How do I save directly into asubfolder on OS 10.3?

krs · Oct 16th, 2005, 07:43 PM

Hi everyone -

Here is a question where I thought the answer was obvious or easy to find...but I can't.
I'm running OS 10.2 on one Mac (G4) and I can save a file in any subfolder I chose. hen I click on 'save as' I can select any foldr or subfolder on the Mac, even several levels down and save directly to it. Files and folders are basically arranged in two side-by-side boxes or windows, chosing a folder in the left window will bring up all the files and/or folders within that folder in the right window and one can 'drill' down as far as necessary to get to the subfolder one wants.
On OS 10.3 (Mac mini), I just get a single listing of folders to save into; I cannot select any subfolders at all. This means I need to save in the document folder or desktop and then move the file to the subfolder manually.
I assume there is a set up menu somewhere that I need to go to to have OS 10.3 work the same as OS 10.2, ie get to a sub-folder directly. Any hints?
Thanks

kps · Oct 16th, 2005, 08:05 PM

The mac os x save window and much of the Finder interface has bee pretty well consistent throughout it's existence on X.

If I'm interpreting what you're saying correctly, you have a collapsed 'save', 'save as' window. This gives you a more 'localised' view.

All you have to do is expand the window using the 'downward arrow' on the drop-down menu( the one that shows 'desktop' or 'documents') to reveal all subfolders or the whole drive plus any externals.

This is two shots of the dialog box from safari:

Collapsed:

Expanded:

krs · Oct 16th, 2005, 11:59 PM

Hi kps -

You are certainly interpreting my question correctly.
I was playing with OS 10.3 a bit more t figure out how to best save a file and came across the downward arrow that you pointed out.
I never considered clicking on it before because the arrow is located right next to the "Save As" box. The way I understand it, the "Sace As" box determines the file name, leave it as is or change it to something else, whereas the "where" box below determines the filelocation. It's the location I want to change, so I always only clicked on the double arroes on the right hand side of that box.
I think the down arrow that collapses and expands the whole window is in a poor position - it should not be associated with the 'Sav As' window.

But even expanding the window and then searching for the folder is a bit awkward and cumbersome, especially when you opened a file, make a change and then want to just save the changed flie in the original folder (a very common operation, at least for me)
I believe in OS 9 there was a system option that allowed you to set the default location to save a file to. One of the default options was the same folder the original file was in.
Is there no such thing on OS X?
I looked for that but coulnd't find anything.

kps · Oct 17th, 2005, 08:44 AM

I think what you're describing is application specific and not a system wide preference and that's the way it should be.

Applications will remember where you last saved and always take you to that location.

"Save As..." can also refer to file formats, not just names.

But I agree, that button is in an unusual spot.

krs · Oct 17th, 2005, 11:03 AM

	Quote:			Originally Posted by kps
	Applications will remember where you last saved and always take you to that location.

That's what I though and expected as well.
This particular problem is with both Appleworks and MS Office X Word, neither one takes you to the original location - that is the basic problem and that's why I thought there is some other system wide control that I haven't set up.

Thanks for all your help.