HT2470: Mac Basics: The Finder organizes all of your files

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TJS1968

Q: Clicking finder in the dock does not open a new window.

I seem to be experiencing some odd behaviour.

 

When I click the finder in the dock - no new finder window opens. The icon has an active glow but I cannot get it to launch.

 

Any thoughts or am I just being daft?

MacBook Pro, OS X Mountain Lion (10.8)

Posted on Nov 1, 2012 2:04 PM

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Q: Clicking finder in the dock does not open a new window.

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  • by TJS1968,

    TJS1968 TJS1968 Nov 1, 2012 2:07 PM in response to TJS1968
    Level 1 (2 points)
    Nov 1, 2012 2:07 PM in response to TJS1968

    Also - Dropbox - Open Dropbox Folder doesn't do anything. I suspect they are connected.

  • by drdocument,

    drdocument drdocument Nov 1, 2012 2:08 PM in response to TJS1968
    Level 4 (3,010 points)
    Nov 1, 2012 2:08 PM in response to TJS1968

    What happens when you click Finder in the Dock, "Finder" is displayed next to Apple icon in menu bar, and you choose New Finder Window from the File menu (or click Command-N)?

  • by TJS1968,

    TJS1968 TJS1968 Nov 1, 2012 2:36 PM in response to drdocument
    Level 1 (2 points)
    Nov 1, 2012 2:36 PM in response to drdocument

    When I click Finder in the dock nothing happens.

     

    When I click-hold I get the menu to select "New Finder Window"

     

    When I use Command N from that menu I get a new window.

     

    Command N from the desktop opens Safari.

     

    Also any folder open commands for other apps do not open a folder / file window. (Dropbox)

  • by drdocument,

    drdocument drdocument Nov 1, 2012 3:08 PM in response to TJS1968
    Level 4 (3,010 points)
    Nov 1, 2012 3:08 PM in response to TJS1968

    I do not use Dropbox, so cannot help with that.

     

    However, the first two items here seem to be expected behavior.

    If you click the Finder icon in the Dock (far left) any Finder windows already open will come to the front and "Finder" will appear in the menu bar next to the Apple logo (which is on the far left). However, if there are not any Finder windows already open, nothing else will change, and the only way you can tell that the Finder is the frontmost and active app is that "Finder" is displayed next to the Apple in the menu bar.

     

    If you want to switch to another app (including Finder) and hide all other windows, press Command-Option while clicking on that app's icon in the Dock. This helps me sometimes.

     

    If Safari is the active (and frontmost) app, "Safari" will appear next to the Apple icon. If you have closed all Safari windows (by clicking the red button or pressing Command-W), Safari will continue to be active and if you press Command-N while in Safari you will get a new Safari window, not a new Finder window.

     

    If all other windows are closed, and Safari happens to be the active app, this can occur even though nothing but the desktop is in view.

     

    It sounds like you might be in Safari with no windows open. True?

     

    What happens when you hold Cmd-Option and click on Finder icon, then press Cmd-N?

     

    Hope this helps.

  • by Barney-15E,

    Barney-15E Barney-15E Nov 1, 2012 3:32 PM in response to TJS1968
    Level 8 (49,752 points)
    Mac OS X
    Nov 1, 2012 3:32 PM in response to TJS1968

    If no Finder windows are open, it should open one. However, if there are windows open, it should activate the frontmost.

     

    First, restart. Could just be something goofy.

     

    If that doesn't help, try another user account to see if it is isolated to your account or the whole system.

     

    You should also boot into Safe Mode (by holding down shift on restart). It will run some disk checks and then boot to the login window (so make sure you know your password if you autologin normally). If it works in safe mode, you've got something that is interfering with the OS.

  • by TJS1968,

    TJS1968 TJS1968 Nov 1, 2012 3:59 PM in response to drdocument
    Level 1 (2 points)
    Nov 1, 2012 3:59 PM in response to drdocument

    Ok. I have just checked my wife's mac and when she double clicks the finder icon a new window opens showing "All my files".

     

    This does not happen on mine.

     

    How do I get this behaviour back?

  • by Barney-15E,Solvedanswer

    Barney-15E Barney-15E Nov 1, 2012 5:24 PM in response to TJS1968
    Level 8 (49,752 points)
    Mac OS X
    Nov 1, 2012 5:24 PM in response to TJS1968

    How do I get this behaviour back?

    Do what I suggested above, report back, and maybe we can figure that out.

     

    Another thing to try might be setting the folder to open in the Finder Preferences. That might kick it back to what it is supposed to do, but I doubt it.

  • by TJS1968,

    TJS1968 TJS1968 Nov 2, 2012 2:15 AM in response to Barney-15E
    Level 1 (2 points)
    Nov 2, 2012 2:15 AM in response to Barney-15E

    OK. Deleted com.apple.finder.plist and rebooted. All sorted. Thank you.

  • by Mitch 751,

    Mitch 751 Mitch 751 Jul 8, 2013 12:37 AM in response to TJS1968
    Level 6 (11,544 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jul 8, 2013 12:37 AM in response to TJS1968

    I have deleted com.apple.finder.plist - does not solve

     

    I also created a new accout, which does not open as well.

     

    But my Macbook Pro and Mac Mini have not this problem.

     

    Any hint is appreciated.

  • by Mitch 751,

    Mitch 751 Mitch 751 Jul 8, 2013 3:47 AM in response to Mitch 751
    Level 6 (11,544 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jul 8, 2013 3:47 AM in response to Mitch 751

    Ok I finally solved my problem too, this is the way I had done

     

    Delete the following folders and files

    1. DropboxHelperTools (Library Folder)
    2. Dropbox (Application)
    3. Dropbox (user)

     

    2. Delete deleted com.apple.finder.plist

     

    3. Delete .dropbox folder (Go to folder and then type ~/.dropbox)

     

    4. Empty trash

     

    5. Download and install DropBox from web again

     

    6. During the installation, a window will pop up and mention it can't find the link, and what we need is to relink.

     

    Bingo

  • by alundiak,

    alundiak alundiak Apr 7, 2016 1:53 PM in response to Mitch 751
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Mac OS X
    Apr 7, 2016 1:53 PM in response to Mitch 751

    @TJS1968,  @Mitch 751, I did as in last comment suggested. 6 item not reproduced - I didn't have any popup. Drop installed and that's it.

    But issue still remain. Finder and whole OS X restarted.

    Mac OS X 10.11.4, MacBook Pro (Retina, 15-inch, Mid 2014).

    I have this odd behavior since Mavericks (my first meeting with OS X).

    Note: In fact, after restart of Mac OSX, the very first click on Finder item works fine - Finder opened. But then, when I Cmd+Q, Finder process closed, next click on Finder icon doesn't open Finder (doesn't show Window with my redefined tabs). So I have to click 2nd time, and then window is opened/shown.

  • by alundiak,

    alundiak alundiak Apr 7, 2016 4:18 PM in response to alundiak
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Mac OS X
    Apr 7, 2016 4:18 PM in response to alundiak

    Regarding last step - I re-linked Dropbox account with my new ~/Dropbox folder. So if it was meant this. All my files now newly synchronized, and Finder behaves strange anyway. Any ideas what I may look more to fix it?