Filed under: Tips and tricks, Mac 101
Mac 101: the lozenge button
Well fortunately there's an easy solution to this little annoyance that involves the little button that's come to be known as the "lozenge." It's that little gem-like button on the top right of OS X windows, and what it does is reveal or hide toolbars. If you click on it in the Finder it will show or hide your tool- and sidebars. So in my case here, if I just click the lozenge I can see my sidebar again (see picture after the jump) and it's easy to install the application. The lozenge works the same way in other applications, and you can use it to hide toolbars when you want more screen real estate for your window content. If you command-click the lozenge it will cycle through the toolbar options.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Jon said 2:05PM on 6-24-2007
Ok, you're my hero now :p I had been struggling with that for years.
And I think you mean the right-hand side, not the left ;)
Reply
Kevin said 2:11PM on 6-24-2007
For years I struggled with music and movies playing way too loud. Thankfully, the designers of OS X saw fit in include a nifty little feature. "Volume Control" can be accessed through the System Preferences, and can also be made to live in the menubar! Amazing stuff, Apple.
Come on, what's next, a feature on the power button?
Reply
Daniel said 2:27PM on 6-24-2007
"It's that little gem-like button on the top left of OS X windows, and what it does is reveal or hide toolbars."
Here's another trick... Hold your hands out in front of you with your thumbs sticking out at a 90 degree angle from your hand. Now the hand that looks like an "L" is your left hand. The other is your right hand.
I kid...
Reply
Anthony said 2:28PM on 6-24-2007
@#2... Kevin, news flash. Just because you know something doesn't mean everyone else knows it too. Remember, the Mac market is growing and that means new OS X users.
Reply
Anthony said 2:28PM on 6-24-2007
@#2... Kevin, news flash. Just because you know something doesn't mean everyone else knows it too. Remember, the Mac market is growing and that means new OS X users.
Reply
Aaron Adams said 2:29PM on 6-24-2007
"You download and mount the DMG disk image and you're presented with a Finder window that looks like this. Now you're supposed to drag the icon (Camino in this case) to the Applications folder. But how do I get to the Applications folder?"
Um, put that folder in the Dock?
Reply
ChrisM70 said 2:31PM on 6-24-2007
Notice what happens when you command-click on the lozenge - you get some more visual options!
Reply
niclet said 2:32PM on 6-24-2007
In addition, if you "OPTION-COMMAND-click" the Lozenge button, it opens the "Personalize you toolbar..." window.
Reply
Scott said 2:43PM on 6-24-2007
You can also hit OPTION-COMMAND-T which isn't necessarily faster if your hand is on the mouse but another method I tend to use. Just remember T for Toolbar :)
Reply
jbisrael said 2:48PM on 6-24-2007
i'm pretty sure if the post starts with 'Mac 101' and you go to the comments to make snarky comments like 'duh', then you deserve to be shot.
or just banned, but hey, bullets are faster.
Reply
Kevin said 2:56PM on 6-24-2007
jbisrael: Lemme guess, you're a huge fan of the "Nuke 'em all!" option as far as our problems in the Middle East go. Very enlightening.
#6 wins best comment on this post. Who hasn't stuck the Apps folder in their dock?
Reply
Danny said 3:16PM on 6-24-2007
Top left? I believe it's on the top right. Don't want people accidentally closing their windows now, do we?
Reply
john russell said 3:18PM on 6-24-2007
I've just assigned F13 to open my apps folder by way of Quicksilver's triggers. Works like a charm. And no wasted dock space, to boot.
Reply
Ahmad said 3:30PM on 6-24-2007
folders in the dock are ugly
heck, the dock itself is ugly
Reply
Gareth Burleigh said 4:11PM on 6-24-2007
Wow thanks for that it always bugged me having to open a new finder window, and even though I knew the lozenge removed the sidebar it never once crossed my mind to do this on an install. Wood for trees springs to mind
Many thanks
Gareth
Reply
Michael L. said 4:25PM on 6-24-2007
I'm a new guy, so I appreciate this tip. I've gotten into the habit of dragging the .app icon to the HD icon on the desktop and doing the spring-loaded bit to get to Applications.
Reply
Ted said 4:50PM on 6-24-2007
Hit CMD-N and drag and drop.
Wow, took a whole article to discuss that single point?!!!!
Reply
Quine said 4:53PM on 6-24-2007
Kevin, I haven't stuck my apps folder in the dock. In fact, I havent stuck ANYTHING in my dock, because I think the dock is slow and not worth the screen space. I even permanently hid my dock, and it hasn't slowed me down a bit. This is a great tip and I use it all the time to quickly install apps.
Also, if you use quicksilver, you can simply activate it, type apps, then drag the icon from the mounted dmg's window to the quicksilver box where apps is, and it'll copy it there.
Reply
MacBookOwner said 6:24PM on 6-24-2007
That is a great tip, thanks! I like the DMGs that have a shortcut to your Applications Folder already set up, so you can just drag the icon within the DMG, but this is a great option.
Loved some of the previous smug asshole "EVERYONE KNEW THAT, DUMMY" comments-nice to know that some Mac users are trying to uphold the generally held opinion that Mac users are..well, smug assholes :p.
Reply
ernise said 7:02PM on 6-24-2007
Hey! That is pretty cool. Thanks for sharing that tip. Honestly, I don't think I've ever really paid attention to that button. Now, I know about it and what it does.
Reply