Making an alias by pressing Command-Option while dragging the original to another folder (or desktop) is not working on my iMac. Absolutely nothing happens. I recently upgraded from Mavericks and it still worked before the upgrade. Is this a known issue?
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Make Alias in Sierra
- Thread starter jyroflux
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Option-Command drag works fine for me in Sierra.
Can you make an alias of a file or folder through the right-click menu, or choosing Make Alias from the File menu?
Does Command-L work?
This is just a work-around, of course. But, if you can create an alias some other way, you can just drag that created alias to wherever you like.
(I am betting that Command-L doesn't work either, does it?)
Can you make an alias of a file or folder through the right-click menu, or choosing Make Alias from the File menu?
Does Command-L work?
This is just a work-around, of course. But, if you can create an alias some other way, you can just drag that created alias to wherever you like.
(I am betting that Command-L doesn't work either, does it?)
I'm using a mouse.
It un-selects when I attempt to drag it. Actually, it changes states every time I re-attempt to drag.
I just tried using another mouse. Same.
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Yeah, not normal behavior.
Did you try restarting your Mac?
Can you use that shortcut properly when logged in to another user account?
This can be a good test, so create a new user account if you don't have one already.
If it also does not work on another user account, then possible that you have a bad keyboard.
You could check that your keys stay held down by opening your Keyboard Viewer (System Preferences/Keyboard/Input Sources tab, select "Show Input menu in menu bar", then choose Keyboard Viewer from the input menu icon near the right end of your menu bar.) You can test each key on your keyboard, which highlights on the Viewer. Hold both your Option and Command keys for a few seconds to see that the keys remain pressed (highlighted) until you choose to release them. Watch for OTHER keys that show as pressed, even though you don't touch them.
Did you try restarting your Mac?
Can you use that shortcut properly when logged in to another user account?
This can be a good test, so create a new user account if you don't have one already.
If it also does not work on another user account, then possible that you have a bad keyboard.
You could check that your keys stay held down by opening your Keyboard Viewer (System Preferences/Keyboard/Input Sources tab, select "Show Input menu in menu bar", then choose Keyboard Viewer from the input menu icon near the right end of your menu bar.) You can test each key on your keyboard, which highlights on the Viewer. Hold both your Option and Command keys for a few seconds to see that the keys remain pressed (highlighted) until you choose to release them. Watch for OTHER keys that show as pressed, even though you don't touch them.
Restart doesn't help.
I created a guest account and it's the same. I can make an alias in all the normal ways except Command-Option.
The Keyboard Viewer was a great idea, but it shows that the keys are acting properly.
I also tried starting up in safe mode, same.
I created a guest account and it's the same. I can make an alias in all the normal ways except Command-Option.
The Keyboard Viewer was a great idea, but it shows that the keys are acting properly.
I also tried starting up in safe mode, same.
If you simply enabled the guest user, that may not be the best test. I don't think the guest account saves anything to the drive. and doesn't let you do a lot of things. Create another account (which could be an admin, if you choose to do that). Log out, then log back in to that account, then test again.
But, I suspect that the issue is system-wide, so try removing a couple of relevant .plist files in the main Library, then restart to your regular user.
Files would be in /Library/Preferences.
com.apple.BezelServices.plist
com.apple.HIToolbox.plist
com.apple.keyboardtype.plist
(you might not see the last one, so ignore if you don't see it)
system would need password to trash those files (probably)
I would do a shutdown, start, rather than a simple restart. That ensures that hardware is reset from cold (just an old habit of mine, but I find it works for my uses
) and that the .plists get recreated on next boot.
(If you do create another account, you can simply leave it for some later use, or delete it when you are finished with testing. It takes up very little space, and comes in handy for occasional quick tests.)
But, I suspect that the issue is system-wide, so try removing a couple of relevant .plist files in the main Library, then restart to your regular user.
Files would be in /Library/Preferences.
com.apple.BezelServices.plist
com.apple.HIToolbox.plist
com.apple.keyboardtype.plist
(you might not see the last one, so ignore if you don't see it)
system would need password to trash those files (probably)
I would do a shutdown, start, rather than a simple restart. That ensures that hardware is reset from cold (just an old habit of mine, but I find it works for my uses
) and that the .plists get recreated on next boot.(If you do create another account, you can simply leave it for some later use, or delete it when you are finished with testing. It takes up very little space, and comes in handy for occasional quick tests.)
Okay, I trashed these two:
com.apple.BezelServices.plist (circa 2014)
com.apple.HIToolbox.plist (circa 2012)
The first one was rebuilt, the second one is no longer there.
I'll next try creating a new user. (I've also run First Aid and ran DiskWarrior).
I upgraded to 10.12.3 from 10.9.5, so I wonder if things got lost in the shuffle. I have the 10.12.3 installer and I've just downloaded the 10.12.3 updater. I'm thinking about trying to run the updater.
com.apple.BezelServices.plist (circa 2014)
com.apple.HIToolbox.plist (circa 2012)
The first one was rebuilt, the second one is no longer there.
I'll next try creating a new user. (I've also run First Aid and ran DiskWarrior).
I upgraded to 10.12.3 from 10.9.5, so I wonder if things got lost in the shuffle. I have the 10.12.3 installer and I've just downloaded the 10.12.3 updater. I'm thinking about trying to run the updater.
The combo updater wouldn't hurt.
But, because a reinstall of the system is so easy, I would likely do that next.
Sierra is (pretty) good, in my opinion. But, there are still multiple reported issues, with USB, graphics in some ways, maybe other hardware issues, that Apple is still working on. Next update might take care of your issue, don't know.
But, prepping for the next update release (and assuming that you have had Sierra installed for more than a week or two), I would boot to the Sierra installer, and reinstall now. (Just what I would do, but then I do a fair amount of hardware "blunders", and tend to reinstall about once a month, after I "guess" wrong )
But, because a reinstall of the system is so easy, I would likely do that next.
Sierra is (pretty) good, in my opinion. But, there are still multiple reported issues, with USB, graphics in some ways, maybe other hardware issues, that Apple is still working on. Next update might take care of your issue, don't know.
But, prepping for the next update release (and assuming that you have had Sierra installed for more than a week or two), I would boot to the Sierra installer, and reinstall now. (Just what I would do, but then I do a fair amount of hardware "blunders", and tend to reinstall about once a month, after I "guess" wrong
)Okay, so I guess the combo updater is my next try. I created a new account and it's the same.
So, I haven't had to resort to rerunning an OS update for years, so here's hoping all goes well. I was hoping the next update would have arrived by now, but I'm not going to wait. I think I've had Sierra for almost two months.
Thanks for all your help.
Edit: Ran updater, no change.
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This has been bugging me as well since the very release of Sierra (10.12.0), so I've been waiting to see if some subsequent point release fixes it eventually. DeltaMac's post, however, got me thinking and I decided to experiment a bit again.
It appears that in Sierra you have to start dragging the item you want to make an alias of first and then hold down Option+Command for this to work. Just out of curiosity I tried this just now on my iBook G4 (Leopard) and my old 2009 MacBook (Snow Leopard), and it seems both approaches worked back then (i.e. first dragging and then pressing the keys, or, first pressing the keys and then dragging), which means it's not a change in the way the function is implemented in Sierra -- probably another bug.
I didn't know it worked both ways -- I've always used the second way (first pressing and then dragging), and I bet jyroflux has been doing the same, so this hopefully solves the problem.
Thank you guys!
It appears that in Sierra you have to start dragging the item you want to make an alias of first and then hold down Option+Command for this to work. Just out of curiosity I tried this just now on my iBook G4 (Leopard) and my old 2009 MacBook (Snow Leopard), and it seems both approaches worked back then (i.e. first dragging and then pressing the keys, or, first pressing the keys and then dragging), which means it's not a change in the way the function is implemented in Sierra -- probably another bug.
I didn't know it worked both ways -- I've always used the second way (first pressing and then dragging), and I bet jyroflux has been doing the same, so this hopefully solves the problem.
Thank you guys!
YMMV
I tried both ways (Press Option-Command before attempting to drag a folder to create an alias, or begin dragging a selected folder THEN press Opt-Cmd) Both work without fail for me.
I even tried a third method (don't select the folder first, just drag, then press Opt-Cmd before dropping the folder. Works, too!)
As long as the two keys are pressed, then held as you drop the file, doesn't matter when the two keys are pressed, either before, or during the drag to the added location.
I tried on my eMac G4, running Leopard, and the same three methods work, in exactly the same way for me on Sierra.
I guess you use what works, as long as your muscle memory does not interfere
I tried both ways (Press Option-Command before attempting to drag a folder to create an alias, or begin dragging a selected folder THEN press Opt-Cmd) Both work without fail for me.
I even tried a third method (don't select the folder first, just drag, then press Opt-Cmd before dropping the folder. Works, too!)
As long as the two keys are pressed, then held as you drop the file, doesn't matter when the two keys are pressed, either before, or during the drag to the added location.
I tried on my eMac G4, running Leopard, and the same three methods work, in exactly the same way for me on Sierra.
I guess you use what works, as long as your muscle memory does not interfere