Mac Question - Please Help, I'm Desperate, lol!

[nanienamou]

Okay, so it's been a week since I received my new iMac and I absolutely love it - except for one thing... How do you browse through your scrap folder? With Finder? Everything is so small and the previews never appear on the folders.

So I downloaded the Beta Version of ACDSee for Mac and of course, everything is bigger, but still no previews on the folders. For example, in my SSD kits folder, I see all the blank folders and the names, but no previews on them. Is that clear?

Then I tried with Bridge, and I have the same issue, no previews.

Help! I really need those previews to inspire me when I browse through my files. Plus, it's really no fun looking for an alpha in my alpha folder when I can't see what's inside my folders!

Explain to me how you scrap. When I had my PC, I had 2 ACDSee windows opened at the same time (the Mac version does not let open more than 1 window for some reason...). One was used for the kit I was using, the other for the pics. Then I used Window Explorer or another ACDsee window for elements if it was necessary.

[BrattyMeg]

open the Get Info panel for the folder (Cmd+I) and copy and paste the full sized preview onto the folder thumbnail

is that what you mean? Making the preview show up in your folder? it won't help the size though so pretty sure I'm talking about something else haha

This is via Lynnette when she explained to Traci how to do it

This is what I do. Open the preview in Preview. Select all (Cmd+A) and Copy (Cmd+C). Then I go to the folder and open the Get Info box. Make sure to select the blue folder thumbnail at the top of the window. It'll get a blue outline around it when it's selected. Then Paste and it should change to the image you want.

[Lyd]

What Meg (Lynette) said. Also, if you click on a file in the Finder (just once to highlight it, not to open it) and then hit the space bar, it will open up a Quick Look window which is quite a bit bigger. You can then use the arrow keys to navigate around to the other files. Or, if you are viewing the files in Cover Flow format rather than in columns then you can increase the size of the window and the images will be bigger. Does that makes sense?

[suladesign]

Have you thought of changing the view settings in your Finder window? On the top right in that window there should be several boxes to choose from. Probably a good idea is to do what the other ladies suggested and copy the previews on to the folders. Then I'd go to "View" and select "Show items as icon". That should give you the previews. You can also readjust the size for the previews: With the "Finder" as your active window, simply go to the menu bar, click on "View", and then choose "Show view options".
Now you have a small window pop up called "Previews". It basically gives you some options on how to view things in your Finder (really not that complicated). To be able to see all the options you need to make sure that in your Finder window you have "show items as preview" selected. That will give you some options in the little "Previews" window. Make sure you have "Show icon preview" checked. All the rest you can adjust to your own liking. Hope this was helpful, though I don't know if it's this you were asking for!

[Nettio]

If you have Snow Leopard, when you're in Finder, go to the thumbnail view and there should be a slider at the bottom of the window that will make the icons as large as 512px. You'll still have to copy and paste the previews to the folder icons but once you do, you'll be able to see them nice and large without using Quicklook.

[nanienamou]

Ok, I'm copying and pasting the previews as some of you said, but the ordinary jpeg image is appearing, not the preview.

I can't believe I'll have to do that for every kit/element/alpha folder. THat's a small disappointment.

[Nettio]

Originally Posted by nanienamou

Ok, I'm copying and pasting the previews as some of you said, but the ordinary jpeg image is appearing, not the preview.

I can't believe I'll have to do that for every kit/element/alpha folder. THat's a small disappointment.

Are you copying from the thumbnail image or the actual preview? You need to open the full preview file first - so double-click on the preview in the kit folder and unless you've changed the defaults, it should open up in Preview. Then like Meg said, do Cmd+A to select the image (you'll get the dancing ants) and then Cmd+C to copy the image. Then go to the folder itself (if you hit Cmd+Up Arrow from within the folder, it'll automatically take you up a level in the folder hierarchy and select the folder for you) and do Cmd+I to open up the Get Info box. Click on the little folder thumbnail in the upper left corner so that it has a blue outline around it and then Cmd+V to paste the preview image. If you've done everything right, then it will work, but the key is you need to copy from the actual preview image, not from the thumbnail image in Finder.

HTH! If you still have issues, let me know, but I promise it does work since all my folders are nice and pretty. It does take some time to do it but if you're quick with the shortcuts it's pretty fast. If you have all your preview images named folder.jpg from your PC, you might be able to write some kind of Applescript for it to do it for you but I could never get it to work the way I wanted to so I'm no help with that. I usually just take like 15 minutes at a time while watching tv to quickly do the folder icons.

[nanienamou]

That's it! I was copying the thumbnail, not the full preview. I'm going to go and try it right now. Thanks everybody, you're great helpers!

I must say, though, I've found my Mac to be quite user-friendly and have not have any other major issues. I've already scrapped at least 5 pages on it.

ETA: It works! Yay!

[Emmy]

Originally Posted by Nettio

You need to open the full preview file first - so double-click on the preview in the kit folder and unless you've changed the defaults, it should open up in Preview. Then like Meg said, do Cmd+A to select the image (you'll get the dancing ants) and then Cmd+C to copy the image. Then go to the folder itself (if you hit Cmd+Up Arrow from within the folder, it'll automatically take you up a level in the folder hierarchy and select the folder for you) and do Cmd+I to open up the Get Info box. Click on the little folder thumbnail in the upper left corner so that it has a blue outline around it and then Cmd+V to paste the preview image. If you've done everything right, then it will work, but the key is you need to copy from the actual preview image, not from the thumbnail image in Finder.

Ok, I got this to work where I see the kit image when I'm looking at my files in rows (icon view maybe?) but when I am viewing in the way where it scrolls across through the files I can't see the images. I see the blue folders for the ones where I haven't changed it yet, but for the ones where I *have* changed to the image I just see black space. Will the images not work in that view? (and I'm sorry I don't know what that view is called - it's the 4th option from left in finder, it's the one where it's a black background and you can see the images to the right or left of the selected one as you are scrolling through.

[Lyd]

The viewing styles, from left to right, are Icon, List, Columns, Cover Flow.

It sounds like you are talking about Cover Flow. You should be able to see the images in there. Sometimes it takes a little time for the images to load up, but they should be there. Really, you should be able to see the images in any of the viewing styles, they'll just be really tiny in the list and column views. In icon and Cover Flow, you can control the size with the slider or the size of your Finder window.

[Emmy]

Thanks Lydia - yes, I am talking about cover flow. And for some reason my previews aren't showing there but they are in the other views....I'll have to check back later and see if that changes. I hope so - I really like cover flow lol

[Nettio]

Which OS does your Mac have? Is it Leopard or Snow Leopard? I had issues with the icons in CoverFlow in Leopard but it seems to have been fixed in Snow Leopard. I know I experienced what you're talking about but since it was a few years ago, I don't remember why it happened. But I do know that in Leopard I could never just copy & paste the icon images; I had to create icons using a program in order for them to work properly. You might also try restarting or just relaunching Finder and see if that fixes the problem.

[Emmy]

I'm not sure which OS I'm using, the machine was purchased 2-3 years ago.

Now I have a bigger problem. ha. Um, so my kits are gone...I've obviously done something wrong. I followed the steps above but when I got to the folder where the kits are - the ones that I went through all that stuff on - show only the jpg of the preview, not the folder of stuff itself. It's like the preview replaced the file folder as opposed to just becoming a preview for what is IN the file folder. Any ideas on what I did wrong?

[Emmy]

as an update of sorts - my kits *are* there but I can't double click on that preview to get to them. I can only get to them by typing the name of the kit into the search box and locating it that way. And when I do I can access the full kit and the path is the same as where I am seeing that preview. But for some reason from the kit folder I can't select or double click on those to open the folder. I've obviously got some setting screwed up and I'm so frustrated. I wish I didn't have to take on this conversion to mac thing right now. Any help would be appreciated!

[Nettio]

When you're in thumbnail view, if you double-click on the file name rather than the image preview, does the folder open?

I'm going to guess you have Leopard based on the issues you're having as I had all the same issues when I got mine a few years ago. If you go up to the Apple icon in the top left corner and click on About this Mac - which version number does it list?

[Emmy]

ok I feel like the biggest computer noob ever. Um yes...if I click on the file name it opens, but not if I click on the file image. It really didn't occur to me to try the file name over image since I could click on the image on the blue file folders. Thanks for coming to my rescue, seriously.

As to the OS - it's OS X Version 10.5.8

Do we need to update? This was my dh's machine at work and he got to keep it when their company closed so I have no idea if they updated stuff like that. Despite being 3 years old it's a pretty powerful machine so I want to make it work until I can buy a macbook pro.

[Nettio]

No, no, no reason to feel like a noob. I went through it when I first got my Mac two years ago and I got so frustrated with all the kinks and stuff that after a month my DH threatened it back but two years later, compy and I are good friends.

Ok so 10.5 is going to be Leopard. I upgraded to Snow Leopard back in January and I thought it was well worth the $30. It's not really a full OS update but they did refine a lot of the features that were added in Leopard and more importantly, they seemed to have worked out most of the issues with the image icons and Coverflow which definitely made it worth it to me. So you might want to look into it since it's probably the easiest way to solve the problems you're having. There are other ways to do the icon previews but it's probably more work than you'd want to do on regular basis. I think upgrading is the easier choice, haha.

[Emmy]

oh that sounds easy enough - a $30 upgrade is no biggee. I'll get with dh on it when he gets back from the weekend. Thanks SO much for your help!

[MrsPeel]

Originally Posted by Nettio

No, no, no reason to feel like a noob. I went through it when I first got my Mac two years ago and I got so frustrated with all the kinks and stuff that after a month my DH threatened it back but two years later, compy and I are good friends.

Ok so 10.5 is going to be Leopard. I upgraded to Snow Leopard back in January and I thought it was well worth the $30. It's not really a full OS update but they did refine a lot of the features that were added in Leopard and more importantly, they seemed to have worked out most of the issues with the image icons and Coverflow which definitely made it worth it to me. So you might want to look into it since it's probably the easiest way to solve the problems you're having. There are other ways to do the icon previews but it's probably more work than you'd want to do on regular basis. I think upgrading is the easier choice, haha.

I'm gonna have a look at this upgrade...thanks for this I bought our iMac a couple of years ago,is 10.5.8, so I guess I can benefit from an upgrade...
I'm also trying to clear a bit of space, trying to get stuff into another EHD (I have one that backs up)

Regarding the viewing, I found my solution by opening the unzipped files and copying into iPhoto, that way I can choose to either have the preview or the file I think caracterizes the kit most in the event preview, easy peasy for me, as I'm old (lol but I'm kinda, going to be 52 in a couple of months!) and self taught on everything computer wise...
I also don't scrap on PSE, only use it for photo editing. (I tried but almost tore the hair out of my head!lol)