Filed under: Mac 101
Mac 101: Quickly change directory in save/open dialogs
More Mac 101, our series of tips for new Mac OS X users. Have you ever tried to open or save a file, and you want to quickly change from the directory (folder) you are browsing to another directory? It might be simpler than you think, and it doesn't require you to go searching for the directory from the dialog box!
When in an open/save dialog, drag a folder from any Finder window (including the Desktop) to the dialog. The open/save dialog will instantly show that directory. You can then type in a file name to save as, or locate the file to open. Using this method to change directories can often save time; it's also one of the Mac OS X features that can be confusing for switchers, as the Windows XP & Vista behavior is quite different (dragging items to a dialog will copy them to the displayed directory, instead of changing the target).
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
anson said 11:32AM on 12-24-2008
Try this also: With open/save dialog open, type either / or ~ to bring up text dialog for changing directories via keyboard. Extremely useful for those who just want to keep keyboarding. Super fast way to, say, save a file to /tmp:
cmd-S / t m p enter enter
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Ken Cohen said 12:02PM on 12-24-2008
In the long run it would be a lot more efficient to buy and install Default Folder. Apple should have bought this years ago and integrated it into the operating system.
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Tony said 1:13PM on 12-24-2008
Default Folder X is awesome. I can't imagine living without it. Give the free trial a go and see for yourself...
Byran Newell said 12:16PM on 12-24-2008
One of the confusing things for switchers? I don't think so. Before I switched to a Mac a few years back, I was pretty proficient on Windows, and I've never dragged a folder in to the Open/Save dialog. Ever. I can guarantee you that most switchers have absolutely no idea about that little trick.
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Michael Rose said 12:24PM on 12-24-2008
Interesting. I've personally encountered former Windows users -- twice, that I can recall -- who exclaimed with fear when shown this trick, afraid that I was copying huge folders to their desktops.
Byran Newell said 12:30PM on 12-24-2008
@Michael Rose That's crazy. I'm sure some people know about it, but even in OS X, it's an odd thing to do. Maybe the people I know just are more ignorant than the norm. Or maybe the people you know are smarter than the average. Or maybe I'm a lysdexic ambidextrous midget who has to stand on a stool to type on the computer.
We'll never know (tee-hee!), but I've never seen anyone drag into the dialog.
Michael Rose said 3:00PM on 12-24-2008
I think it slightly more likely that I deal with the occasional ham-fingered Windows user who has ACCIDENTALLY moved files that way, and now is extremely wary. :)
Jason said 12:21PM on 12-24-2008
To extend on what anson said, you can press Cmd-Shift-G to get the dialog box to type in the path. This works in any finder window, unlike the / or ~ trick.
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DistortedLoop said 1:16PM on 12-24-2008
Neat trick, but really only useful if you happen to have the folder you want to use someplace in view (like the desktop) and only a mouseclick or two away, otherwise you might as well just drill down where you're looking for.
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JayG said 2:01PM on 12-24-2008
Works with files too; not just directories. And you can use Expose during a drag-and-drop to make it easier to get back to the open/save dialog.
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Quine said 6:08PM on 12-24-2008
Here's an enhancement to this trick:
Wish you could use quicksilver to choose the directory to save in? You almost can!
1. Open the dialogue
2. Summon quicksilver and make it select the desired destination
3. Drag the icon into the dialogue, thus making the dialogue match quicksilver.
This method of saving things saves me amazing amounts of time every day. Now if only there was a way to just use quicksilver as my file browser...lol.
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Trever said 1:25AM on 12-25-2008
A favorite variation on this is being able to drag files/folders into the terminal.
$ cd (drag folder into terminal)
and even
$ open .
(opens a finder window in current shell directory)
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sine nomine said 3:08PM on 12-30-2008
You can even drag the icon in the title bar of some other document or whatever to the dialog. This is useful if you are working with a few files but need to save them in the same folder.
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