Save file dialog does not pick up name.

Tom Sommerseth1,

I noticed it has been awhile since you last posted, and I was curious if this has been fixed in an update for you or not? The reason I ask is because I don't seem to be experiencing what you are when I try to test this. I am running the latest available version of Sierra 10.12.3 (16D32). I apologize for the quality of my gif screencast It is my first time making one.

Best of Luck,

westongallagher

Thanks so much! This has been driving me crazy and slowing down my workflow, took forever to find anything about this. I thought I was all alone. I really hope Apple changes this, it is such a basic and necessary feature for saving files. I'm also a graphic designer who uses thumbnails to view files.

Your post provoked me to try this using two different applications (Apple's Pages and MacOS' Preview). In both cases, when I opened an existing file, its name appeared at the top center of the window. Further, when I did a "Save" or "Save..." that file name was presented as the default name; in other words, a save would simply overwrite the existing file.

The behavior you're describing clearly depends on what application you're using. You did not specify what application that might be.

It all works fine for me.

Consider this sequence of four screen shots related to opening my file named "Carole" using Preview:

1. I open the file.

2. The file name appears at the top of the window. There is a drop down arrow next to the file with additional options which may be used in a "Save" context. (I am not addressing this drop down arrow at all in this discussion, but perhaps it has options you would like.)

3. I choose "File > Save ..." from Preview's menu.

4. By default, the current file name "Carole" appears in the "Save As" box. I did not type that name.

Thanks, this has been driving me nuts and really effected my workflow. Being a graphics professional I use thumbnail view A LOT and picking up the filename for save is a shortcut that has been present for as long as I remember! How did they miss this? At least I can use this workaround for now. Hopefully this is something that will be fixed sooner rather than later.

Your post is exactly my problem, all the way down to being a Graphic Designer. On accident I figured out if you click and drag down on a file, then let go, in thumbnail view it will update the Save As name field. Definitely a bug, but a better work around for now.

So has there be any response from anyone at Apple as to why this is a change in macOS Sierra? It worked fine before the upgrade to Sierra. Anyone know of a reason why it now only works in list view?

"Why" questions are almost never answerable on the Apple Support Communities. We are not allowed to speculate why Apple does or does not take actions, offer/modify products, etc.

Apple Support Communities Use Agreement

With Sierra, on a Save.../Save As... panel, you can update the Save As: filename field:

1. Icon View

   Drag/drop new icon over the filename field

2. List View

   Single-click of new document name

Just want to add a note of thanks, Tom. I've been trying to think of the best way to phrase a Google search to find the answer to this issue (I'm a graphic designer, too -- where's the love for your traditional user base, Apple?!) and finally stumbled on the right words that threw up this page.

I thought it was a bug and have been waiting for another OS update but I guess it's just a "feature"... and a strange decision at that.

Have this issue too. As a designer it's a workflow nightmare so hopefully they fix it in an update soon!

I want to thank Tom for opening this issue and for the other fellow Designers with whom I share the same frustration with this workflow. It makes no sense to have 3 ways to view files in a folder, and not be able to use the same action no matter if I am viewing as thumbnail, list or any other view type. Poor UX/UI analysis from the team.

I too thought this was a bug... And also hope they fix this issue. I am really frustrated with this and thinking to roll back to El Capitan but I am not so sure if I really should do it. But there are still too many bugs for me in Sierra to keep ignoring them and wait for a fix...

Thank you so much, your suggestion did the trick for me, to click and drag down on the file name I want to use; I do hope they change it back to how it was before as it was faster, but at least for now I can work with this