How to force Applications folder to open in Finder

Is there a plist I can edit to accomplish this? The default Icon view is most annoying.

Cmd-J.

Cmd-J brings up the Desktop window where one can change icon size etc.

Cmd-J brings up the view options for whatever window/folder view is selected.

You need to ask better questions to get better answers.

Opening the enclosing folder for an app

If you select the application in Spotlight, hitting CMD-RETURN should open its enclosing folder. Not sure if this is actually what you are asking.

If you are talking about having the folder open when clicking in the dock instead of getting the folder stack to open...


Create an alias of the folder, store that alias somewhere out of the way, drag the alias into your dock. When you click that icon it will open the folder instead of displaying the stack...

Am I missing something (the answer seems too obvious)

First get your folder looking the way you want (using the view buttons or by changing options in the Finder
Finder > View > Show View Options)

Make sure the box 'Always Open in *** view' is ticked
Click 'use as defaults' at the bottom
Done

Yep. That's the Dialog box that Cmd-J opens. I was encouraging him to look around those options himself.

I get the impression the OP is unhappy with the icon-only view generated by Launchpad.

OP, are you discussing the icon view that results when you click on the silver "rocket ship" icon in the Dock? If yes, you cannot change this view to other than icons. Instead, click on the Finder icon (blue smiley Mac face) and then press Command-Shift-A; arrange the view options in the now-open Applications folder as you wish; next drag the Applications folder icon from the top middle of its still-open window to the Dock. Use this icon to view your apps instead of Launchpad as desired.

Thank you all for your responses!
When I click on the Applications Folder in the Dock, not Launchpad, it always opens in Icon view. I did go to the App Folder and did cmd-J, unchecked the Show Icon Preview box, no change.

Will try Bobby's suggestion as soon as I have some time :)

If the folder is in the Dock, control click on it and select View Content As List.

Oooooohhhh!

Yeah, that has absolutely ZERO to do with the Finder, and explains why the thread title makes no sense at all.

Rjenkinson has the solution for you.

So if this has nothing to do with Finder, why, when you scroll down to the end of Icon view when choosing Applications in the Dock, does the last Icon say 'Open in Finder', which is exactly reflected in my title? Don't see what I'm missing.

Clicking that icon will actually open the Finder and show the folder there. Until you actually do that, the Finder is not involved at all in anything you're doing with the Dock and its folders.

The Dock is not the Finder, and it has nothing to do with the Finder.

Part 1 of this statement is 100% correct, but to say the dock has nothing to do with the finder is wrong.
They are separate from each other, but many actions in the dock can lead to the finder

It's a bit like saying that your street has nothing to do with your front door. Yes, they are separate things but...


Agreed - googling for "anatomy of the mac" would help with terminology, or post a screen shot of the area

"How to force folders in the dock to open in finder"
Or
"Bypass pop up menu when clicking folders in the dock"

Would yield better answers like;
Hold down Command and Option then click the folder

As a side note, my preference for folders in the dock is to set the options as follows;
Display As - Folder
View Content As- List

Of course shortcuts do away with all of this
eg. switch to finder using Cmd - Tab and learn the shortcuts under the 'Go' menu
Cmd - Shift A
Cmd - Shift U
Cmd - Shift H
etc.

Hitting Cmd - Space, typing 'App', then hitting the Enter key will probably work too

The thread was started by a person confounded enough not to know what questions to ask. I'm not so sure I would know to interpret a list of search results on a subject matter I didn't even know how to ask about for lack of terminology, either.

Anyway, Finder and Dock are not the same thing, the original poster got his problem solved, and I'm glad he got a satisfactory answer.

Finder and Dock are NOT the same thing, didn't I agree with you on that already?
You said they weren't related in any way, shape or form - (paraphrasing), that's bound to further confuse said confounded person

Anyway, after typing 'anatomy of the mac' into google the first link leads to Apple - Find Out How - Mac Basics where the finder, dock, stacks and spotlight are all introduced
The other thing he might realise from the four minute video is that the Application stack is not a default dock item, further helping him to ask the right question:stick:

Teach a man to fish...
:D

The original poster did not KNOW that he was mixing up the terms.

It's probably a good idea to look at the link you provided now, though. True.