Help a newbie out please :)

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Help a newbie out please :)

Firstly, I have downloaded 2 'movies' which are .mp4 and appear under the movies heading in the All My Files section of finder. However I also have several .mkv files which I want to appear in the same section. I understand this may be because finder fails to understand what the .mkv codec is.

I am further confused by the fact that the two .mp4 movies appear under 'All my Files' but they do not appear under the movies section in the sidebar. How do I remedy this?

As a converter from windows I'm finding many parts of the mac os x experience far more thought out than any previous windows experience, however, finder frustrates me to no end. Also why does finder title all these files 'movies' when they are all 'videos', seems rather illogical. Equally I guess 'Pictures' should logically be titled 'images'.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

MacBook Air, Mac OS X (10.7.4)

Posted on Jun 23, 2012 9:16 AM

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Answer 1

softwater

Level 5

5,556 points

Jun 23, 2012 10:14 AM in response to free2bejc

Here's a trick you'll like.

Click on Finder in the dock, then go to the menubar at the top of the screen. Choose the View menu and click both

Show Path bar

Show Status bar

Now when you click on one of those files in 'All My Files' that isn't in your 'Movies' folder, just look at the path bar at the bottom of the Finder window to see where it is (you can also click on folders and files in the path bar to open them).

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Answer 2

free2bejc Author

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Jun 25, 2012 5:27 AM in response to softwater

Thanks for the quick reply, I did that before I asked the question and I now understand that Movies on the sidebar is actually a directory rather than a filter much like the Pictures folder, this much should have been obvious to me and was my mistake.

However, the query as to how to make .mkv or other video extensions appear in the all my files section still baffles me somewhat?

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Answer 3

Bill3

Level 2

297 points

Jun 25, 2012 5:48 AM in response to free2bejc

Make sure the files that are not appearing in "All my files" are in your user folder. If the files somehow got placed outside of your user folder they won't appear. For example, items in the Applications folder are not in your user folder so they do not appear in "all my files".

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Answer 4

free2bejc Author

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Jun 25, 2012 6:17 AM in response to Bill3

The .mkv files are in the user's movie section. Seeing as how Quicktime doesn't recognise .mkv is this why it might not appear?

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Answer 5

softwater

Level 5

5,556 points

Jun 25, 2012 6:25 AM in response to free2bejc

Do you mean the files don't show or the extensions don't show? If they're in the ~/Movies folder they must show, but remember that it is by default organised by most recently opened.

As for the file extension showing, have you got this enabled in Finder > Preferences?

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Answer 6

free2bejc Author

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Jun 25, 2012 6:36 AM in response to softwater

That is already enabled. I have a folder with the name of a tv series with some .mkv video files of some epsidoes inside it, in the movies directory thing. However, these .mkv files do not show up within the All My Files section. But, a .mp4 from a file created by iPlayer (a BBC download catch up service) that is inside a folder in movies (entitled iPlayer) and this file does appear in the All My Files section of finder.

Basically All My Files is not displaying all the files aha.

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Answer 7

softwater

Level 5

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Jun 25, 2012 6:42 AM in response to free2bejc

Have you done

Finder > View > Arrange by.. > Kind ?

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Answer 8

Bill3

Level 2

297 points

Jun 25, 2012 6:52 AM in response to free2bejc

What happens when you try to open the files?

I do not have any .mkv files so I have no exeprience with them. However a google search of "free .mkv player for mac" yields many free convertors.

It is odd that files do not appear, they should whether you have app to run them or not. when you go to "all my files" and do search for the name of one of the files, do you get any hits?

Link to some players: http://osxdaily.com/2012/03/13/mkv-players-for-mac-os-x/

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Answer 9

free2bejc Author

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Jun 25, 2012 6:52 AM in response to Bill3

I use VLC media player to play them and when I go to the actual location of the files I can find them and play them easily but I know that over time I will always end up with more scattered media and will want to be able to use the All My Files to show me everything.

I guess I could convert them to .mp4 or something like that and then they might appear under All My Files. Not really sure why I should have to though.

And yes softwarer I've already done that. It doesn't appear to recognise .mkv as a kind of anything. The files don't appear when arranged by name or kind.

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Answer 10

Jun 25, 2012 6:56 AM in response to free2bejc

Install a program named VLC player to see the .mkv file, QuickTime doesn't recognize those kind of files. Just like .avi and .wmv

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Answer 11

softwater

Level 5

5,556 points

Jun 25, 2012 7:06 AM in response to free2bejc

I'm still not certain whether this is a user error or a system problem. It seems to me that if you have something in a folder and it is either:

1. not in the Spotlight exclusion list ( > System Preferences > Spotlight > Privacy),

or

2. not an invisible file/folder or doesn't have the Chflags hidden flag set

then Spotlight should show it.

However, like many old OS X users, I don't use Spotlight or Finder for, literally, finding all my files. Instead, use something like the free app EasyFind.

Now, that literally will find EVERYTHING on your system, including things that you don't really want to find!

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