Alias of home folder on desktop?

Question

Level 1

7 points

Alias of home folder on desktop?

Hello all.

I just bought my first Mac in about 9 years, so while I'm not completely new to Mac OS X, it has been a while. I wanted to place an alias of my home directory on the desktop, but it appears I can't do it. I don't understand why. I've settled for putting it in the dock, but that's not what I wanted to do really. I thought I'd check to see if I've missed something.

Mac Mini 2009, Mac OS X (10.5.6), Upgraded to 4GB of RAM and 500GB drive

Posted on May 7, 2009 4:29 PM

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Answer 1

X_console

Level 1

124 points

May 7, 2009 4:45 PM in response to QuadraQuack

You can do it using terminal. Open Applications > Utility > Terminal and type: ln -s /Users/youruser ~/Desktop/youruser

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Answer 2

thomas_r.

Level 7

31,989 points

May 7, 2009 4:47 PM in response to QuadraQuack

Hold down option+command while dragging it onto the desktop... works here.

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Answer 3

V.K.

Level 9

56,174 points

May 7, 2009 4:50 PM in response to QuadraQuack

what exactly do you mean you can't do it? what happens when you try? there is no reason you should not be able to do so. select your home folder in /users and command+option drag it to the desktop.

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Answer 4

Barney-15E

Level 10

112,620 points

May 7, 2009 4:51 PM in response to QuadraQuack

How is it you are trying to place the alias on the desktop?
I can create one by cmd optdragging the home folder to the desktop.

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Answer 5

QuadraQuack Author

Level 1

7 points

May 7, 2009 5:57 PM in response to QuadraQuack

Wow that was fast!

OK command + option worked (I didn't know the keyboard commands to use). What I was trying to do originally, was go Macintosh HD -> Users then select the home folder and use "Make Alias" in the File menu. I was going to create the alias from there then move it to the desktop. I don't know why, but the option to "Make Alias" is grayed out. Weird, when you can do it using the keyboard commands. Thanks for the help.

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Answer 6

thomas_r.

Level 7

31,989 points

May 7, 2009 6:06 PM in response to QuadraQuack

That's because you don't have write permissions in the Users folder, so there's nowhere for the alias to go. (It would be created in the same folder as the original item.) You have to use other methods in a case like that.

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