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Chapter 4. Advanced Finder Techniques > Spring-Loaded Folders
Spring-Loaded Folders
The spring-loaded folders feature lets you move or copy items into folders deep within the file structure of your disk—without manually opening a single folder. Instead, you simply drag icons onto folders (Figures 25 and 27) and wait as they're automatically opened (Figures 26 and 28). When you drop the icon into the final window, all windows except the source and destination windows automatically close (Figure 29).
Figure 25. Drag an icon onto a folder icon and wait...
Figure 26. ...until the folder opens.
Figure 27. Continue to drag the icon onto a folder in that window and wait...
Figure 28. ...until that folder opens.
Figure 29. The icon appears in the final destination window.
Tip
The spring-loaded folders feature is sometimes referred to as spring-open folders.
Tip
Using the spring-loaded folders feature requires a steady hand, good mouse skills, and knowledge of the location of folders on your disk.
Tip
To use the spring-loaded folders feature, the Spring-loaded folders check box must be turned on in the General tab of the Preferences window (Figure 3). You can also set the spring-loaded folder delay length in the Preferences window (Figure 4). I tell you about Preferences at the beginning of this chapter.
Tip
To use the spring-loaded folders feature to move or copy more than one item at a time, select the items first, then drag any one of them.
To move an item using spring-loaded folders
1. |
Drag the item you want to move onto the folder in which you want to move it (Figure 25), but do not release the mouse button. After a moment, the folder blinks and opens (Figure 26). |
2. |
Without releasing the mouse button, repeat step 1. The destination folder becomes selected (Figure 27), then blinks and opens (Figure 28). Do this until you reach the final destination. |
3. |
Tip
In steps 1 and 2, to open a folder immediately, press
while dragging an item onto it.
Tip
To close a folder's window so you can open a different folder in the same window, drag the item away from the open window. The window closes so you can drag the item onto a different folder and open it.
To copy an item using spring-loaded folders
- Hold down
while following the above steps.
Tip
If the destination folder is on another disk, it is not necessary to hold down
to copy items; they're automatically copied.
To browse folder or disk contents with "click and a half"
1. |
Position the mouse pointer on the folder or disk you want to browse (Figure 30). Figure 30. Point to the folder you want to browse.
|
2. |
Double-click the mouse button but do not release the mouse button during the second click. After a moment, the mouse pointer turns into a magnifying glass ( Figure 31) and the folder or disk blinks and opens (Figure 32). Figure 31. When you click one and a half times on the folder, the mouse pointer turns into a magnifying glass...
Figure 32. ...and the folder opens.
|
3. |
Without releasing the mouse button, drag the magnifying glass pointer over a folder you want to open within the open window. The folder becomes selected, then blinks and opens. Repeat as necessary to open other folders. |
4. |
Release the mouse button to close all windows except the last one that was opened (and any others that were already open when you began step 1). |
Tip
In steps 2 and 3, to open a folder immediately, press
while pointing to it.
Tip
To close a folder's window so you can open a different folder in the same window, move the mouse pointer out of the open window. The window closes so you can move the mouse pointer onto a different folder and open it.
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