Cool Mac Tool

With all the wonders and intuitiveness of everything Apple, when you first get into the Mac world and start looking for your files and are used to the Windows File Manager it is a little daunting. I'm not saying it is a hard transition, its just different. Different in a good way in that the options you have are more readily available to you. Having said that, Finder is not the end all app for file management.

A company called Binaryage has a really nice app called TotalFinder that essentially replaces Finder on the Mac that is running Snow Leopard (OS 10.6). Rather than having open windows spread all over your desktops you can have one with all the listings tabbed. See the screenshot below.

Three of the biggest tool in TotalFinder are tabbed browsing (above) dual mode (see below) folders on top and visor which is a hot key (double key the option) that brings up a finder window regardless of where you are working.

When there are multiple tabs open the slickest way to move/copy files is to enter dual mode. I use the default command-U but you can determine your own hot key. This action connect two finder lists in what appears like a mirrored screen. This is way cool.

The folders on top option is really nice and something Windows had right in File Manager. This lists the folders grouped above the files. The only downside that I would like to see TotalFinder improve upon is to reach into the open file dialogue and get the folders on top option at that level. Oh well it still is an imperfect world.

That would be my pick of the week if I had one.


Take care all... Doug