File Management and OSX

Hardware and technical stuff
1

I’ve tried a couple of times to switch from Windows to OSX but I always come back to Windows because of its file management system. I use a lot of data files and for just about everything, File Explorer seems superior. I’ve tried to add File Explorer-like apps to OSX, but they always exist on top of the OSX file management system. Even renaming files is more of a pain in OSX because the size of the space that shows the file name (as opposed to the space allowed for File Explorer). Also, if there is ever an error in moving a file, there is incomplete file residue that OSX leaves on the hard drive that Windows does not.

Am I missing something key about OSX and how it manages files? I have a significant Apple machine investment that I may just sell off if my impressions are correct.

2

No you are right, the OS X Finder sucks, a far cry from the masterpiece that shared the same name during the “classic” era. In my experience, it has always required you to use the command line or launch an extra manager occasionally to do stuff more easily than through its interface, which tells something is wrong.
That being said, it is much better now that it was at the initial release. Maybe give it another 15 years!

3

UNIX-style file systems irritate me, despite having taken a Linux class and using Linux occasionally.

4

OSX has its quirks but the file system has never really bothered me. It has a tabbed interface, which I like a lot, whereas Windows needs a third party app to use tabs.

I don’t understand what you mean by the filename space when renaming. OSX prompts you to rename when you select a file and press enter (on Windows this launches the file), so it’s not necessary to click on the filename itself. It also selects only the filename, excluding the extension, which I like.

Moving multiple files can be counterintuitive to Windows users, since you use cmd-c (same as copy) followed by a modified paste (I believe it’s opt-cmd-v, but I’m not sure).

And either I don’t get many move errors, or I’ve never noticed the residual files you mentioned.

5

I am usually using an attached external NFTS drive (because it has to talk to Windows as well) if there is some sort of download or move error, the partial file remains on the drive unless I physically delete it. By file name space, I literally mean the box space where you name the file. File Explorer’s is much longer, so if the file has a long name, it is easier (for me) to edit, change , etc.

I will look into the cmd-c stuff as I didn’t know that.

6

Are you viewing files as icons in Finder? The other two display modes (tree and multi pane) have adjustable filename space, just drag the divider like you would in Excel.

I rarely use icons in either Windows or Finder, but it looks like the filename space is controlled by the icon size slider in the bottom right. With sufficiently big icons, I got a 60 character folder name to display in full.

EDIT:
It’s true that the filename space never seems to be wider then the icon itself, and I guess that can have disadvantages. But at least it means the filename won’t overlap with that of an adjacent icon.

Also, I don’t think you can fault OSX for doing weird things when moving NTFS files. Technically it doesn’t support write operations to NTFS drives at all. It’s a proprietary standard after all.

7

No, it’s a pile of garbage. WHY DOESN’T THE DELETE KEY DELETE THINGS? GAH.

I use it every day and I hate it. Hate.

8

Cmd-del to delete. I just used it to delete a test folder with a 60 character name…

9

Typical, two keys where just one will do the job.

10

Yes, but at least it’s much less likely that you (or your cat) will delete a bunch of your files.

11

I find Hazel helps for me, on my Mac.

12

Oh, thanks. I didn’t even realize this was possible.

13

On recent Windowses, you are given extra space as needed to edit the file name, even when the column in File Explorer is not wide enough.

14

I will have to check this out. The view I usually use is the one that displays file name and details about the file, but I haven’t noticed a way to adjust the file name space.

It’s interesting that you mention that it may be a Paragon/NFTS problem with the external drives. I’ve never used an Apple formatted external drive so maybe that will ease my pain.

Trying to make the decision to get a powerful Xeon Thinkstation or invest in the iMac Pro or the new updated Mac Pro for number crunching. Really like Apple hardware and its lack of real issues, but the operating system is holding me back.

15

OS X’s Peek is very useful.

They fixed OS X’s “merge/replace” problem right?

Where merging or moving a folder structure with fewer files onto an existing set of files would delete/replace them and not merge them.

16

There are ways to augment or replace the Finder, if you don’t like it.

Pathfinder

or

Personally, I use and love Yoink.

There are other Finder augmentation/replacement/improvement utilities out there.

17

You can merge folders by holding the option key when you drag-move them. I gotta admit that the default behavior in OSX is insanely stupid.

18

I’ve tried some, but they all seem to manage files slower than the built in file system. Or it seems that they do. I’ve used Pathfinder so maybe I will just keep trying all of them.

19

Yeah, my experience with the Paragon NTFS drivers was that they worked great, except when they didn’t.

Apple formatting (HFS) would likely work better, but then you might have similar problems when transferring those files on Windows machines, which do not read HFS natively.

If you can put up with the limitations, use FAT-32 for external drives since Windows and OSX (and Linux) can handle it natively.