Don't Replace Option while copying files

Nope, you're stuck with it. If you want to report this issue to Apple's engineering, send a bug report or an enhancement request via its Bug Reporter system. To do this, register as an Apple Developer—it's free and available for all Mac users and gets you a look at some development software. Since you already have an Apple username/ID, use that. Once a member, go to Apple BugReporter and file your bug report or enhancement request. You'll get a response and a follow-up number; thus, starting a dialog with engineering. Numbers count, so file away.

hhnnnggr !

i've been scanning the web für 3 hours now, cause i just couldn't believe apple really dropped the "don't replace"-option while merging folders...

if 10.7.1 doesn't restore this i'll find a adult os elsewhere

really disappointed with lion, less useful functions, more childish crap

If you want to be heard by Apple, outside of these user-to-user forums, file a BR/ER, That's the only way you'll be heard.

Huh? i just copied a few folders into my music-HD, and suddenly there was a "don't replace"-button (and no "keep both"). i'm afraid, not reproducable.

lion is still beta

steve, you owe me 24€

when you click on STOP it skips the files with the same file name and copies the files from one folder to another?!

stupid apple quality control

@ivan it did that once or twice for me but I just did some tests and it won't do it again, for now STOP = STOP ie it stops the whole copy process.

@namez same here, I saw that once also I am postive, but unable to reproduce, I want my "don't replace" button 🙂

Annoying to see such a basic fucntion used nearly every day when copying files pulled and no-one notices ? And yes I will file a BR can't be a ER as it was always there before !

Just did some more tests, if you do a move, then the stop button works like the old don't replace (ie command-c then option-command-v) and does not move files already existing it would seem, however it does not ask you once for each file so the "apply to all" means nothing, as thats what it does by default 🙂 Just for info.

@phillh.noumea

Thanks for showing me the "hack" regarding Move, then click Stop.

I can't think of any way to describe that mangled mess other than to call it a hack.

But imagine this. You have two hard drives that you want to keep syncronized. Your internal and external drive each have 4,000 photos on them (because you use your external as a backup). But you have taken some more photos (another 250 which equals 4,250 total) and they are on your internal drive. You want to put them on the external. You'd like to do what every other version of OS X did -- Grab them all and copy them to drive #2, but tell Finder not to copy duplicates. Now you are only copying 250 files over, and it would be a fairly short process. But alas, this won't work in Apple's latest OS...

So far as I can tell, here's what you have to do.

#1 Go to your external drive.

#2 Delete every photo (4,000) on you external drive.

#3 Copy 4,250 photos from your internal drive to your external drive.

#4 Go to the grocery store and run errands

Meanwhile you are opening yourself up to disaster because for a period of time you only have one copy.

Another work-around is to let Finder copy the duplicates. So now you have 4,250 + 4,000 = 8,250 files on your external drive.

Nice.

Way to go Apple.

This dumbing down of the PC operating system is going waaaaay too far.

I wonder if Finder alternatives (like PathFinder) restore the lost functionality?

I think you should try ChronoSync for those kinds of folder sync's... I love it 🙂

Thanks for your recommendation, but I think you are missing the real point.

That's incorrect, if you click STOP button stops the copy process entirely, is a bad, bad, very bad, decision about usability, sometimes Apple is very negligent with their new "Features".

Another Feature I really do not like: remote control is hijacked by iTunes all the times, you can't use it with other media players like Boxee(great player for home) I think S. Jobs is sick of power 😟

Yes, the same thing has happened to me as to namez a couple of times:

the "Don't Replace" button is there without any explanation...

but most of the time it is missing.

@jase71ds

yes yes I know, It was there, not it's not, screw you people behind this blah blah 🙂 you asked for an alternative to syncing large amounts of files between folders... I know pathfinder 5 is working in lion... I'll have to try it out... I stopped using it when in leopard or snow leopard it could do a simple move, only copy paste and then get back and delete the file... never returned to it.. but I loved it before...

@Luis Alberto Lopez Ruiz

it's no longer working for me to... but it did a couple of times... i think this is a bug not a feature... I hope it gets fixed in 10.7.X update.... is this still the case in developer betas? anyone knows?

@It_just_works

if that's the case than this is definetly a bug... hope they fix it soon... I hate not having that option so much...

Here is the solution:

If the RECEIVING folder is OPEN, "Don't Replace" is NOT an available option.

If the receiving folder is CLOSED, "Don't Replace" is available, just like before!

In other words, just drag the files to a CLOSED folder.

And today it is not working: whether the receiving folder is open or closed, "Don't Replace" does not appear as a choice.

I guess Rusic Ivan is right – looks like a bug.