HT2472: Mac 101: The desktop

Learn about Mac 101: The desktop
mallory 84

Q: Help!!!  I accidentally put all 3000+ pics on my desktop :(

I somehow thought that if I put them all on my desktop it would save them to a folder, not put them all seperatly on my desktop   Does anyone know how to wipe it clean, or will I have to just keep putting them in a folder one by one by one   Any suggestions is greatly appreciated!!!

 

I have a MacBook Pro Retina if that makes a difference on how this could be fixed!!!

 

Thanks,

Mallory

MacBook Pro (Retina, 13-inch, Late 2012), iOS 6.1.4

Posted on May 16, 2013 6:39 PM

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Q: Help!!!  I accidentally put all 3000+ pics on my desktop :(

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  • by Niel,Helpful

    Niel Niel May 16, 2013 6:41 PM in response to mallory 84
    Level 10 (311,446 points)
    May 16, 2013 6:41 PM in response to mallory 84

    Open the AppleScript Editor in the /Applications/Utilities/ folder and run:

     

    tell application "Finder"

    move every file of desktop to (make folder)

    end tell

     

    (82820)

  • by mallory 84,

    mallory 84 mallory 84 May 16, 2013 6:47 PM in response to Niel
    Level 1 (1 points)
    May 16, 2013 6:47 PM in response to Niel

    I don't know where to go to find that   I am computer iliterate   Thank you so much for responding!!!   I feel like I am close to getting this done...if only I could make sense of what you just said

  • by Niel,Solvedanswer

    Niel Niel May 16, 2013 6:50 PM in response to mallory 84
    Level 10 (311,446 points)
    May 16, 2013 6:50 PM in response to mallory 84

    1. Choose Go to Folder from the Finder's Go menu.

    2. Type or paste /Applications/Utilities/ into the prompt.

    3. Click Go.

    4. In the window, find and double-click the AppleScript Editor.

    5. Copy and paste the third through fifth lines of my previous post into the upper text field.

    6. Press the Run button.

     

    (82821)

  • by mallory 84,

    mallory 84 mallory 84 May 16, 2013 7:04 PM in response to Niel
    Level 1 (1 points)
    May 16, 2013 7:04 PM in response to Niel

    Thank you so much!!!!  Now if I delete the folder, will it delete them from my iPhoto??  You are like a Mac genius!!

  • by Niel,

    Niel Niel May 16, 2013 7:06 PM in response to mallory 84
    Level 10 (311,446 points)
    May 16, 2013 7:06 PM in response to mallory 84

    If you exported them from within iPhoto, no. If you've set iPhoto to use a referenced library, they may already have disappeared from iPhoto. If you're not sure, open it and check; if they already have, put them in the location they were in before being put on the desktop.

     

    (82824)

  • by mallory 84,

    mallory 84 mallory 84 May 16, 2013 7:06 PM in response to mallory 84
    Level 1 (1 points)
    May 16, 2013 7:06 PM in response to mallory 84

    Its also asking me if I want to save changes made to the untitled document?  It says if I don't all changes will be lost???

  • by Niel,

    Niel Niel May 16, 2013 7:08 PM in response to mallory 84
    Level 10 (311,446 points)
    May 16, 2013 7:08 PM in response to mallory 84

    If you're referring to the document in the AppleScript Editor, just close it. It won't undo the script's effects, and you can recover the script from here if it's needed again.

     

    (82825)

  • by mallory 84,

    mallory 84 mallory 84 May 16, 2013 7:10 PM in response to Niel
    Level 1 (1 points)
    May 16, 2013 7:10 PM in response to Niel

    I believe I did it when I was synching my phone and that other thing comes up that isn't iPhoto and I clicked to save them to the desktop.  Not sure if that helps or is descriptive enough

  • by mallory 84,

    mallory 84 mallory 84 May 16, 2013 7:11 PM in response to Niel
    Level 1 (1 points)
    May 16, 2013 7:11 PM in response to Niel

    it will not allow me to close it   I either have to hit save or don't save???

  • by Niel,

    Niel Niel May 16, 2013 7:14 PM in response to mallory 84
    Level 10 (311,446 points)
    May 16, 2013 7:14 PM in response to mallory 84

    1. Open iPhoto and check. If they were deposited on the desktop as part of the process of transferring them to the computer, those copies won't be used by iPhoto.

    2. Press Don't Save.

     

    (82826)

  • by mallory 84,

    mallory 84 mallory 84 May 16, 2013 7:16 PM in response to Niel
    Level 1 (1 points)
    May 16, 2013 7:16 PM in response to Niel

    They seem to all be in there!!  So I can hit don't save?!?!  I know I sound like an idiot right now but sometimes they confuse me

  • by Niel,Helpful

    Niel Niel May 16, 2013 7:17 PM in response to mallory 84
    Level 10 (311,446 points)
    May 16, 2013 7:17 PM in response to mallory 84

    Yes, you can.

     

    (82827)

  • by mallory 84,

    mallory 84 mallory 84 May 16, 2013 7:23 PM in response to Niel
    Level 1 (1 points)
    May 16, 2013 7:23 PM in response to Niel

    Thank you for your help!!  I have had my Mac since Xmas and I still don't know how to use it   I need a sit down with someone to help me understand everything it does!!  From what I know how to do on here it is awesome!!  I love my iPhone and Mac they can just be a little confusinf at times!  We have a Mac store here but they are always slammed so no luck there!  I need a MacBook for dummies book

  • by henn0153,

    henn0153 henn0153 Apr 4, 2014 6:38 PM in response to Niel
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Apr 4, 2014 6:38 PM in response to Niel

    Niel--I did the same thing.  However I accidently moved 18,000+ photos from iphoto to my desktop. Now my computer is moving extraordinarily slow and in some cases stalling.  We followed your code for the Applescript editor and we're getting a timeout error.  Any suggestions.

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