Stupid Sidebar Tricks

A couple keys on the keyboard can get you precisely what you want when you’re flying through the Finder.

This Snippet also shows you how to add a printer to your Sidebar.

More on the Sidebar in a previous post.

Files Mailed Magically When Dropped in a Finder Folder

There must be someone you email stuff to all the time. Maybe you send your mom pictures. Or you send an agenda to your boss every day. That can take a lot of clicks. Open Mail. Create a message. Address it. Attach the file. Write a subject. Sounds like a lot of work.

Instead, watch this Snippet. You can create an action that grabs every file you add to a folder and mails it off to a pre-configured address. Click to see an example. Or click Watch Now below to see how to set it up.

Murphy uses this as a crude backup tool. He drops key files to a folder and they are instantly whisked away to a free email service. Quick and convenient archiving.

What do you think? Too lazy?

Bonus: Murphy has provided a Folder Action script that prompts for a subject before sending the attachment.

Download Script

or Download Script w/ Subject Prompt

Update, June 2007: See this new post on this subject.

Mac Rodeo

It’s easy to forget the days when you knew nothing about your Mac. But if you’re a beginner, the simplest task can derail progress.

This Snippet covers different ways to select files. It’s important.

The suggestions provided work in MS Windows too. Watch the Snippet to see how.

Open this. With that.

File types like jpeg, mov, raw, txt and others can be opened with a variety of applications. You could right-click a file and select Open With. This displays a list of apps you have installed that can open the file.

But sometimes it’s more direct to drag the file right to the Dock, as long as the program you need is on the Dock. Even if the program isn’t a permanent fixture on your Dock, it’ll be there if it’s open.

Murphy thinks this is a way obvious tip. But you never know - maybe it’ll help your mother-in-law.

Creating Custom Icons

Sometimes the simple things don’t seem so simple. OS X is discrete if nothing else. Chores that required a big button in Windows might seem hidden to a new Mac user.

In Windows you could open the properties panel for any shortcut and click a button to change its icon. On your Mac it’s a cut and paste operation. Bonus: You can use any image file to create your own fancy icons. Watch the Snippet to see how.