I was wondering if the videos you have stored on iTunes(bought or ones you manually converted) are available for viewing through front row? Or is it just the DVD you have in the drive and trailers?
I've seen several hints on this site lately about using Front Row to watch movies stored in locations other than the ~/Movies folder, but most are limited to adding one additional location to Front Row's menu. Here is a fairly simple trick that allows you to browse to and play any QuickTime-compatible movie located in any folder, including internal, external, and removable disks.
First, use Tinker Tool (or your other tool of choice, or Terminal as in this hint) to view the hidden folders on your computer. Then locate the /Volumes folder (which was previously hidden) in your root folder. Command-option-drag the /Volumes folder into your user's Movies folder. Finally, re-hide your hidden folders.
Launch Front Row and browse to the Movies category. There should be an entry at or near the bottom called Volumes. Select it, and you will see all of your mounted disks, including hard drives, CDs, DVDs, and networked drives.
[robg adds: You don't need to show hidden files to make this hint work. Instead, hit Shift-Command-G (Go to Folder) in the Finder and just enter /Volumes. The Volumes folder will show up, even though it's still marked as invisible.]
Well I was just trying to do this and it didn't work. I'm pretty sure that it didn't work because i didn't command+option+drag the folder the the new location. Now I can't find it. Does anyone know where it has gone to so that I may find it and correctly follow instructions?
press shirt+command+g then type in /volumes, if it isnt there prefix it with the folder you think you put it in... like users/youraccountname/movies/volumes. And if it is not there turn on invisible folder and use spotlight. good luck.
I didn't do any of that. I just made an alias of the folder I wanted to access and drug it to the movies folder. (In this case my videos are on an external drive.)
I didn't do any of that. I just made an alias of the folder I wanted to access and drug it to the movies folder. (In this case my videos are on an external drive.)
He did exactly what the instructions say. That command that you use while dragging the folder creates an alias instead of moving the folder to that new location. Can anyone tell me where I need to put that folder? I moved it the first time but I don't know where it belongs.
Actually, I have no idea, having never used Front Row with an iPod before, but given that this would be a natural way to use it, and that I haven't ever seen this question before, I can only assume that, like most everything else you'll want to do on your new Mac, It Just Works(tm). First rule of owning a Mac - think of the simplest way to do something, then try it. 99% of the time, it's the right way.
Nevermind, I found it and put an alias in the movies folder. Where do I need to put the volumes folder?
Volumes belongs at the root of your file structure, so click "Macintosh HD" (or whatever you've named your internal boot drive) and you should see other folders such as
Do *NOT* drag any Volumes folder *TO* the root of your drive! That will simply break things.
You're wanting to make an alias *OF* the /Volumes folder and then drag that alias *FROM* the root of your drive.
They make these things invisible for a reason, you know.
In Finder:
Cmd-N for new window.
Cmd-3 for column mode.
Cmd-Shift G. Enter (without quotes): "/Volumes" Press Return.
You'll see /Volumes in the left column. That's your source.
Cmd-N for new window.
Cmd-H for Home.
Open your Movies folder. That's your target.
Cmd-Opt-Drag the Volumes icon from the first window to your Movies folder. Make *SURE* that there's a curved arrow alias cursor before you drop. If not, drop it on your menu bar to cancel the drag. If the curved arrow cursor is there, drop it.
That's it.
Now, what this means is that Front Row will search *all* your drives, *all* the time, for new movies. Could take a while. Personally, I think it's a bonkers idea. Much better to make aliases of *specific* folders and drop them in, but, that's just me.
Do *NOT* drag any Volumes folder *TO* the root of your drive! That will simply break things.
You're wanting to make an alias *OF* the /Volumes folder and then drag that alias *FROM* the root of your drive.
They make these things invisible for a reason, you know.
Hey there! Can you help me? I accidently moved this Volumes folder on the first try and then I made an alias of it. I found the folder and tried to move it back, but I didn't know where to put it. Now, I've lost it again, and I don't know what to do.
Do *NOT* drag any Volumes folder *TO* the root of your drive! That will simply break things.
You're wanting to make an alias *OF* the /Volumes folder and then drag that alias *FROM* the root of your drive.
They make these things invisible for a reason, you know.
In Finder:
Cmd-N for new window.
Cmd-3 for column mode.
Cmd-Shift G. Enter (without quotes): "/Volumes" Press Return.
You'll see /Volumes in the left column. That's your source.
Cmd-N for new window.
Cmd-H for Home.
Open your Movies folder. That's your target.
Cmd-Opt-Drag the Volumes icon from the first window to your Movies folder. Make *SURE* that there's a curved arrow alias cursor before you drop. If not, drop it on your menu bar to cancel the drag. If the curved arrow cursor is there, drop it.
That's it.
Now, what this means is that Front Row will search *all* your drives, *all* the time, for new movies. Could take a while. Personally, I think it's a bonkers idea. Much better to make aliases of *specific* folders and drop them in, but, that's just me.
Comments
I've seen several hints on this site lately about using Front Row to watch movies stored in locations other than the ~/Movies folder, but most are limited to adding one additional location to Front Row's menu. Here is a fairly simple trick that allows you to browse to and play any QuickTime-compatible movie located in any folder, including internal, external, and removable disks.
First, use Tinker Tool (or your other tool of choice, or Terminal as in this hint) to view the hidden folders on your computer. Then locate the /Volumes folder (which was previously hidden) in your root folder. Command-option-drag the /Volumes folder into your user's Movies folder. Finally, re-hide your hidden folders.
Launch Front Row and browse to the Movies category. There should be an entry at or near the bottom called Volumes. Select it, and you will see all of your mounted disks, including hard drives, CDs, DVDs, and networked drives.
[robg adds: You don't need to show hidden files to make this hint work. Instead, hit Shift-Command-G (Go to Folder) in the Finder and just enter /Volumes. The Volumes folder will show up, even though it's still marked as invisible.]
That should do it.
I didn't do any of that. I just made an alias of the folder I wanted to access and drug it to the movies folder. (In this case my videos are on an external drive.)
please specify what u mean
please specify what u mean
He did exactly what the instructions say. That command that you use while dragging the folder creates an alias instead of moving the folder to that new location. Can anyone tell me where I need to put that folder? I moved it the first time but I don't know where it belongs.
No, really.
Actually, I have no idea, having never used Front Row with an iPod before, but given that this would be a natural way to use it, and that I haven't ever seen this question before, I can only assume that, like most everything else you'll want to do on your new Mac, It Just Works(tm). First rule of owning a Mac - think of the simplest way to do something, then try it. 99% of the time, it's the right way.
Nevermind, I found it and put an alias in the movies folder. Where do I need to put the volumes folder?
Volumes belongs at the root of your file structure, so click "Macintosh HD" (or whatever you've named your internal boot drive) and you should see other folders such as
/Applications
/Library
/System
/Users
Drag the Volumes folder there.
Do *NOT* drag any Volumes folder *TO* the root of your drive! That will simply break things.
You're wanting to make an alias *OF* the /Volumes folder and then drag that alias *FROM* the root of your drive.
They make these things invisible for a reason, you know.
In Finder:
Cmd-N for new window.
Cmd-3 for column mode.
Cmd-Shift G. Enter (without quotes): "/Volumes" Press Return.
You'll see /Volumes in the left column. That's your source.
Cmd-N for new window.
Cmd-H for Home.
Open your Movies folder. That's your target.
Cmd-Opt-Drag the Volumes icon from the first window to your Movies folder. Make *SURE* that there's a curved arrow alias cursor before you drop. If not, drop it on your menu bar to cancel the drag. If the curved arrow cursor is there, drop it.
That's it.
Now, what this means is that Front Row will search *all* your drives, *all* the time, for new movies. Could take a while. Personally, I think it's a bonkers idea. Much better to make aliases of *specific* folders and drop them in, but, that's just me.
Woah woah WOAH
Do *NOT* drag any Volumes folder *TO* the root of your drive! That will simply break things.
You're wanting to make an alias *OF* the /Volumes folder and then drag that alias *FROM* the root of your drive.
They make these things invisible for a reason, you know.
Hey there! Can you help me? I accidently moved this Volumes folder on the first try and then I made an alias of it. I found the folder and tried to move it back, but I didn't know where to put it. Now, I've lost it again, and I don't know what to do.
Woah woah WOAH
Do *NOT* drag any Volumes folder *TO* the root of your drive! That will simply break things.
You're wanting to make an alias *OF* the /Volumes folder and then drag that alias *FROM* the root of your drive.
They make these things invisible for a reason, you know.
In Finder:
Cmd-N for new window.
Cmd-3 for column mode.
Cmd-Shift G. Enter (without quotes): "/Volumes" Press Return.
You'll see /Volumes in the left column. That's your source.
Cmd-N for new window.
Cmd-H for Home.
Open your Movies folder. That's your target.
Cmd-Opt-Drag the Volumes icon from the first window to your Movies folder. Make *SURE* that there's a curved arrow alias cursor before you drop. If not, drop it on your menu bar to cancel the drag. If the curved arrow cursor is there, drop it.
That's it.
Now, what this means is that Front Row will search *all* your drives, *all* the time, for new movies. Could take a while. Personally, I think it's a bonkers idea. Much better to make aliases of *specific* folders and drop them in, but, that's just me.
how do you make alias's
Woah woah WOAH
Do *NOT* drag any Volumes folder *TO* the root of your drive! That will simply break things.
He already broke things! I was telling him how to put it back where it belongs.
how do you make alias's
Cmd+Opt+drag. That makes an alias.
He already broke things! I was telling him how to put it back where it belongs.
Oh dear lord.
Reboot. Just reboot. That should recreate the /Volumes directory from scratch.
Again, this is why some things are made invisible.
Oh dear lord.
Reboot. Just reboot. That should recreate the /Volumes directory from scratch.
Again, this is why some things are made invisible.
Oh, so my problem is already fixed? I've rebooted twice since I lost the folder.