[kgmessier]

Hi,

I'm pretty new to Mac OS X "Tiger" and Macs in general. I'm wondering if there's a hotkey combo that will open a new Finder window (similar to how you can click Window+E to open Windows Explorer on a Windows PC).

- Keith

[Tesseract]

Command (Apple)-N (for "New window".)

It's the first item in the Finder's File menu. Generally, things that have Command-key equivalents are also menu items.

[lothar56]

You can use Command (open apple)-N. This used to create a new folder in older versions of Mac OS, but now you do that with Command-Shift-N. Welcome to Mac OS!

edit: beat me to it. i thought i was going to be helpful for once

[tomrock]

You can also choose what to open with Cmd+n with the Finder preferences. The default is Home.

[TETENAL]

The key-combos are documented in the menus in the menubar.

[kgmessier]

Thanks for all the helpful feedback. However, what I'm wondering is if there's a hotkey that will open a new Finder window regardless of what application is active at a given time. For example, if I'm working in iTotallyRule and want to open a new Finder window, I know I can Cmd+Tab through all open applications until I get to Finder, make that active then click Cmd+N to open a new window. I'm hoping there's a way to open a new Finder window without having to toggle through all open applications.

Anyone?

- Keith

[lothar56]

Just out of curiousity, what good is opening a new finder window if you're not in the finder? And there are apps out there that will let you assign keystrokes, I don't know if any of them will help you, you could search MacUpdate or Versiontracker.

[kgmessier]

Originally Posted by lothar56

Just out of curiousity, what good is opening a new finder window if you're not in the finder? And there are apps out there that will let you assign keystrokes, I don't know if any of them will help you, you could search MacUpdate or Versiontracker.

I'm a former Windows user so I'm used to being able to type the Window+E combination to bring up Windows Explorer, which is the analog to Mac's Finder application. The beauty of this in Windows is that I can open up Windows Explorer (the file browser) any time, any place. I don't have to navigate to the Windows Explorer application then open a new window of it; I click the hotkey combo and it instantly opens a new file browser window.

[chris v]

Originally Posted by kgmessier

Thanks for all the helpful feedback. However, what I'm wondering is if there's a hotkey that will open a new Finder window regardless of what application is active at a given time. For example, if I'm working in iTotallyRule and want to open a new Finder window, I know I can Cmd+Tab through all open applications until I get to Finder, make that active then click Cmd+N to open a new window. I'm hoping there's a way to open a new Finder window without having to toggle through all open applications.

Anyone?

- Keith

There are plenty of third-party utilities you can use to assign a hotkey to folders. I use DragThing, and have F1 and F2 open my drive at the root level, and my main Art folder respectively. Works in any app, as long as DragThing is running.

[kgmessier]

Originally Posted by chris v

There are plenty of third-party utilities you can use to assign a hotkey to folders. I use DragThing, and have F1 and F2 open my drive at the root level, and my main Art folder respectively. Works in any app, as long as DragThing is running.

What about Path Finder? Is it any good? Worth the $34?

[TETENAL]

Originally Posted by kgmessier

I don't have to navigate to the Windows Explorer application then open a new window of it; I click the hotkey combo and it instantly opens a new file browser window.

You don't have to "navigate" to the Finder. Just click the Finder-icon in the Dock and it will switch to the Finder (and open a new window if none is open already).

[gradient]

I use Spark which is free and just plain works. When you're adding keyboard shortcuts just keep in mind the ones you use that are specific to either OSX or other apps you currently use, or else you'll end up hijacking usefull functions.

In Spark I have the Finder app (located at /System/Library/Core Services/Finder.app) mapped to a shortcut just like you want to do so that I can have it pop to the forefront without using my mouse (or trackpad when I'm on the road).

Cheers.

[osxrules]

I sometimes wish the Finder activated like spotlight and was always attached to the menu bar and when it opened, it opened like a menu dialog style but showing your file browser and staying open until you clicked somewhere to close it. I don't like Finder windows all over the place. Also, if this dialog window thing could be tabbed it would be perfect. The tabs just have to be links to directories - it's not like safari where they are different pages. Then you could drag and drop files so easily and no more Finder cluttering up the dock.

It would be easier to drag and drop images from Safari too because you'd just drag them to the menu.

[olePigeon]

A few more Windows equivalents:

Control + F2 will get you access to the File menus like F1, F2, etc. does in Windows.
Control + F3 will let you select apps in the dock via keyboard.
Apple + Tab will bring up the program switcher, just like Alt + Tab does in Windows.
Apple + F brings up the full search like Window + F does in Windows.

For many commands you did in Windows, you can usually do it on the Mac if you replace the Control with the Apple key. For example, to print it's Apple + P instead of Control + P. Should make your switch a little easier.