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Level 2

201 points

Ability to color folders in Finder GONE in Mavericks

Over the years, one of my greatest frustrations with various versions of Windows is they never offered a simple means of highlighting certain important folders, such as by color, so they could be quickly discovered in a longer list of folders. The same for files... I always thought Windows was so silly to not do something that had been around in Mac OS seemingly forever, the ability to give one of several colors to Folders or files so they could be quickly discovered.

But oh my, I installed Mavericks yesterday and one of the first things I noticed is all my folder highlighting, which I use chronically and have so for years, has now been replaced by an almost impossible to see, tiny colored dot way off to the right side of the file or folder, the Apple invention called TAGS. Oh my...

I, for one, have already sent Feedback to Apple asking them to reconsider. I understand the TAG concept and that's all great but don't take away my ability to sort of prioritize folders by color... About having that go away, color me bummed...

bob..

MacBook Pro with Retina display, OS X Mavericks (10.9)

Posted on Oct 23, 2013 8:51 PM

54 replies

Apollo22

Level 1

0 points

Apr 11, 2014 12:11 PM in response to Robert Paris

Yes, provided feedback to Apple yesterday. 4.09.14

thanks!!

Apr 11, 2014 1:37 PM in response to Apollo22

Fret no more! For the minimal cost of $18, you can have the colorized lines as well as many other features Apple has decided in their infinate wisdom are not necessary. one word: TotalFinder (OK, two words run together.) http://totalfinder.binaryage.com and you will be a happy Apple user once again. Nothing in it for me, except that I have been totally frustrated with the stupid miniature dots and the loss of the entire line being colored, and now I have it back! Well worth the cost to end my frustration!

Apr 11, 2014 2:35 PM in response to RedpointRik

Thank you. This worked great. I had to install the update/temp version to get the colored labels... I'm doing the trial to see if it causes any problems.

Giorno

Level 1

8 points

Apr 29, 2014 5:50 AM in response to Robert Paris

Try this:

Tag files or directories as you like then:

Menu => View => Arrange by => Tags

Menu => View => Sort by => Name or what you like (Sort by appear holding down "option")

Robert Paris Author

Level 2

201 points

Apr 29, 2014 8:50 AM in response to tweberfree

Hi, Can you tell me where/how to find this newer version (appears to be called 1.6) that has the colored labels??? When you go to the website, it shows the current version to be 1.5.2.2. When you click on "Read the Documentation" and then click on "colored labels", a message comes up that, in part, says,

This feature is available only under Mavericks and later (10.9+) since TotalFinder 1.6.

But then I peruse around trying to find Total Finder 1.6 and so far have been unable to do so. What am I missing??? Where might it be??? Do I have to first install 1.5.2.2 and then look for an update to that???

thanks... bob...

Apr 29, 2014 9:29 AM in response to Robert Paris

After I installed the software I could not find the labels either. I had to do an update to TotalFinder. Here is a link to the instructions for enabling the colored labels: http://totalfinder.binaryage.com/colored-labels

or (you'll want to check off the "colored labels" option at the bottom of the list)) (pasted from site>> You have to opt-in via Preferences -> TotalFinder -> File Browser -> Colored Labels . This feature is available only under Mavericks and later (10.9+) since TotalFinder 1.6.

Jul 13, 2014 9:50 AM in response to RedpointRik

Thanks for the tip, RedpointRik---just downloaded the trial, and can already see it's worth the minimal fee.

Jul 30, 2014 3:19 PM in response to Barney-15E

I am so miserable with those ridiculous colored dots, too! I've spent years organizing my files and docs with colors that are immediately recognizable and mean something to me. I would never have upgraded if I'd suspected they would take away my full-color labels. Am on the phone with Applecare now to plead my case and see if there is any hope.

Jul 30, 2014 7:28 PM in response to pamela441

There is no hope from Apple but you can buy a utility called Totalfinder and get colored folders back (it also has other functions that I don't use.) After installing you will need to activate the colored folders feature in the Totalfinder preferences. The readme file explains how to do it. Then your colored folders will reappear!! Yay!

Ability to color folders in Finder GONE in Mavericks