Path: utzoo!censor!geac!torsqnt!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!samsung!munnari.oz.au!comp.vuw.ac.nz!actrix!Bruce.Hoult From: Bruce.Hoult@bbs.actrix.gen.nz Newsgroups: comp.arch Subject: Re: Handling folders on Mac (was Sun's Competitive Strategy) Summary: do it like Standard File Message-ID: <1990Dec6.084930.7630@actrix.gen.nz> Date: 6 Dec 90 08:49:30 GMT References: <2764@cirrusl.UUCP> <3+_7KS1@xds13.ferranti.com> <2994@crdos1.crd.ge.COM> Sender: Bruce.Hoult@actrix.gen.nz (Bruce Hoult) Organization: Actrix Information Exchange, Wellington, New Zealand Lines: 47 Comment-To: davidsen@crdos1.crd.ge.com In article <2994@crdos1.crd.ge.COM> davidsen@crdos1.crd.ge.com (bill davidsen) writes: > A much more interesting question (to me) is "what can be done with the > Mac interface to support subdirectories?" The command (diddle slashes > for UNIX or DOS) local/bin/graphics/myplotter maps to > click/pop hard disk > scroll and read, find local > click and pop local > scroll and read, find bin > click and pop bin > scroll and read, find graphics > click and pop graphics > scroll and read, find myplot > click and run myplot > > I just can't feature doing this, and the Mac users all offer solutions > which effectively defeat having a tree structure, by putting everything > in some low level directory (yes I know these things are all called > something else and some clicks above are double clicks). > > There must be a better way. The pop and click stuff worked well for > floppies, it wears a bit thin with a pair of 1.2GB hard drives (which > look like two drives rather than one namespace with mounted partitions). Why not have the finder do it the same way as the Standard File requestor dialog boxes already do it? For those not familiar with Standard File, as well as letting you click on a file or folder to select it, you can type the first few letters of its name, and instead of pressing the "Open" button (or double clicking the mouse button) you can press to open the file or folder. You can also press to move to (the top level of) another disk. So: to open the file "local/bin/graphics/myplotter" you might type... lobingrmypl ... with visual feedback at each stage that you have typed the correct name (to a sufficient degree of uniqueness), and that it exists. It works really well. I don't see any reason that the Finder couldn't act the same way -- especially in the "View By Name" style of window, but in others as well. IF there is a file currently selected THEN rename it ELSE select the file with the prefix typed. -- Bruce.Hoult@bbs.actrix.gen.nz Twisted pair: +64 4 772 116 BIX: brucehoult Last Resort: PO Box 4145 Wellington, NZ