GeneMike

Q: The Sidebar on my finder windows is empty?

In the Sidebar of my finder windows are only the headings, FAVORITES & SHARED?  I have opened Finder/Preferences repeatedly and chosen the folders I want displayed there, i.e. Desktop, Documents, Downloads, etc. but it has not effect on what is displayed in a new finder window??

MacBook Pro (15-inch Mid 2012), OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.5), Apple since 1979!

Posted on Oct 28, 2015 5:46 AM

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Q: The Sidebar on my finder windows is empty?

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  • by Eric Root,

    Eric Root Eric Root Oct 28, 2015 8:38 AM in response to GeneMike
    Level 9 (71,741 points)
    iTunes
    Oct 28, 2015 8:38 AM in response to GeneMike

    Do a backup, preferably 2 backups on 2 separate drives.

     

    Quit the application.

     

    In Finder hold down the option/alt key while selecting the Go menu item. Select Library. Then go to Preferences/com.apple.finder.plist. Move the .plist to your desktop.

     

    Restart the computer, open the application and test. If it works okay, delete the plist from the desktop.

     

    If the application is the same, return the .plist to where you got it from, overwriting the newer ones.

     

    If you want to make your user library permanently visible, run the below command in Applications/Utilities/Terminal.

     

    chflags nohidden ~/Library/

     

    You will need to do that after any updates.

  • by GeneMike,

    GeneMike GeneMike Oct 28, 2015 1:31 PM in response to Eric Root
    Level 1 (10 points)
    iPod
    Oct 28, 2015 1:31 PM in response to Eric Root

    I don't understand what "application" you are referring to??  This is not an "application" unless you are referring to a finder window as an application??  The issue is with the sidebar in finder windows.

  • by Eric Root,Solvedanswer

    Eric Root Eric Root Oct 29, 2015 8:43 AM in response to GeneMike
    Level 9 (71,741 points)
    iTunes
    Oct 29, 2015 8:43 AM in response to GeneMike

    Sorry for the misunderstanding. Ignore the quit application. Try deleting the com.apple.finder.plist, restart, and see if things are normal.

  • by GeneMike,

    GeneMike GeneMike Oct 31, 2015 8:41 AM in response to Eric Root
    Level 1 (10 points)
    iPod
    Oct 31, 2015 8:41 AM in response to Eric Root

    Thank you!  It worked as described.  I have trashed preference files in the past but, I am never confident that I am trashing the right one or that it will work as before!

     

    Thanks again!

  • by Eric Root,

    Eric Root Eric Root Oct 31, 2015 8:43 AM in response to GeneMike
    Level 9 (71,741 points)
    iTunes
    Oct 31, 2015 8:43 AM in response to GeneMike

    You are welcome.