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How can I get OS 10.8.2 to remember the last folder visited? Every time I try to import something or save a document, I have to start at the top folder and work my way down to the same folder over and over again? Anyone know a fix or app to fix this problem?
alamacque
Mac mini, OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.2)
I have the same problem. And although I don't have a great solution, there is a pretty good work around: set the folder where you are saving multiple files as a favorite folder in Finder. Then you can just click once on the favorite folder each time. When you are done with that project, you can delete the favorite.
Try using another account and see if the same thing happens. Trying to determine if it is a specific account or affects all accounts.
It specifically happens in Microsoft Word and QuarkXpress... doesn't seem to be happening in Photoshop Elements or Adobe Acrobat. Those are the apps I use the most.
alamacque
The OS doesn't remember. It is up to the Apps themselves to remember.
Perhaps there is something corrupt in those apps' preferences.
They're both clean installs on a brand new machine and both Xpress and Word are right out of the package. So ... I should be talking to the software companies about the problem? I've searched on the Xpress site with no luck in the forum about it ... haven't tried Microsoft. Do they even have customer service? :-)
alamacque
I don't have QuarkXpress, but I do have Word and it remembers where I saved last.
Microsoft's preference files are a giant mess, but since I knew what directory I was looking for, I found the preference. It is NSNavLastRootDirectory:PutFile:0
Copy and Paste this into Terminal and see if it lists your last save location:
defaults read com.microsoft.word NSNavLastRootDirectory:PutFile:0I'm a little leery of doing stuff with Terminal ... is it just a copy and paste function, close it and don't worry about it?
alamacque
Triple-click to select the entire command that Barney provided. Press command+c to copy it to the clipboard. Open the Terminal app and click anywhere in its window to provide keyboard focus. Now, press command+v and paste the defaults read line into your Terminal. Press return.
This command does no write operation. It asks MS Word to report the last save location, which will be returned to the Terminal screen. This should help you find the location of your last saved file. After this, you can File > Quit that Terminal application.
It might also be advantageous to look at the MS Word and Quark preferences to see where the default save is written. And the manuals, if still vague.
As VikingOSX pointed out, the command just reads Word's last save location. Sometimes, preference files (.plist) can get corrupt or unwritable, so Word can't save the preference. If that is the case, just deleting the preference file usually fixes the problem.
I was just trying to see if it can write to that file. If the last save location is different than where you last saved a file, then Word can't write to the plist. If it is the same, then Word isn't processing the information correctly.
If it can't write, it may be a permission problem, which we can also fix.
Okay, I did the Terminal paste and it didn't do anything. Word still doesn't go into the last folder I used.
In its preferences there is a link for file locaitons, but it appears that all documents will go to whatever spot designated. I have clients and I have volunteer activities and their documents need to be saved into their respective folders. I don't get the impression that it will go back to the same folder. Under Documents in the File Locations function in Word Preferences, it says:
File Types
Lists the default storage location and search path for documents, templates, and other items you create or use in Word. Click the item you want to chagne, and then click Modify to set a new default location.
Am I missing something here?
Thanks!
alamacque
Do you mean this?
It's the box where you can enter your preferred location for files to save to.
Yes ... but then will it save everything into one folder when I really need to file in many different folders?
alamacque
alamacque wrote:
Yes ... but then will it save everything into one folder when I really need to file in many different folders?
You can still save anywhere you like by choosing the location, if you don't choose the file will be in the location specified in the File Locations dialog.
alamacque wrote:
Okay, I did the Terminal paste and it didn't do anything. Word still doesn't go into the last folder I used.
It wasn't supposed to do anything except spit out the path the where it last saved a document.
If it didn't spit anything out, then I would go in and delete the plist.
As I tried to point out, along with Viking, we are trying to figure out what is wrong. When we figure out what is wrong, then we might be able to fix it. At this point, I'm with Eric, go ask Microsoft.
why doesn't os 10.8.2 remember the last folder visited
