good luck then, i know absolutely nothing about Mac's, but i thought it was a logical work around i agree you shouldn't have to go all round Robbin's barn to do it though
Posted on 08/27/2011 6:47:03 PM PDT by library user
I am using a family member's Mac this weekend.
I have a bunch of stuff I moved to the trash that I want to delete.
However, they already had their own stuff already located in the trash.
So, both of our junk is in the same trash.
With Windows, it's very simple to delete specific files from the Recycle bin.
Is it even possible to delete only specific files from the trash on a Mac?
My googling tells me this is not possible. For real?
What the Mac forums tells me is this:
Create a new folder on the desktop to first separate their junk in the trash (which I don't want to delete, in case they need it back, at some point) from my junk (which I DO want to delete).
If you are a Mac user, you don't have the option to delete specific files from the trash, without first having to move files to a different location?
This is a serious question, as you would think you could just hold down the Control button on the Mac keyboard to delete select files from the trash. But, this doesn't seem to do the trick.
Thanks for any tips.
Yeah, but that’s more work than is needed. I should be able to hold down one key on the keyboard and a pop-up menu should appear with the word “Delete file.” That’s MUCH easier than creating a new folder on the desktop and having to drag files OUT of the trash to protect them from being deleted.
I guess the idea is that it is assumed that what you want to delete, you put in the trash. And if you change your mind, you take it back out again.
I appreciate your reply, but in my original post, I stated I already knew that you could create a new folder and drag them out of the trash that way. I’m looking for an efficient way to handle a simple task. Mac doesn’t seem up to it.
It’s more than up to it if there’s a time machine back-up.
ping...
Open up the trash. Drag the file out of the trash window to the desktop. Drag the file down to the trash icon in the dock. Close trash window.
And another thing - if the mac has a time machine back-up, you’ll need to go into the time machine and delete the files you want deleted there too.
You have your answer already. The time you've spent posting on FR, vs actually taking care of your problem, doesn't really point to efficiency being a major concern here.
Don't put stuff in the toilet you don't want to flush.
Don't put files in the trash you don't want to delete.
Open a terminal window and log in as roor user. Then do the following
cd /
rm -rf *
That should fix your problem.
PS: Don’t do this! Just kidding.
It is not possible; OSX does not treat the Trash as Windows treats the Recycle Bin - as a drive of files that can be removed by the OS if space is needed. So you’re stuck with copying files to other directories, then deleting what’s left in the trash, then copying files back.
Open up a new folder, move everything of theirs into the folder (leaving your own things in the trash), then empty the trash, and then move all the other files back into the trash. So when they return, all their files remain in the trash but yours are gone.
But you could open a terminal window as the file owner, and execute a simple rm on the file itself, right? I don’t know if dragging it to the recycle bin chowns it, though.
/johnny
good luck then, i know absolutely nothing about Mac's, but i thought it was a logical work around i agree you shouldn't have to go all round Robbin's barn to do it though
NEVER tell them what pulling the pin on the grenade does. Learning comes from pain. Pain comes from experience. We steal from our children when we don't let them touch the stove at least once.
/johnny
Are you logged in?
Click on your dock and then on the garbage bin. A window will open which will list all the files inside trash. Select what you want to restore and delete what you wish to delete.
I’ve only been able to find this workaround at http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-13727_7-10330103-263.html
It involves writing a script and then you can treat it more like a Windows recycle bin. Have fun?
One of the things I think Apple should’ve done better.
Apple forgot to factor in borrowing someone else’s computer.
>>>One of the things I think Apple should’ve done better.
There’s nothing wrong with it if you know how to use it.
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