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Shelf?
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Colin Davis
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Jul 15, 2003, 11:47 PM
 
In NextStep, there was a concept of a Shelf.. The shelf was basically a place you could temporarily hold a file, in a dragging operation.

For example, If I wanted to move a folder from my Desktop, into a subfolder on the hard drive.

There could be a little box on the side of the screen (or part of the dock), and I drag the folder into it. It sits there.. It moves it there, just as if I dragged it to a folder.

Then I can open up the folder I need, and drag it out, putting it in the proper folder. Very convienient, very spatial.

Make sense?

Is there anything like this in OS X? I know there are auto-opening folders (snap open?), and that if you put a folder on the side of the screen, it will slide out, but I'm looking for something more elegant.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Colin
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intastella
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Jul 16, 2003, 12:14 AM
 
Not sure if Path Finder has that ability, maybe, but the reason OS X doesn't do it that way is that it DOES have a real desktop, something Nextstep didn't.

But look into Path Finder.

Here

Edit:

The Path Finder beta does have a shelf btw.

Also, I just realized that the way you described dragging a file to the edge of the screen to a drawer sounded sort of like the way the Newton would copy text selections.

You'd highlight your text and drag it to the left or right edge of the screen, pinning it there until you could switch apps or views and then drag it from the edge to wherever you want.

Just food for thought.

Don
( Last edited by intastella; Jul 16, 2003 at 12:31 AM. )
     
spiney
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Jul 16, 2003, 12:40 AM
 
Try a search for xshelf on macupdate. It is exactly what you are describing. It has been around for quite a while now.
     
TimmyDee51
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Jul 16, 2003, 02:02 AM
 
The Newton had a similar function but for the clipboard. Highlight a piece of text or an object, drag it to the edge of the screen, and a small representation of the object stayed there until you needed it. It was a slick implementation of a multiple clipboard concept and I'd like to see it brought back, whether for clipboards or the shelf.
     
Diggory Laycock
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Jul 16, 2003, 09:56 AM
 
I'd say the Shelf seems to have been resurrected in OS X 10.3 - as the desktop.

Using expos� you can grab a selection, hide all windows (using a screen corner) and dump it on the desktop.

Then later you can hide all windows again. Grab a clipping off the desktop then choose which window you want to drop it into (using expos� again.)
     
Sage
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Jul 16, 2003, 02:17 PM
 
XShelf Homepage

Pretty neat.
( Last edited by Sage; Jul 16, 2003 at 02:25 PM. )
     
SomeToast
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Jul 16, 2003, 03:52 PM
 
Originally posted by Colin Davis:
Is there anything like this in OS X? I know there are auto-opening folders (snap open?), and that if you put a folder on the side of the screen, it will slide out, but I'm looking for something more elegant.
Not for drilling into sub-folders, but if you're dragging something from one app to another whose target window is obscured by other apps, you can command-tab to switch to the target app while you're doing the drag. After you release the command key the selected app will come to the front and you can complete the drop.
     
   
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