How to Save File to Specific *Folder*

Yes. This thread changed my life, just now.

Ive been a devote mac user and have bad mouthed their file system since day one. Not intuitive at all....but now there is light at the end of the tunnel!

Just have to go back and do like 5 years of finder housekeeping to clean up that trainwreck.

Hi Niel,

This goes back to Feb 13, 2014, your response 100475 to slam fire175, 'How to save file to specific folder'.

My question is the same, (but for Excel for mac 2011). I don't have a solid triangle next to 'File name' in the 'Save as' window. In stead there is a downward pointing arrow head in the square button. When I click on it, a menu appears with a number of choices of folder, based on earlier use, but no frequently used ones.

How can I direct a document directly to a named (chosen by me) folder? In the past (for many years!) I have saved to Desktop..

Many thanks in advance!

Dick

I'm glad Niel changed your life, Wookie, despite the housekeeping!

I have a new MBAir and spent days doing the housekeeping this Mac deficiency had caused on my old computer. Although at one point I think I had the file management problem figured out, perhaps with a different OS!

However, using High Sierra OS 10.13.1, NO TRIANGLE appears next to any file name including Documents, which is where I wish to place everything albeit in a named subfolder. Only the most recently used subfolders appear. Though how they got there, I can't remember...

I hope someone will answer this VERY POPULAR question as it applies to 10.13.1 before we all tear our hairs out.

Thanks for calling attention to this problem again, Ibandrew. It looks as if only a few people have suffered from this problem in the last 3 years. Except Wookie, of course, who must have an older OS variant. I have Sierra (10.12.16) and you have the same problem in High Sierra, so the solid triangle in the button next to 'File name' must have been dropped at a fairly recent OS revision before or at Sierra. The downward-pointing arrowhead in our buttons only calls up a completely useless selection of irrelevant folders (seemingly chosen at random).

Are we missing something?

HELP!!

Interestingly enough, I just saved something using Save as PDF and when I clicked on the down arrow in Documents I got all My Documents from which to choose the appropriate one. Problem seemingly solved!

After your post, I tried to save THIS discussion as a PDF and I automatically got a list of all my Document Files from which to choose and was able to create a new subfolder for "Useful Mac Tips". But then just for fun I clicked on the down arrow (which was now an "Up" arrow) and I was put back in a more limited selection mode. I again clicked the down arrow (now "Down" after my prior click) and again got my entire list of Docs. It even still contained my new subfolder.

I can't offer a solution as to how or why this happened, but perhaps someone more knowledgeable can. At least for now, it seems my problem may be solved. Fingers crossed.

Great news! And well done! Thanks for the detailed description of the trick. It looks sound. Reversible and repeatable. I'll try it. I expect it should fill the long missed gap in my filing needs, going straight to a named folder rather than via Desktop. I'll post here if I find out anything significant.

Further to Ibandrew's fix for not having the solid triangle in the button next to the 'File name' which opens a menu from which to chose a destination folder (or even to name a specific one?). (On Sierra and High Sierra there is just an arrow pointing down which gives access to a menu with just a few, seemingly randomly picked, folders).

This clever trick didn't work for me (on Sierra 10.12.6) but apparently it works on High Sierra 10.13.1. (see above).

So gratitude and fame shall be her's or his who can offer a solution to the general question of How to send a file to a specific, specified, folder.

Was confused about this too. Solution is too simply click the the little down arrow key that appears in a little box next to save as destination box when go you to save your file. Was so glad to discover this! Using the latest version of Sierra as of December 2017

Click the button with the triangle to the right of the file name.

(100415)

Wait that WAS easy!

Why have I been living like this!!? Saving all files on desktop first before moving to specific, desired folders. 😕

*face palm*

What if I want to same in any SUB FOLDER. I feel Mac is not very good at Folder Management

Thank you, Niel.

Even though the question and your answer were 3 years ago, this worked for me for sure!

I agree with the person who *face palmed. 🙂

Maybe I am slow, but there is no triangle to the right of the filename. The only options I see are to save to OneDrive. Can you help?

3 years later you're still changing lives with that answer. Thank you so much.