Default Folder X
5.4
Default Folder X
5.4Enhances Open and Save dialogs.
Overview
Default Folder X attaches a toolbar to the right side of the Open and Save dialogs in any OS X-native application. The toolbar gives you fast access to various folders and commands. You just click on the buttons to go to your favorite and recently used folders, manage the folders and files shown in the list, and make changes to your settings. It also fixes a number of problems in Open and Save dialogs, "rebounding" to the last selected file, putting the path listing back in the top menu, and correcting bugs in scrolling column views.
Features:
- Directory assistant: You can access the contents of your recent, favorite, and open folders right from Default Folder X's toolbar.
- Real time saving: If you're constantly saving things inside the same folder, Default Folder X can remember that folder for you.
- Finder management: Default Folder X lets you open up or save to any Finder window with a single click.
- Instant Recall: To help you quickly return to folders you've recently used, Default Folder X remembers them for you.
- Spotlight on the spot: Default Folder X lets you add Spotlight keywords, OpenMeta tags, and Finder labels on the spot, while you're still in the Save dialog.
- Information central: With Default Folder X you get previews below every Open dialog, expanded to fill the available space. Need to see more detail? Click on the image and it zooms up to full size.
- Workflow without work: Rather than make you learn and set up a new application, Default Folder X blends into OS X.
What's new in Default Folder X
Version 5.4:
Feature enhancements:
- Default Folder X supports macOS 10.15 Catalina.
- Added support for the version of Path Finder distributed via SetApp.
- New ConfirmDialog and CancelDialog AppleScript commands have been added to Default Folder X's scripting dictionary.
- When you open an AppleScript applet or droplet in Script Editor or Script Debugger, it will now be added to the Recent Files menu.
- Default Folder X's menu bar icon now shows a tooltip to identify it to users relying on VoiceOver.
Bug fixes:
- Fixed a bug that could cause folders shown in tabbed Finder windows to be listed more than once in the Finder Windows menu.
- Fixed problems switching between folders in certain situations when the screen is zoomed-in using the macOS Accessibility features.
- Corrected a crash that could occur if an application contained erroneous data about which documents it could open.
- Fixed a bug which could prematurely close a file dialog when moving a file to the Trash within Default Folder X itself.
- Adding a Favorite by typing in a path would fail if the path had spaces in it. This has been corrected.
Default Folder X Screenshots
$34.96
App requirements:
- Intel 64
- OS X 10.10.0 or later
Developer Website:
Install with MacUpdateDownloaded & Installed 408,882 times
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Reverting to 4.7.4 fixes it! No particular issue in El Capitan with that old version.
EDIT: well... actually, it looks like some app won't use it — all the browsers I've tried just now.
Those of us who are familiar with macOS Open & Save sheet's essential features, though, will find many Default Folder X's features redundant and unnecessary. For example, I find it more than sufficient to hit Command + R in Open & Save sheet to open the corresponding folder in Finder to rename files and perform other file management actions. When you open a file, select a file in Open sheet and hit Space bar to preview the file while you are still in the Open sheet. A quick Command + Tab will bring me right back to where I was. I find judicious use of Finder's Sidebar more than sufficient for shortcuts to various folders. Apps nowadays do an adequate job to remember the previous folders I opened and saved files, but long-time DFX users will not know it since they most likely haven't given the stock environment a fair chance. Granted, it's not perfect, but I usually add folders to the Sidebar on the fly if it bothers me.
I often use the built-in search to jump to a particular folder, so I don't usually bother navigating through file hierarchy if something is not in the Sidebar. I use tags in file names, so it's relatively quick to narrow down my choices with a few keywords. I also use Spotlight search to instantly locate a folder while I'm in Open and Save sheet. I drag and drop a folder icon from Spotlight popup to Open and Save sheet, and it will jump straight to that folder. Again, no need to fiddle with menu hierarchy with a mouse/Trackpad.
To me, effective usage of the stock OS functionalities and proper naming of folders render this utility unnecessary. I used it for several years in the past, but I haven't missed it since I learned to take more advantage of built-in features.
Also I think you mean the standard "Search" bar in the save dialog. Spotlight refers to the system wide pop-up overlay on the screen or the menu item more accurately, as the behaviors are so wildly different between those two types of searches, it took me a second to figure out if you knew about a system feature I did not. Yes, even if the system search function and framework as a whole has been referred to as "Spotlight" in the past, I believe the convention Apple is using now distinguishes them, including the one in finder windows as "Finder Search" or something like that.
Cheers for sharing your knowledge of built-in functionality. I need more because I work differently than you do, as I imagine do many of this fantastic software's user base, which is why it has such a strong following. Perhaps with some training some of the users might share your opinion. But what's the time-cost of training versus using this software? Pro rate the time savings against that and you might be surprised. If it's full of features that don't suit your needs then why bother indeed.
One feature I just discovered a couple weeks ago was how useful the finder Toolbar menus that you can optionally enable are! That's such an awesome feature, and I can't remember when it was added or if I just missed it, but I'm loving it and I suggest everyone give it try.
But I tried that. I got a new Mac and did not install Default Folder on it, using only the macOS Open/Save shortcuts. It was fine, even tolerable. But there are many more Default Folder shortcuts that I missed, so after several months I installed Default Folder on that Mac too. In some cases it was just that the Default Folder shortcut was more direct or saved steps, but that matters a lot and adds up over time.
Sure, there are great stock features in macOS Open/Save now, but after my extended test, I would say, if you really believe Default Folder is no longer advantageous, all you have proven is that your knowledge of Default Folder is incomplete. I have gone back to saving tremendous amounts of time with Default Folder, more than I ever could with the stock macOS shortcuts.