect.



    There is no "make wallpaper (on Mac this is called "Desktop Picture") menu item, but you can choose any picture as Desktop Picture from the Desktop pane of the System Preferences.





    Quote:
    Originally Posted by bec


    I've used Windows most of my life and just bought a Macbook last night. There's an image I'd like to save to the Mac, but since there is no right button...how can I do this?



    Thanks.



  • Reply 16 of 20
    chuckerchucker Posts: 5,089member
    You can in fact invoke the Desktop's contextual menu (i.e., right-click/control-click somewhere on the Desktop) to go to "Change Desktop Background…", as a shortcut.
  • Reply 17 of 20
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Chucker


    You can in fact invoke the Desktop's contextual menu (i.e., right-click/control-click somewhere on the Desktop) to go to "Change Desktop Background…", as a shortcut.



    Am I the only one who gets directed to the screensaver tab instead of desktop when using this option?
  • Reply 18 of 20
    chuckerchucker Posts: 5,089member
    You get directed to whichever tab you last used.
  • Reply 19 of 20
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Chucker


    You get directed to whichever tab you last used.



    I never use the screen saver tab, I always exit with the desktop tab selected, but always get put to the screen saver tab.



    In fact I have just gone to Sys Prefs and clicked "Desktop & Screen Saver", changed to the Desktop tab, went to view all then back into desktop & screen saver and screen saver tab is selected.



    I figure something must be wrong.
  • Reply 20 of 20
    chuckerchucker Posts: 5,089member
    Yeah that's quite odd. I smell a permissions problem.
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