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Tiger feature? (old-style Apple menu)


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Tiger feature? (old-style Apple menu)
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jsk173
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Join Date: Apr 2005
 
2005-04-04, 18:48

I have been a Mac user for 20 years and love Mac OS X, but I absolutely HATE that I have to open a folder every time I want to open a file. Anyone know if Tiger brings back the ability to open files via the Apple menu or a menu extra? I can't believe something so simple has been missing for almost 3 years now. Thanks.
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Xaqtly
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Join Date: May 2004
 
2005-04-04, 18:50

Not sure I understand what you mean. You can put files in the Dock and open them from there without opening any folders first.
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Jim S.
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Join Date: Jul 2004
 
2005-04-04, 18:55

I use Fruitmenu from Unsanity to access frequently used files.

http://www.unsanity.com/haxies/fruitmenu
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julesstoop
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Join Date: Oct 2004
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2005-04-04, 19:03

Just drag any folder from the finder into the right side (next to - just left of - Trash) of your dock. It will leave a proxy (an icon which looks like and inherits certain properties from the original) Control-click (if you have a single-button mouse) or right click the proxy you've just created. You'll be presented with a menu - much like the Apple-menu in Mac OS 9 - to navigate the folder you've just put there.
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Brad
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Join Date: May 2004
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2005-04-04, 19:20

Quote:
Originally Posted by jsk173
Anyone know if Tiger brings back the ability to open files via the Apple menu or a menu extra?
Thankfully, no.
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jsk173
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Join Date: Apr 2005
 
2005-04-05, 01:13

Thanks for the responses. I'll try the Dock option described above but I prefer the old Apple Menu option where you could navigate strictly by trackpad/mouse (vs. control-clicking a Dock icon).

I don't understand the "Thankfully, no" comment above. How would an Apple Menu-type option be obtrusive to people who didn't want it? It would not be much different from the current "Recent Items" menu.
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Luca
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Join Date: May 2004
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2005-04-05, 01:18

To reiterate Jim S.:

FruitMenu

If you want the functionality, it's available to you.
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johnq
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Join Date: May 2004
 
2005-04-05, 02:05

I gave my main hard drive an Apple logo for its icon and put it in the Dock.

Click and hold and navigate anywhere you want. (Although control-clicking overrides the slight intentional delay if you are really impatient)

I also dragged the Desktop, Documents and my Safari's downloads folder (folder with custom icon) there.

"Peace cannot be kept by force. It can only be achieved by understanding." - Albert Einstein
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Gizzer
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Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Hampshire (the original one)
 
2005-04-05, 05:44

On top of all of these suggestions there is the fact that once we all get used to Tiger, then Spotlight may do away with ever having to remember shortcuts/paths to filenames anyway.

I think Spotlight's ulitmate purpose would be to use it's functionality to open files and just use Finder for organising them, a kind of "File and Forget" way of thinking: Just put a file, (say an image) in the Images folder then forget about it and just access it from that point on from Spotlight.
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chucker
 
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2005-04-05, 06:40

Quote:
Originally Posted by jsk173
I don't understand the "Thankfully, no" comment above. How would an Apple Menu-type option be obtrusive to people who didn't want it?
Because Usability works on a "less is more" principle (which is part of iPod's success: it has as little as three connectors and five buttons plus a wheel, rather than an array of buttons, slots and whatnot).
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ast3r3x
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2005-04-05, 06:47

Since when was the apple menu ever clean in OS 9? If people used it, it was cluttered and hard to find things.

OS X not only has a good organization method, but the dock is all you ever need for short cuts...and if you get a mouse that has a right click, you won't need to control click, and then you can browse folders just like the apple menu.
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intlplby
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Join Date: Dec 2004
 
2005-04-05, 07:08

DropDrawers X is a great way to organize things and can be used as a replacement to the dock altogether.
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Henriok
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2005-04-05, 07:55

Quote:
Originally Posted by Brad
Thankfully, no.
I agree in your oppinion but what you say is somewhat wrong The Apple menu do list the most recently opened documents and applications. And i Tiger we'll see the most recently acessed server volumes too.
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Hobbes
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2005-04-06, 12:24

Good lord, jsk173, haven't you heard of Spotlight? It makes a far better launcher than the Apple menu.
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johnq
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2005-04-06, 12:39

Gee, maybe he hasn't pirated Tiger yet... Give him a break, not everyone is using it.

Quote:
I have been a Mac user for 20 years and love Mac OS X, but I absolutely HATE that I have to open a folder every time I want to open a file.
That's just silly. The right side of the Dock is specifically for files and folders, either permanent things you routinely use, or temporary things you want access to.

And with the Sidebar in the Finder, and the Finder toolbar I think you have ample ways of opening files/applications with minimal clicks.

Quote:
Anyone know if Tiger brings back the ability to open files via the Apple menu or a menu extra?
It won't. The Mac is more than any particular implementation. Mac OS 9 is dead. Mac OS X's features are different but no less well thought out. Unlearn your muscle-memory and it will go smoothly, especially in Tiger.

Quote:
I can't believe something so simple has been missing for almost 3 years now.
It hasn't, we've been using myriad methods for matching or exceeding such functionality, via built-in ways or 3rd party ways.

For 3rd party methods, personally, I like LaunchBar, although I have it stripped down now to just open applications. But I could easily add files to the list.

"Peace cannot be kept by force. It can only be achieved by understanding." - Albert Einstein
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FlAsH
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Join Date: Jan 2005
 
2005-04-06, 12:53

I just keep my applications folder in the dock, this way I can either click it to open the folder or control+click it to get a popup menu of all the applications in the folder.
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BuonRotto
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2005-04-06, 12:56

Just to be clear, there's nothing like what you originally mentioned as part of Tiger.
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ast3r3x
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2005-04-06, 14:16

Quote:
Originally Posted by johnq
Gee, maybe he hasn't pirated Tiger yet... Give him a break, not everyone is using it.
If only there was a way to figure out what this spotlight thing was without pirating tiger. Must not be possible I have no idea.
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dfiler
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2005-04-06, 14:23

Perhaps a two button mouse would provide the solution you seek.

Simply put your applications folder in the dock and right click on it to get functionality exactly like the old apple menu. Some people find right-click to be preferable to control-click or click-and-hold. These are equivalent actions when clicking on the dock.
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Hobbes
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2005-04-06, 14:32

Quote:
Originally Posted by ast3r3x
If only there was a way to figure out what this spotlight thing was without pirating tiger. Must not be possible I have no idea.


Though, to be fair, it may not be immediately apparent from Apple's site just how useful Spotlight is -- how it can be used for quickly launching apps (invokable via command-space), as well as searching for documents. It's very, very useful.
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micmoo
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Join Date: Jul 2004
 
2005-04-06, 14:44

Hobbes, this was a big question i had regarding Spotlight... Will it in fact replace LaunchBar or quicksilver? In my opinion, when you get used to using LaunchBar to not only open files and apps, but to actually navigate every folder on the machine with a few keystrokes, its becoming a replcement for the Finder, at least in my workflow. My concern about spotlight is the demos i've seen has people needing to use the mouse to click on the search area, then type in the criteria. Can spotlight search be trigered with the blessed command-space??? if so, I'm looking forward to it even more. One last question for the group... Will apps like launchbar still have a place under Tiger? (this is the finest app I have ever used btw, and it costs about $20!) =)
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Hobbes
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2005-04-06, 14:53

Yup, Apple saw the light -- command-space will send you straight to the Spotlight search field. Option-command-space opens up an extended Spotlight window. You can remap these commands as well if you wish.

I'm more familiar with QS than LB, but I think the QS UI is still better than Apple's UI for Spotlight -- QS is a bit smarter, w/r/t being better able to guess what you want from your launch history, and can do it in fewer keystrokes. Not to mention that it is incredibly extendable. (Of course QS/LB will adopt Spotlight technology faster than you can blink -- the next version of QS is already expected to be Tiger-only.)

So yeah, I still see a place for apps like QS or LB on Tiger.

But for the majority of users who've never used LB/QS (and perhaps for even some that have), Apple's UI for Spotlight IMO is definitely good enough -- it's a great introduction to this very efficient model of launching and, increasingly, even navigating.

Last edited by Hobbes : 2005-04-06 at 15:15.
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Henriok
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2005-04-06, 15:12

Quote:
Originally Posted by micmoo
Hobbes, this was a big question i had regarding Spotlight... Will it in fact replace LaunchBar or quicksilver?
No, it wont. But spotlight is much much more than a Find tool/launcher, its the engine behind Smart folders and such..
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dviant
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Join Date: May 2004
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2005-04-06, 15:31

It's funny how I used to meticulously arrange my Apple Menu Items shortcuts by category and strive to keep all my aliases in there up-to-date.

Now I just plunk my Applications folder and a few frequently used ones into the dock as needed. Easy to add easy to remove. Just as functional! I don't miss the Apple Menu Items at all.

Also on a side note, why in the world doesn't Apple implement the mind-bogglingly simple click-n-hold == ctrl-click EVERYWHERE in the OS besides just the dock?

Shhhh, I can't see!
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Hobbes
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2005-04-06, 15:53

Quote:
Originally Posted by dviant
Also on a side note, why in the world doesn't Apple implement the mind-bogglingly simple click-n-hold == ctrl-click EVERYWHERE in the OS besides just the dock?
I've been caught by that too many times -- trying to hold-click on a link in Safari.

It's a very good idea, although they'd have to figure out then how to drag and drop text and images from a Cocoa app. which requires click-and-hold for a second.
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julesstoop
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2005-04-06, 15:55

That's obviously your answer. You would end up with too many functions for one single mouse button. Perhaps they should add a second one?
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Hobbes
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2005-04-06, 16:03

Perhaps.
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johnq
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2005-04-06, 16:09

Quote:
Originally Posted by ast3r3x
If only there was a way to figure out what this spotlight thing was without pirating tiger. Must not be possible I have no idea.
True, but I think it was Hobbes' "It makes a far better launcher than the Apple menu." line that threw me...

I felt like everyone was using Tiger already except jsk173 and me.

It may well be the case!

"Peace cannot be kept by force. It can only be achieved by understanding." - Albert Einstein
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Hobbes
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2005-04-06, 16:52

That was perhaps phrased a wee bit snarkily, but it is true. I had the opportunity to play around with a recent seed of Tiger for some time several weeks ago. Otherwise I'm greedily awaiting it as much as anyone here.
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jsk173
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Join Date: Apr 2005
 
2005-04-06, 18:30

Thanks for the discussion. I am not, as someone guessed above, using Tiger; all I've seen of it are the previews at apple.com and some leaked info. at Think Secret. I am all for progress and it sounds like Spotlight will be great. I liked the relative ease of use of the Apple Menu and prefer to keep my Dock limited and my system as free as possible of 3rd party apps/extensions. (No question Mac OS X is outstanding; I was able to get rid of about 10 non-Apple apps/extensions.)
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