Does you desktop look like this? Not only is it not pretty, but it is slowing your computer down because each item is treated as a separate window by the OS. While I am working on a project, like building this website for example, my screenshots and downloads tend to clog the desktop no matter how hard I try.
Now it is time to tidy up.
It is difficult to see by the file and folder names exactly what is what so I can decide whether to move it or trash it. There are several ways to deal with this. Finder works, but it is not the quickest route. Adobe Bridge is an application every photographer should have because it is bundled with Photoshop. Bridge makes this annoying task more palatable.
Here’s my step-by-step approach to using Adobe Bridge to clean-up my desktop:
1. Point Bridge to your user/desktop and you will get thumbnails of the content and folders. Enlarge the thumbnails so you can decide what needs to go where and what is trash.
2. Bridge allows you to give ratings and colors to images and folders. Once you give it a label, like “red = trash” or “green = Guide & Manuals folder”, you can view files with that label by highlighting it in the filter tab.
Note: Folders will still be visible, regardless of rating/ label. Because there is no way around this in Bridge, I’d start organizing the folder first and move on to individual files next.
3. If you select a label, you can easily select all of the files in it and then move, copy or trash them as a group.
Selection tips-
Press Command A to Select All visible files. Hold Shift and click two files to select the ones in between them. Hold command and click to remove single files that are selected, or to individually select files.
4. Once files or folders are selected, Go to- File/Move to or Copy to or Move to Trash/Choose Folder here you can choose a folder or create a new one.
Move – will take the file and copy it to a new location and delete the original file. Copy- will copy file to a new location and leave original file. Trash- Places the file in your trash can
Note: Folders with folder structures in them will be moved/copied as is.
Where do the files go?
I have a folder for my business related documents with sub folders ranging from Invoice 2009, Insurance, to Guides and Manuals and more. If I don’t have a proper folder for an item, I make a new one.
Renaming
I also will rename files to make more sense to me. Like “picture 13.png”. Ah, yes, that is my “messy_desktop_article.png”.
Single File-
If it is only one file, select it and control click on it. Select rename from the drop down menu. You can rename it directly at its filename.
Multiple Files-
Otherwise, select the files to be renamed. Go to: Tools/Batch Rename. Build your new name. Apply.
More Mac Maintenance tips
http://www.macworld.com/article/133730/2008/06/maintenance_routines.html
This entry was posted
on Monday, June 22nd, 2009 at 12:28 pm and is filed under tutorials.
You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.
You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
Tutorial: Organize your desktop with Bridge
Does you desktop look like this? Not only is it not pretty, but it is slowing your computer down because each item is treated as a separate window by the OS. While I am working on a project, like building this website for example, my screenshots and downloads tend to clog the desktop no matter how hard I try.
Now it is time to tidy up.
It is difficult to see by the file and folder names exactly what is what so I can decide whether to move it or trash it. There are several ways to deal with this. Finder works, but it is not the quickest route. Adobe Bridge is an application every photographer should have because it is bundled with Photoshop. Bridge makes this annoying task more palatable.
Here’s my step-by-step approach to using Adobe Bridge to clean-up my desktop:
1. Point Bridge to your user/desktop and you will get thumbnails of the content and folders. Enlarge the thumbnails so you can decide what needs to go where and what is trash.
2. Bridge allows you to give ratings and colors to images and folders. Once you give it a label, like “red = trash” or “green = Guide & Manuals folder”, you can view files with that label by highlighting it in the filter tab.
Note: Folders will still be visible, regardless of rating/ label. Because there is no way around this in Bridge, I’d start organizing the folder first and move on to individual files next.
3. If you select a label, you can easily select all of the files in it and then move, copy or trash them as a group.
Selection tips-
Press Command A to Select All visible files. Hold Shift and click two files to select the ones in between them. Hold command and click to remove single files that are selected, or to individually select files.
4. Once files or folders are selected, Go to- File/Move to or Copy to or Move to Trash/Choose Folder here you can choose a folder or create a new one.
Move – will take the file and copy it to a new location and delete the original file.
Copy- will copy file to a new location and leave original file.
Trash- Places the file in your trash can
Note: Folders with folder structures in them will be moved/copied as is.
Where do the files go?
I have a folder for my business related documents with sub folders ranging from Invoice 2009, Insurance, to Guides and Manuals and more. If I don’t have a proper folder for an item, I make a new one.
Renaming
I also will rename files to make more sense to me. Like “picture 13.png”. Ah, yes, that is my “messy_desktop_article.png”.
Single File-
If it is only one file, select it and control click on it. Select rename from the drop down menu. You can rename it directly at its filename.
Multiple Files-
Otherwise, select the files to be renamed. Go to: Tools/Batch Rename. Build your new name. Apply.
More Mac Maintenance tips
http://www.macworld.com/article/133730/2008/06/maintenance_routines.html
This entry was posted on Monday, June 22nd, 2009 at 12:28 pm and is filed under tutorials. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
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