Enter key does not open the file

Yes, I finally found this too and I LOVE it. You can sort folders above documents with it as well. That plus using the enter key to open a file and I'm in heaven. I already had a different app to put colors back on the Finder icons, but this has been added to xtrafinder now too, so its a great all-in-one app.

Yeah, I joined this thread very early after getting my Mac and was really turned off by the comments but stuck with it and now that I've finally found a way to sort folders above documents and user the enter key to open folders and files, I'm in heaven.

The Mac community is an eclectic mix of "users" that buy it for its ease of use and hard-core "hackers" that use it for its linux underpinnings. Statements saying to learn how to use a mac the way its configured out of the box or switch to Windows remind me of the old days when DOS / Windows folks used to say that anyone that couldn't use a command line shouldn't be using a computer at all. Computers are inherently personal and we should be able to configure them and use them the way that we are the most productive. Apple gets it, but not everyone does ;-)

Arsenal1607 wrote:

its all very well saying shortcut for this and that but logically no one is going to remember 30+ keyboard shortcuts.

NO ONE???

Seriously???

Off the top of my head:

OS X

Cmd+C - COPY

Cmd+V - Paste

Cmd+Z - Undo

Cmd+Opt+Esc - ForceQuit

Cmd+Del - Move to Trash

Cmd+Shift+Del - Empty Trash

Ctrl+Cmd+F - Full Screen

Cmd+T - New Tab

Cmd+N - New document or window
Cmd+Q - Quit

Cmd+I - Get Info

Cmd+O - Open

Cmd+A - Select ALL

Cmd+Tab - shows open apps

Cmd+S - Save

Cmd+Shift+S - Save As

Cmd+, - Preferences (most any app)

Firefox

Cmd+T - New Tab

Cmd+N - New window

Cmd+R - Reload page

Cmd+Shift+A - Add-ons Manager

Cmd+F - Find

Cmd+D - Bookmark page

Cmd+J - Show Downloads

Photoshop

Cmd+N - New document

Cmd+Shift+N - New Layer

Cmd+Alt+Z - Undo last step

Cmd+Alt+Shift+S - Save for Web

Snag-it

Ctrl+Shift+C - Capture still

Ctrl+Shift+V - Capture Video

Word

Cmd+I - Italics

Cmd+B - Bold
Cmd+U - Underline

Cmd+Shift+H - FInd & Replace

Cmd+L - Align left

Cmd+R - Aligh right

Cmd+E - Align Center

That's just 37 quick ones I use EVERY DAY.

There are others for Premiere, Encore, AfterEffects, Excel, PowerPoint, iTunes, Roxio Toast, Acrobat, VLC, and on and on and on, but I really don't think I need to list them all here. It would be redundant because I've laready made my point. ANYONE who isn't a total novice (you know... the "I only use my computer for email and solitaire" types) knows at least a dozen keyboard shortcuts. ANYONE who uses their computer for anything more than just email and solitaire, HAS TO KNOW at least 30, INCLUDING Cmd+O to open a file or app.

BossaGroove wrote:

You made an excellent point and seriously, I've said this from the beginning of time and I'll say it again, it's the Apple fanboys that make me hate Apple and their products. It's just like talking to a cult fanatic.

Whenever a user of multiple platforms uses a Mac or any other Apple product and says "This doesn't really make sense", Apple fanboys come and say one of two things: "You don't really need it" or "You've been brainwashed." Well, guess what. As a Windows user, I respect some features that Mac OS X has and wish that Windows might have it. And I'm pretty sure any Windows user would say "I wish Windows would have this." But you talk to a Apple fanboy and tell them Apple might've done it wrong, they can't admit that Apple actually could do something worse than Microsoft and get super defensive. Sorry, but don't identify yourself with Apple that much because Apple just sees you as a consumer.

Back to the original point. You go to a website. You type in a keyword and press enter. What do you expect? You expect an execution. You press tab and your selection cursor moves to the "search" icon. You press enter. What do you expect? You expect an execution. Now, let's say, when doing the same thing in Safari, the default behavior was change text or show properties of the icon. What would you say?

There's a million other ways to prove that Finder is backwards. You go to Terminal and type in a file name and press enter. What do you expect? You expect execution. Because that's most likely behavior to be expected when you select a file--or type a filename, for that matter. If the default behavior of "./filename + return" combination was to rename a file and in order to run the file you actually had to type something like "./filename run + return" that would be called unintuitive because "it adds an extra step for something that you do most often." Selecting a file in Finder is quite the same as typing in a filename and waiting. Pressing the return key to run a file, makes much more sense.

Dear Apple fanboys,

Please do one of two things: either admit you're an Apple fanboy and that you'd buy whatever they sold even if they sold a bag of crap, or accept some constructive common-sense criticism and think for yourself, instead of mindlessly saying "we don't need that."

WHY DID YOU EVER BUY AN APPLE PRODUCT IF YOU CAN'T STAND THEM OR THE PEOPLE WHO MAKE AND USE THEM??????????????????????

…and hard-core "hackers" that use it for its linux underpinnings.

Where are the "linux" underpinnings?

Two things

1) I never said I can't stand Apple products. I said I can't stand people who think they found the answer to life by using Apple products. The fact that I don't like other users doesn't mean I can't buy products.

2) I'm not one to throw out the baby with the bathwater. The fact that I don't like some features--though they are frustrating--doesn't mean I don't want to use the whole thing. The thing I hate is how you guys think the bathwater is fine and keep using the same dirty water and tell others your bathwater rocks and other kinds of water suck so bad. And when someone points out it's maybe time to change the bathwater you get defensive and say "who needs to change their bathwater"

It's fine if you keep it to yourself. Just don't go about acting like you're superior for choosing Apple and making fun of PC users. Like " Oh, you go to the gym? Well, I do crossfit..."

BossaGroove wrote:

Two things

1) I never said I can't stand Apple products. I said I can't stand people who think they found the answer to life by using Apple products. The fact that I don't like other users doesn't mean I can't buy products.

2) I'm not one to throw out the baby with the bathwater. The fact that I don't like some features--though they are frustrating--doesn't mean I don't want to use the whole thing. The thing I hate is how you guys think the bathwater is fine and keep using the same dirty water and tell others your bathwater rocks and other kinds of water suck so bad. And when someone points out it's maybe time to change the bathwater you get defensive and say "who needs to change their bathwater"

It's fine if you keep it to yourself. Just don't go about acting like you're superior for choosing Apple and making fun of PC users. Like " Oh, you go to the gym? Well, I do crossfit..."

Well, I have six PCs (XP, Vista, 7, 8, 8, & 8.1) along with my 4 Macs (10.6, 10.7, 10.8 & 10.9) , and I work about 60-40 between the OS's, so I can, and will, say I'm superior to anyone who uses only one or the other, because I can jump back and forth without a hitch. And I can fix most software and hardware problems in both. I troubleshoot software and hardware in both 7 days a week. When you work like that... "you learn to keep your bathwater clean."

I'm new to a Mac too and transition is a challenge so anything that makes it easier is great.

XtraFinder brings some useful features of Windows such as pressing Enter to open the file although I note it is only when you press the 'return' key next to the comma, not the Enter key on the numerical keypad on the extended keyboard.

Unless I am missing something? But anything is a help!

Christian analogy is apt - although perhaps not in the way that you mean it. Apple users certainly seem to consider their choice of computing tool to be a religion, and declare a holy war on anyone who criticizes it! Lol

Despite the screen name I actually like Apple but really really really cannot stand their fanboys, either. It's so true that they seem to feel their whole identity is bound up in their use of a Mac. Ironically it's their defensive attitude that probably holds Apple back from dealing with its design flaws and getting into the top industry position. Why do the work to stay on top of your game when you've got a horde of mindless worshippers praising your every mistake? :-/

Going through this thread I just cannot believe there are people insisting not allowing the users to change the shortcut they like is a good thing.

Dog eats **** doesn't mean human needs to eat **** to be superior to dogs. Same thing applies here, you are able to switch between Windows and Mac with different shortcuts to enter into a folder, good for you. I just don't want to bother changing my mind back and forth and feel that windows' shortcut to enter a folder is more intuitive and convenient. What was wrong? Am I not allowed to use Mac just because of this? You apple fanboys amaze me.

When you enter into a restaurant and find the food very good but it is a little bit too spicy for you. Will you ask for less spicy or you never come back again?

its rather amusing seeing the mac users responses on here...... one thing they are failing to realise is we are all speaking english and although the language of windows and macs are different the rules of english should surely still apply - the word enter, in some other languages its similar entre sometimes its not similar but the purpose is and the word enter surely means to enter that folder or enter that file............

so i agree with you enter should be to enter ! simple...... command and down that in a sentence clearly is not as concise as ENTER

ENTER = TO ENTER when i folder is highlighted and hit ENTER - i would like to ENTER it !!

irregardless of the way people have been using / speaking mac english has been used for longer !!

agreed !!! they are up their own a r s e s !! I have to use windows for a lot of work i do and find the transition between mac and windows frustrating because of these silly differences. ENTER means ENTER if a folder is highlighted and hit enter its because i want to ENTER , go into that folder.

I am new to Mac. Why is such a big button on the keyboard "enter / return" dedicated for renaming? What does "enter" or "return" mean in case of mac?

What does "enter" or "return" mean in case of mac?

Just as it has always done since the very early days of computing: It tells the OS (or, more correctly, the current application) to process the input.

Now, just how that application processes the input varies greatly.

In a text editing application, 'enter' is usually interpreted as "Finish the current paragraph and start a new line"

In a shell-based application (such as Terminal.app), 'enter' is interpreted as 'take the command/data I've just typed and execute it'

In the Finder (and the crux of this thread), 'enter' is interpreted as 'allow me to rename this file/folder'

So, what is the purpose of the key? To process data in whatever way the current application determines is appropriate.

So Finally can u explain will the Enter key work to open the files or not ?