Right (double tap) in Finder while in list mode? And some other questions

[DC41]

I switched from Windows to a MacBook about 1.5 years ago and haven't looked back. The only time I have to deal with Windows is while troubleshooting a relative's computer. But, I still haven't learned a few basic things on the Mac, so I thought I'd post my questions:

1. When I have a Finder window open displaying the contents as a list, it seems I am unable right-click (two-finger tap) in the window to open the Pop-up window without selecting the item I'm hovering over. This is particularly annoying when I want to move a file from another folder and need to hold down the option key to change "Paste Here" to "Move File Here". I have to change the display to icons and then right click between the icons. Is there any easier way to do this? Do I always have to scroll to the bottom where there is space to right-click?
2. Sometimes I try to drag an item either to another window or to the trash and I'm unable to do so. macOS won't let me move it. If I hold down a key (I think it's the option key), it allows me to drag it. I haven't been able to figure out why this does it in some folders but not others. Any insight into this behavior would be appreciated.
3. Sometimes when tapping with two fingers (right-click), it doesn't work. Nothing happens. I have to try 5-6 times before it works. Is there a sensitivity control I can adjust? I haven't been able to find one. Do the fingers need to be a certain distance from each other? It seems to happen more in some apps than others (Outlook is particularly troublesome). Is this a common problem, could my trackpad be acting up, or do I just need to practice my right-click-foo?

Thanks!

 

[meson]

1. To activate the contextual menu you want, you need to be in a region of the column that isn't dedicated to an object in the list. i.e. you need to be in the white space area at the bottom. Unfortunately, this is the way it goes.

Personally, I use the Finder in column mode unless I want to see the more general info in List mode and choose to show the Path Bar and Status Bar (found in the View menu in Finder if you haven't tried them before).

2. Holding option while clicking and dragging a file generates a copy of the file in the new location, leaving the original intact. Option-dragging to the trash kind of defeats the purpose of dragging something to the trash. Other folders may be write-protected causing issues as well.

3. The fool proof way of right-clicking in MacOS is to hold the control key and left click. That said, when it comes to using the trackpad, yes, there is a rejection radius for two-finger right-clicking. You need to have the fingers fairly close together. I'm not sure if there is a way to adjust the rejection radius (maybe in Accessibility settings).

Single finger click = Left Click
Control-Single finger click = Right Click
Option-Singe finger click = Middle Click

One way to make drag and drop easier with the trackpad is to enable drag lock. System Settings -> Accessibility -> Pointer Control -> Trackpad Options -> Use Trackpad for Dragging - Drag Style - Drag Lock. You double tap a file and start dragging. You can even lift your finger during the drag. Tap again to release and the file will drop where you place it. There is no need to right click to drop the file into place.

I honed my skills back in the days before gestures and multi-touch trackpads.

So much of this info used to be built into System Preferences, but has moved into the unwritten rules of MacOS. As you have discovered pressing the option key with contextual menus open and/or doing other things often enables hidden options.

 

[Ben J.]

You could consider using a mouse.

 

[DC41]

1. To activate the contextual menu you want, you need to be in a region of the column that isn't dedicated to an object in the list. i.e. you need to be in the white space area at the bottom. Unfortunately, this is the way it goes.

Personally, I use the Finder in column mode unless I want to see the more general info in List mode and choose to show the Path Bar and Status Bar (found in the View menu in Finder if you haven't tried them before).

2. Holding option while clicking and dragging a file generates a copy of the file in the new location, leaving the original intact. Option-dragging to the trash kind of defeats the purpose of dragging something to the trash. Other folders may be write-protected causing issues as well.

3. The fool proof way of right-clicking in MacOS is to hold the control key and left click. That said, when it comes to using the trackpad, yes, there is a rejection radius for two-finger right-clicking. You need to have the fingers fairly close together. I'm not sure if there is a way to adjust the rejection radius (maybe in Accessibility settings).

Single finger click = Left Click
Control-Single finger click = Right Click
Option-Singe finger click = Middle Click

One way to make drag and drop easier with the trackpad is to enable drag lock. System Settings -> Accessibility -> Pointer Control -> Trackpad Options -> Use Trackpad for Dragging - Drag Style - Drag Lock. You double tap a file and start dragging. You can even lift your finger during the drag. Tap again to release and the file will drop where you place it. There is no need to right click to drop the file into place.

I honed my skills back in the days before gestures and multi-touch trackpads.

So much of this info used to be built into System Preferences, but has moved into the unwritten rules of MacOS. As you have discovered pressing the option key with contextual menus open and/or doing other things often enables hidden options.

Thanks for the write-up! I learned a few things and had others confirmed. I switched on the drag lock. Now my curser is bouncing all over the desktop because I have become accustomed to the hard press and the deep press. Now just a stray, gentle swipe of a thumb, and I'm typing in a whole different place!

 

[DC41]

You could consider using a mouse.

Tried that, but there's just not enough room to the side of the MacBook. Lift, move. Move lift! Life's too short!

 

[Ben J.]

Tried that, but there's just not enough room to the side of the MacBook. Lift, move. Move lift! Life's too short!

You can increase the "speed" of the mouse and pointer, and you will be able to use a smaller space. Apple menu - System settings - mouse.