help a switcher

[mmapples]

is there a way to arrange a folder so that all the files in it are arranged so that the folders are at the top, then the files after that, in alpha order (a la windows)?

also, is there a way to view the amount of space the files take up in the status bar?

 

[twoodcc]

i'm pretty sure that yes is the answer to those questions

 

[WildCowboy]

Wow...twoodcc, what a helpful response.

Question 1: Here's one way to do it...there may be others. Rename all of the folders to add a single space at the beginning. In other words, "Papers" becomes " Papers" for all folders. Finder will then display all of the folders first, then documents. I realize that this a manual, labor intensive method, but you should only have to do this in a few places, and just remember to do it every time you create a new folder.

Question 2: I am not aware of a way to directly view file size in the bottom of the Finder window...somebody here probably knows it though. The only advice I can offer here is to use List view, which displays file sizes for each file in the folder, or use Column view, which will only display the size of the currently highlighted file in the rightmost pane.

 

[Agathon]

In list view, make sure that the "kind" column is active and click it to sort the files. Folders should then be at the top.

In icon view sort by kind.

If you want to do it in column view, the previous post gives you the only way I can think of.

 

[mmapples]

thanks guys. =)

 

[dylan]

You can use Automator to, well, automate this:

Drag in "get selected finder items"
Drag in "Rename Finder Items"
Change "Add Date or Time" to "Add Text"
Type a space into the "Add" field.

Then select your folders and hit the play button. You could even use Spotlight to find all of your folders:

-In Finder type command+f
-Click "others..." specify your "Documents" folder or whatever folder's contents you want organized. MAKE SURE NOT TO SEARCH THE LIBRARIES (you don't want to mess with those)
-type "kind:folders" into the search field (alternatively i think a space plus kind->folders in the filter bar will work)
-select all the files and hit run!

 

[gekko513]

Possible substitute for question two:

cmd+a followed by cmd+i

 

[dylan]

Possible substitute for question two:

cmd+a followed by cmd+i

option+command+i works well. I rarely use the regular one.

 

[GimmeSlack12]

I have to say that none of the methods given above are exactly the easiest method of doing what you are looking for. They work, but using Automator for finding the size of folders, or adding a "space" before each file name? I don't know.

Either way:
1) You can view a folder by Kind, which groups similar file types (Type view in Windows).

2) You can set each window to Calculate relative Folder sizes in View options (Apple-J), and it will show the size of every file in the window. There is no simple option to showing the size of the contents in an open window.

 

[gekko513]

There is no simple option to showing the size of the contents in an open window.

cmd+a, cmd+i does that, or were you meaning that it wasn't simple