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Dr. Wahnsinn · Apr 14, 2009, 08:24 PM

If this has been covered before, please point me there.

I believe this began with OS X 10.4 and it continues with 10.5. Suppose I open a folder (folder A), scroll way down to open up another folder (folder B), then realise that folder B doesn't have the document I wanted. I can use either the back button or the keyboard combo to navigate back, but, almost all of the time, OS X takes me back to the top of folder A making me have to scroll all the way down to get back to the folder that is next to folder B. Is there any way to defeat this "feature"?

gradient · Apr 14, 2009, 08:39 PM

Originally Posted by Dr. Wahnsinn

If this has been covered before, please point me there.

I believe this began with OS X 10.4 and it continues with 10.5. Suppose I open a folder (folder A), scroll way down to open up another folder (folder B), then realise that folder B doesn't have the document I wanted. I can use either the back button or the keyboard combo to navigate back, but, almost all of the time, OS X takes me back to the top of folder A making me have to scroll all the way down to get back to the folder that is next to folder B. Is there any way to defeat this "feature"?

Strange, I'm running Leopard and I don't remember it ever doing that. When I hit the 'back' button it takes me to the exact place in the previous folder where I left off.

Hg2491 · Apr 14, 2009, 09:54 PM

I have the same issue as Dr. Wanhsinn. It's a pain in the neck to navigate the Pictures folder =/.

TheoCryst · Apr 15, 2009, 12:54 AM

Try using Command-Up. It navigates up a folder (not back: there's a subtle difference), but scrolls correctly to where you were before. Much more useful in this type of situation.

Dr. Wahnsinn · Apr 15, 2009, 01:53 AM

Try using Command-Up. It navigates up a folder (not back: there's a subtle difference), but scrolls correctly to where you were before. Much more useful in this type of situation.

Thanks for that - and it's right up there in the Go menu. That's much better, although it's not perfect. It would better still if it would open the enclosing folder back to exactly where I had it, rather than framing the window with my just-opened folder at the bottom. That's how it worked in 10.3 and earlier. It would have been nice to have it be a view preference rather than an absolute change.

HazardousPaste · Apr 15, 2009, 04:07 AM

I was annoyed with this problem and started using the Finder in "threaded" mode, that is- actually opening up the hierarchy like you do in windows. Expand a list of files in a directory using the right arrow, up and down to scroll, and return to the directory folder/close directory with the left arrow.

TheoCryst · Apr 15, 2009, 02:29 PM

Originally Posted by HazardousPaste

I was annoyed with this problem and started using the Finder in "threaded" mode, that is- actually opening up the hierarchy like you do in windows. Expand a list of files in a directory using the right arrow, up and down to scroll, and return to the directory folder/close directory with the left arrow.

Have you considered Column View? It's what I use more often than not -- allows for quick and easy access to your navigation history, without cluttering a single view like List View does. It takes some getting used to, of course, but once you do the productivity benefits are wonderful.

gradient · Apr 15, 2009, 09:58 PM

Ah, I just noticed what the difference for me may be. I always use the finder in list mode; in icon mode I do get the same problem described by the OP.