coxorange Author

Level 2

151 points

Trash can on desktop?

I'm using "Automatically hide and show the Dock", hence it is not very convenient to delete files via drag and drop. How can I add an additional trash can icon onto the desktop?

iMac 24" 2.8GHz, Mac OS X (10.6.2)

Posted on Feb 11, 2010 6:07 AM

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14 replies

Level 10

111,242 points

Feb 11, 2010 6:16 AM in response to coxorange

There may be a third party app, search MacUpdate.com.

Or you could simply create a Desktop folder named, "move to trash" and then move the entire contents of the folder to the Trash at the end of the day.

-mj

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coxorange Author

Level 2

151 points

Feb 11, 2010 7:27 AM in response to macjack

It behaves not like the original Trash can, for example you may get this message:

"An item named “Test.pages” already exists in this location. Do you want to replace it with the one you’re moving?"

The original Trash can keeps both (renames the second).

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Level 10

111,242 points

Feb 11, 2010 8:08 AM in response to coxorange

coxorange wrote:
Is there a way to change the folder icon?

Yes, just "Get Info" on Trash then, do the same on your folder and do a copy & paste, to the small icon window in the upper left corner.

-mj

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coxorange Author

Level 2

151 points

Feb 11, 2010 10:24 AM in response to BugSquash

BugSquash wrote:
It should be pretty easy to set up Folder Actions to automatically move to the trash whatever you put into the folder via an Automator script.

How could that be done? I never used "Folder Actions", just a bit AppleScripting.

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Level 10

111,242 points

Feb 11, 2010 11:00 AM in response to coxorange

coxorange wrote:
By the way I found a reproducible bug:
Try to drag the BIG Trash can icon onto the small folder icon... Finder crashes!

Yes, it does... but why would one do that?

-mj

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Level 10

111,242 points

Feb 11, 2010 6:11 AM in response to coxorange

Why not just use command-delete?

-mj

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coxorange Author

Level 2

151 points

Feb 11, 2010 6:13 AM in response to macjack

Thanks, I know, but often I have so many documents in front of me (and on the keyboard!) that it's easier to use my Trackball.

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coxorange Author

Level 2

151 points

Feb 11, 2010 6:35 AM in response to macjack

... create a Desktop folder named, "move to trash" and then move the entire contents of the folder to the Trash at the end of the day.

Good idea! Is there a way to change the folder icon?

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Level 2

285 points

Feb 11, 2010 7:31 AM in response to coxorange

It should be pretty easy to set up Folder Actions to automatically move to the trash whatever you put into the folder via an Automator script.

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coxorange Author

Level 2

151 points

Feb 11, 2010 10:23 AM in response to macjack

Thanks!

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coxorange Author

Level 2

151 points

Feb 11, 2010 10:37 AM in response to macjack

By the way I found a reproducible bug:
Try to drag the BIG Trash can icon onto the small folder icon... Finder crashes!

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coxorange Author

Level 2

151 points

Feb 11, 2010 11:04 AM in response to macjack

Yes, it does... but why would one do that?

My mistake! In the beginning I misunderstood and thought it would work this way...

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Level 10

111,242 points

Feb 11, 2010 11:08 AM in response to coxorange

It's always small icon > copy & paste to small icon.
It's not nice to confuse Finder 😉

-mj

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coxorange Author

Level 2

151 points

Feb 11, 2010 11:29 AM in response to macjack

After the crash Finder restarted and didn't forget one
of the previously open numerous folder windows!
(If that would have happened under Windows...)

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