Comments on: Customizing the Finder sidebar in OS X http://osxhelp.com/customizing-the-finder-sidebar-in-os-x/ Insanely Simple Tutorials for the First Time Macintosh User Tue, 09 Mar 2010 07:51:16 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Andrew http://osxhelp.com/customizing-the-finder-sidebar-in-os-x/comment-page-1/#comment-6944 Andrew Mon, 08 Feb 2010 23:00:08 +0000 http://osxhelp.com/customizing-the-finder-sidebar-in-os-x/#comment-6944 To show or hide both the sidebar and the toolbar, click the oval button in the upper-right corner of the window. To show or hide both the sidebar and the toolbar, click the oval button in the upper-right corner of the window.

]]> By: Bob http://osxhelp.com/customizing-the-finder-sidebar-in-os-x/comment-page-1/#comment-6665 Bob Fri, 18 Sep 2009 18:54:55 +0000 http://osxhelp.com/customizing-the-finder-sidebar-in-os-x/#comment-6665 Thanks very much for your help. I found a site that has a tiny 10 line C program that does create links for folders and tried it out and it works fine. The same site listed all the limitations/restrictions of when you can and cannot or should not create these links to folders/directories. If people are curious about this check out the site by Amit Singh (author of "Mac OS X Internals" at http://www.osxbook.com/blog/2008/11/09/hfsdebug-40-and-new-hfs-features/ - the pertinent discussion is in the section titled "Directory Hard Links" Thanks again for all your help. Thanks very much for your help. I found a site that has a tiny 10 line C program that does create links for folders and tried it out and it works fine. The same site listed all the limitations/restrictions of when you can and cannot or should not create these links to folders/directories. If people are curious about this check out the site by Amit Singh (author of “Mac OS X Internals” at http://www.osxbook.com/blog/2008/11/09/hfsdebug-40-and-new-hfs-features/ – the pertinent discussion is in the section titled “Directory Hard Links”

Thanks again for all your help.

]]> By: Scott Haneda http://osxhelp.com/customizing-the-finder-sidebar-in-os-x/comment-page-1/#comment-6662 Scott Haneda Tue, 15 Sep 2009 23:35:57 +0000 http://osxhelp.com/customizing-the-finder-sidebar-in-os-x/#comment-6662 New users, please do not read this comment... Advanced suggestions below... @Bob, yes, ln -s (symbolic link) is going to do the same, in OS X territory, they are nearly identical to a alias, sans a resource fork or two I suppose. Look into hard links, read up on them closely, as they are an entirely new ball of wax, one that is treated different on OS X, allowing hard links to point to directories, which is not allowed on most OS's. This is done for the core concept of how Time Machine works to allow you semi rotational backups. Time Machine fails a little as 1 byte in a 100MB file still means moving 100MB - 1byte of data, but the theory is still the same. A hard link should be seen as a totally independent file, solving your trouble, but be careful, learn what the columns in `ls` mean, so you know how many links there are to a source file. This is well beyond the scope of this site :) Just do your research, and you should be fine. New users, please do not read this comment… Advanced suggestions below…

@Bob, yes, ln -s (symbolic link) is going to do the same, in OS X territory, they are nearly identical to a alias, sans a resource fork or two I suppose.

Look into hard links, read up on them closely, as they are an entirely new ball of wax, one that is treated different on OS X, allowing hard links to point to directories, which is not allowed on most OS’s. This is done for the core concept of how Time Machine works to allow you semi rotational backups.

Time Machine fails a little as 1 byte in a 100MB file still means moving 100MB – 1byte of data, but the theory is still the same.

A hard link should be seen as a totally independent file, solving your trouble, but be careful, learn what the columns in `ls` mean, so you know how many links there are to a source file.

This is well beyond the scope of this site :) Just do your research, and you should be fine.

]]> By: Bob http://osxhelp.com/customizing-the-finder-sidebar-in-os-x/comment-page-1/#comment-6661 Bob Tue, 15 Sep 2009 22:31:19 +0000 http://osxhelp.com/customizing-the-finder-sidebar-in-os-x/#comment-6661 I see what you mean - I tried another folder and created an alias to it and tried dragging it into the sidebar and the same thing happens. So there is nothing special about the Documents folder (although it does get it's own special icon when in the sidebar). I tried a "symbolic link" and it does the same obnoxious thing, ie the name in the list of places is the name of the thing pointed to by the symbolic link, not the symbolic link name. What are the ways to work around this - I don't have a problem using the Terminal. If it's too complicated to explain, can you point me to a URL that discusses the issue? Thanks very much for your help! I see what you mean – I tried another folder and created an alias to it and tried dragging it into the sidebar and the same thing happens. So there is nothing special about the Documents folder (although it does get it’s own special icon when in the sidebar). I tried a “symbolic link” and it does the same obnoxious thing, ie the name in the list of places is the name of the thing pointed to by the symbolic link, not the symbolic link name.

What are the ways to work around this – I don’t have a problem using the Terminal. If it’s too complicated to explain, can you point me to a URL that discusses the issue?

Thanks very much for your help!

]]> By: Scott Haneda http://osxhelp.com/customizing-the-finder-sidebar-in-os-x/comment-page-1/#comment-6660 Scott Haneda Tue, 15 Sep 2009 19:13:27 +0000 http://osxhelp.com/customizing-the-finder-sidebar-in-os-x/#comment-6660 @Bob, this is a bit of a long story. Aliases are special in that no matter where you move them, they still connect back to the original. In a very simplistic explanation, the name you give an alias is purely cosmetic and only for your identification purposes. An even worse explanation, but to illustrate a point... Say a file/folder sits on disc at position 48, and an alias points to the file/folder at position 48. If you rename the alias, it will still point to the file at position 48. Assume position 48 is your Downloads folder. When you put the alias in your sidebar, it is resolved back to position 48, which then uncovers the real file/folder name. At that point, the sidebar choses to use the destination file/folder name, and not that of the alias. There may be a few ways to work around this that are a tad complicated and would need jumping into the terminal. To answer your question, it is not the Downloads folder specifically, it is that the sidebar will resolve any alias back to the source, and use that name. From what I understand, while confusing, this is expected behavior. @Bob, this is a bit of a long story. Aliases are special in that no matter where you move them, they still connect back to the original. In a very simplistic explanation, the name you give an alias is purely cosmetic and only for your identification purposes.

An even worse explanation, but to illustrate a point… Say a file/folder sits on disc at position 48, and an alias points to the file/folder at position 48. If you rename the alias, it will still point to the file at position 48.

Assume position 48 is your Downloads folder. When you put the alias in your sidebar, it is resolved back to position 48, which then uncovers the real file/folder name.

At that point, the sidebar choses to use the destination file/folder name, and not that of the alias.

There may be a few ways to work around this that are a tad complicated and would need jumping into the terminal.

To answer your question, it is not the Downloads folder specifically, it is that the sidebar will resolve any alias back to the source, and use that name.

From what I understand, while confusing, this is expected behavior.

]]> By: Bob http://osxhelp.com/customizing-the-finder-sidebar-in-os-x/comment-page-1/#comment-6659 Bob Tue, 15 Sep 2009 15:19:13 +0000 http://osxhelp.com/customizing-the-finder-sidebar-in-os-x/#comment-6659 Hi, Am having a funny issue with creating an alias to the Downloads folder in my home directory. If I try to drag the alias to the list of items in "Places" it changes it back to Downloads in the list of places and ignores the alias name I had given it. The reason I wanted to do this was to create several similar names in the list of Places for the Downloads folders of several different computers. What is so special about the name "Downloads" and why do aliases to it get treated so weirdly? Thanks... -Bob Hi, Am having a funny issue with creating an alias to the Downloads folder in my home directory. If I try to drag the alias to the list of items in “Places” it changes it back to Downloads in the list of places and ignores the alias name I had given it.

The reason I wanted to do this was to create several similar names in the list of Places for the Downloads folders of several different computers.

What is so special about the name “Downloads” and why do aliases to it get treated so weirdly?

Thanks…

-Bob

]]> By: Scott Haneda http://osxhelp.com/customizing-the-finder-sidebar-in-os-x/comment-page-1/#comment-6458 Scott Haneda Sun, 14 Jun 2009 22:49:32 +0000 http://osxhelp.com/customizing-the-finder-sidebar-in-os-x/#comment-6458 @Erick, please see commend http://osxhelp.com/customizing-the-finder-sidebar-in-os-x/#comment-6270 above @Erick, please see commend http://osxhelp.com/customizing-the-finder-sidebar-in-os-x/#comment-6270 above

]]> By: Erick http://osxhelp.com/customizing-the-finder-sidebar-in-os-x/comment-page-1/#comment-6457 Erick Sun, 14 Jun 2009 17:58:24 +0000 http://osxhelp.com/customizing-the-finder-sidebar-in-os-x/#comment-6457 I don't have any sidebar at all...any idea? I updated the software today (10.5.7 leopard) and now finder has no sidebar. Any suggestions? I don’t have any sidebar at all…any idea? I updated the software today (10.5.7 leopard) and now finder has no sidebar. Any suggestions?

]]> By: Scott Haneda http://osxhelp.com/customizing-the-finder-sidebar-in-os-x/comment-page-1/#comment-6375 Scott Haneda Mon, 16 Feb 2009 02:34:38 +0000 http://osxhelp.com/customizing-the-finder-sidebar-in-os-x/#comment-6375 @diana, looks to me as though this is just how it is in 10.5. I can not get any share point to go into the sidebar. I would just drop some sub item of the share in there. @diana, looks to me as though this is just how it is in 10.5. I can not get any share point to go into the sidebar. I would just drop some sub item of the share in there.

]]> By: diana http://osxhelp.com/customizing-the-finder-sidebar-in-os-x/comment-page-1/#comment-6374 diana Sat, 14 Feb 2009 21:58:32 +0000 http://osxhelp.com/customizing-the-finder-sidebar-in-os-x/#comment-6374 I can do that with sub-folders. The folder I am looking at has three stickman icon on it and the kind is 'sharpoint' On the server, it is a standard folder. This folder (and a few others) in OS X 10.4, was on the sidebar as a shortcut. I can do that with sub-folders.
The folder I am looking at has three stickman icon on it and the kind is ’sharpoint’ On the server, it is a standard folder. This folder (and a few others) in OS X 10.4, was on the sidebar as a shortcut.

]]> By: Scott Haneda http://osxhelp.com/customizing-the-finder-sidebar-in-os-x/comment-page-1/#comment-6373 Scott Haneda Sat, 14 Feb 2009 21:49:34 +0000 http://osxhelp.com/customizing-the-finder-sidebar-in-os-x/#comment-6373 @chris @gary @diana I am not sure I see the problem. I Just mounted a remote share volume on my desktop, I poked into it, dragged a folder from it to my sidebar, and was able to use the sidebar to access the remote volume. I then unmonted the remote volume, clicked on the folder I made in the sidebar, and it mounted up the volume, taking me right to the contents of the remote share. This also survived a reboot as well. Can you explain in more detail just what it is that is not working for you, and what it is that the specific problem is? I think maybe you are losing the icon in your sidebar, when the remote share goes away. If that is the case, I can not replicate it. I could suggest you mount the remote share, go into your accounts area of system preferences, and add the remote share as a login item. This will mount the remote share every time you login. With it mounted, it will always be there, and your sidebar links should always work. You could also try using the actual folder to drag into your sidebar, and not an alias of a folder, perhaps that is the issue. @chris @gary @diana I am not sure I see the problem. I Just mounted a remote share volume on my desktop, I poked into it, dragged a folder from it to my sidebar, and was able to use the sidebar to access the remote volume.

I then unmonted the remote volume, clicked on the folder I made in the sidebar, and it mounted up the volume, taking me right to the contents of the remote share.

This also survived a reboot as well.

Can you explain in more detail just what it is that is not working for you, and what it is that the specific problem is?

I think maybe you are losing the icon in your sidebar, when the remote share goes away. If that is the case, I can not replicate it. I could suggest you mount the remote share, go into your accounts area of system preferences, and add the remote share as a login item. This will mount the remote share every time you login. With it mounted, it will always be there, and your sidebar links should always work.

You could also try using the actual folder to drag into your sidebar, and not an alias of a folder, perhaps that is the issue.

]]> By: diana http://osxhelp.com/customizing-the-finder-sidebar-in-os-x/comment-page-1/#comment-6372 diana Sat, 14 Feb 2009 02:18:28 +0000 http://osxhelp.com/customizing-the-finder-sidebar-in-os-x/#comment-6372 any answers for Chris and Gary above, I have the same network problem. Comment by chris 08.21.08 @ 3:37 Comment by Gary 08.24.08 @ 9:22 am any answers for Chris and Gary above, I have the same network problem.

Comment by chris 08.21.08 @ 3:37
Comment by Gary 08.24.08 @ 9:22 am

]]> By: George http://osxhelp.com/customizing-the-finder-sidebar-in-os-x/comment-page-1/#comment-6314 George Thu, 27 Nov 2008 21:53:17 +0000 http://osxhelp.com/customizing-the-finder-sidebar-in-os-x/#comment-6314 Never mind, I see the answer in the comments. Never mind, I see the answer in the comments.

]]> By: George http://osxhelp.com/customizing-the-finder-sidebar-in-os-x/comment-page-1/#comment-6313 George Thu, 27 Nov 2008 21:51:16 +0000 http://osxhelp.com/customizing-the-finder-sidebar-in-os-x/#comment-6313 How are you completely removing the finder's sidebar? I drag it to the left (as you described) but it does not completely disappear. It stops about an inch from the edge. Mac OS X 10.5.5 How are you completely removing the finder’s sidebar? I drag it to the left (as you described) but it does not completely disappear. It stops about an inch from the edge.

Mac OS X 10.5.5

]]> By: Scott Haneda http://osxhelp.com/customizing-the-finder-sidebar-in-os-x/comment-page-1/#comment-6311 Scott Haneda Mon, 24 Nov 2008 21:57:36 +0000 http://osxhelp.com/customizing-the-finder-sidebar-in-os-x/#comment-6311 @Vogel, correct, that does not work under 10.5, and we did not catch the error in the post. We need to update that, sorry. I believe there are comments in this post that do discuss it. We will update the post, but I am not aware of a away to remove the sidebar, aside from clicking the "chicklet" in the upper right of a window. However, that removes all window functions, including the header search bar and such. @Vogel, correct, that does not work under 10.5, and we did not catch the error in the post. We need to update that, sorry. I believe there are comments in this post that do discuss it.

We will update the post, but I am not aware of a away to remove the sidebar, aside from clicking the “chicklet” in the upper right of a window. However, that removes all window functions, including the header search bar and such.

]]> By: Ronald Vogel http://osxhelp.com/customizing-the-finder-sidebar-in-os-x/comment-page-1/#comment-6310 Ronald Vogel Mon, 24 Nov 2008 12:43:55 +0000 http://osxhelp.com/customizing-the-finder-sidebar-in-os-x/#comment-6310 >>Click, hold, and drag, and not only can you resize the width; but you can also shrink it to the far left. This will completely remove the sidebar from that particular window. This does not work under 10.5 anymore, right? :-(( Any ideas how to get rid of the sidebar if you are not a fan of it? Ronald >>Click, hold, and drag, and not only can you resize the width; but you can also shrink it to the far left. This will completely remove the sidebar from that particular window.

This does not work under 10.5 anymore, right? :-( (
Any ideas how to get rid of the sidebar if you are not a fan of it?

Ronald

]]> By: Scott Haneda http://osxhelp.com/customizing-the-finder-sidebar-in-os-x/comment-page-1/#comment-6270 Scott Haneda Mon, 13 Oct 2008 01:13:17 +0000 http://osxhelp.com/customizing-the-finder-sidebar-in-os-x/#comment-6270 @Chrysan, there is a small "chicklet" in the upper right of the Finder windows, click that, and it should toggle it from basic display, to one with a sidebar and top bar. @Chrysan, there is a small “chicklet” in the upper right of the Finder windows, click that, and it should toggle it from basic display, to one with a sidebar and top bar.

]]> By: Chrysan http://osxhelp.com/customizing-the-finder-sidebar-in-os-x/comment-page-1/#comment-6269 Chrysan Mon, 13 Oct 2008 01:06:18 +0000 http://osxhelp.com/customizing-the-finder-sidebar-in-os-x/#comment-6269 My Finder windows no longer has a sidebar at all when I set it to open on "Documents." In fact, they look like ordinary windows, without the view button set in the frame. I prefer column mode, but I'm missing my sidebar in any format unless I set the Finder preferences to open in my home directory, which isn't the way I want it, or had it up until today. What I get instead (in column mode) is a first column with the drives on my system with the main one selected, then a column where Users is selected (and not the the other items in the selected drive), then one where my home directory is selected, the next one has Documents selected, and finally, the contents. In icon mode it shows the documents directory, but still no sidebar. I wish I could send you a screen shot. What is going on, and how can I get my sidebar back and keep it back? My Finder windows no longer has a sidebar at all when I set it to open on “Documents.” In fact, they look like ordinary windows, without the view button set in the frame. I prefer column mode, but I’m missing my sidebar in any format unless I set the Finder preferences to open in my home directory, which isn’t the way I want it, or had it up until today.

What I get instead (in column mode) is a first column with the drives on my system with the main one selected, then a column where Users is selected (and not the the other items in the selected drive), then one where my home directory is selected, the next one has Documents selected, and finally, the contents. In icon mode it shows the documents directory, but still no sidebar. I wish I could send you a screen shot. What is going on, and how can I get my sidebar back and keep it back?

]]> By: Alex http://osxhelp.com/customizing-the-finder-sidebar-in-os-x/comment-page-1/#comment-6259 Alex Tue, 23 Sep 2008 01:36:12 +0000 http://osxhelp.com/customizing-the-finder-sidebar-in-os-x/#comment-6259 It's working now...didn't have to do anything which is weird, I must have a finger problem. Anyway thanks and good job with the website folks. Mac rules! It’s working now…didn’t have to do anything which is weird, I must have a finger problem. Anyway thanks and good job with the website folks. Mac rules!

]]> By: Scott Haneda http://osxhelp.com/customizing-the-finder-sidebar-in-os-x/comment-page-1/#comment-6258 Scott Haneda Tue, 23 Sep 2008 00:23:04 +0000 http://osxhelp.com/customizing-the-finder-sidebar-in-os-x/#comment-6258 @Alex, does the USB drive show up on your desktop, if so, just drag that back into the sidebar. You can also look in your Finder Preferences, in the sidebar preferences, and make sure that "External Discs" is checked. @Alex, does the USB drive show up on your desktop, if so, just drag that back into the sidebar. You can also look in your Finder Preferences, in the sidebar preferences, and make sure that “External Discs” is checked.

]]> By: Alex http://osxhelp.com/customizing-the-finder-sidebar-in-os-x/comment-page-1/#comment-6257 Alex Mon, 22 Sep 2008 22:42:10 +0000 http://osxhelp.com/customizing-the-finder-sidebar-in-os-x/#comment-6257 Question for everyone. I accidently removed my USB removable disk by draging it away from the Finder sidebar. My problem that I have right now is every time I want to open my USB key I of course plug it in and then normally after a couple of seconds it should normally appear in the Finder sidebar as an external image disk. My problem is it's that it doesn't appear anymore and I would like to reverse that. The only way I can go in it and access my data is by pressing Command+O (to open). Any suggestion!!!? Thanks a lot. Question for everyone. I accidently removed my USB removable disk by draging it away from the Finder sidebar. My problem that I have right now is every time I want to open my USB key I of course plug it in and then normally after a couple of seconds it should normally appear in the Finder sidebar as an external image disk. My problem is it’s that it doesn’t appear anymore and I would like to reverse that. The only way I can go in it and access my data is by pressing Command+O (to open). Any suggestion!!!? Thanks a lot.

]]> By: Gary http://osxhelp.com/customizing-the-finder-sidebar-in-os-x/comment-page-1/#comment-6234 Gary Sun, 24 Aug 2008 16:22:56 +0000 http://osxhelp.com/customizing-the-finder-sidebar-in-os-x/#comment-6234 Tiger allowed me to maintain a specific server directory in the sidebar — even after restarting the Mac it would appear. Now, with Leopard, if I want that server directory to show, I have to put it there EVERY time I start the Mac. Having only the top level of a server appear under "SHARED" it not useful. Who on earth uses the top level of a server? Isn't there a way to make that directory ALWAYS appear like it did with Tiger? Tiger allowed me to maintain a specific server directory in the sidebar — even after restarting the Mac it would appear. Now, with Leopard, if I want that server directory to show, I have to put it there EVERY time I start the Mac. Having only the top level of a server appear under “SHARED” it not useful. Who on earth uses the top level of a server? Isn’t there a way to make that directory ALWAYS appear like it did with Tiger?

]]> By: chris http://osxhelp.com/customizing-the-finder-sidebar-in-os-x/comment-page-1/#comment-6233 chris Thu, 21 Aug 2008 10:37:50 +0000 http://osxhelp.com/customizing-the-finder-sidebar-in-os-x/#comment-6233 I have some folders on a network disc, and have Alias's on my desktop for these folders, I have also put them into my sidebar, works fine, >>> BUT I have also done the same with network discs, I have an alias and put in my sidebar but when I restart it disapears. I've done this as I have so many different network discs and also individual folders, it's quicker to navigate with just Alias's and the option to show "Connected Servers" on the desktop disabled. It did work for a while, but now it doesn't. I have some folders on a network disc, and have Alias’s on my desktop for these folders, I have also put them into my sidebar, works fine,

>>> BUT I have also done the same with network discs, I have an alias and put in my sidebar but when I restart it disapears.

I’ve done this as I have so many different network discs and also individual folders, it’s quicker to navigate with just Alias’s and the option to show “Connected Servers” on the desktop disabled. It did work for a while, but now it doesn’t.

]]> By: Scott Haneda http://osxhelp.com/customizing-the-finder-sidebar-in-os-x/comment-page-1/#comment-6207 Scott Haneda Wed, 30 Jul 2008 01:49:20 +0000 http://osxhelp.com/customizing-the-finder-sidebar-in-os-x/#comment-6207 @Nirav, have you tried to drag them out and release them? They should "poof" away like in the video we put up in this post. @Nirav, have you tried to drag them out and release them? They should “poof” away like in the video we put up in this post.

]]> By: Nirav http://osxhelp.com/customizing-the-finder-sidebar-in-os-x/comment-page-1/#comment-6206 Nirav Wed, 30 Jul 2008 01:48:04 +0000 http://osxhelp.com/customizing-the-finder-sidebar-in-os-x/#comment-6206 I have a bunch of items in my Sidebar that I cannot get rid of - they were on the desktop and accidentally added to the sidebar. After trashing the items in the desktop (and emptying the trash), I am still stuck with the items in the sidebar. Every time I click on them to try to get rid of them, I get a pop-up that says "The volume for '[sidebar item name]' cannot be found". Do you know how to get rid of these? FYI - I upgraded my Tiger OS to Leopard a while ago. I had once found a filepath to edit the sidebar configuration file when I had Tiger, but I cannot find it with Leopard. Thanks in advance for any insight you may have. - Nirav I have a bunch of items in my Sidebar that I cannot get rid of – they were on the desktop and accidentally added to the sidebar. After trashing the items in the desktop (and emptying the trash), I am still stuck with the items in the sidebar. Every time I click on them to try to get rid of them, I get a pop-up that says “The volume for ‘[sidebar item name]‘ cannot be found”. Do you know how to get rid of these?
FYI – I upgraded my Tiger OS to Leopard a while ago. I had once found a filepath to edit the sidebar configuration file when I had Tiger, but I cannot find it with Leopard.
Thanks in advance for any insight you may have.
- Nirav

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