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How do I delete a specific file located in Trash on a Mac, without deleting others (even possible?)
August 27, 2011

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.


TOPICS: Computers/Internet
KEYWORDS: mac; windows
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1 posted on 08/27/2011 6:47:07 PM PDT by library user
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To: library user

Crickets on a Mac question.... wow.. BTTT


2 posted on 08/27/2011 6:49:19 PM PDT by LowOiL ("Abomination" sure sounds like "ObamaNation" to me.)
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To: library user

Is it possible to copy everything from the trash and to the desktop or a jump drive? If so, then empty the trash, add your personal stuff to the trash and empty it and then add their stuff to the trash and leave it.


3 posted on 08/27/2011 6:51:25 PM PDT by rabidralph
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To: LowOiL

In Windows, as is common knowledge, if a user wishes to delete multiple files from the trash, i.e., Recycle Bin, all you do is hold down Control to highlight which files you want to delete and then right-click one of the highlighted files and choose “Delete” and voila! they are all gone, in one fell swoop.

Please don’t tell me with a Mac, you actually have to move files around and separate them first, in order to delete what you want to delete, without also deleting stuff you don’t want to delete.


4 posted on 08/27/2011 6:52:21 PM PDT by library user (I want my headstone to read: "He died while doing what he enjoyed most: breathing.")
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To: library user

This guy might have a few pointers.

rtsp://v5.cache1.c.youtube.com/CjYLENy73wIaLQnX1UIUmAZAiBMYJCAkFEIJbXYtZ29vZ2xlSARSBXdhdGNoYMvZhfrEjrrCTQw=/0/0/0/video.3gp;connectionuid=WAP2%20trans


5 posted on 08/27/2011 6:53:03 PM PDT by Jonty30
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To: library user
move EVERYTHING to a temp directory, move your stuff back to the trash, empty the trash, then move their stuff back to trash...
6 posted on 08/27/2011 6:53:10 PM PDT by Chode (American Hedonist - *DTOM* -ww- NO Pity for the LAZY)
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To: library user

Quit looking at pron and you won’t have these troubles!


7 posted on 08/27/2011 6:55:10 PM PDT by US_MilitaryRules (Where is our military?)
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To: library user

Why not just have the owner of the Mac do it for you?


8 posted on 08/27/2011 6:55:48 PM PDT by US_MilitaryRules (Where is our military?)
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To: Chode

That’s too much work. How very sad of OS X to not have the same flexibility as Windows.


9 posted on 08/27/2011 6:56:10 PM PDT by library user (I want my headstone to read: "He died while doing what he enjoyed most: breathing.")
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To: library user

First, shoot the Mac...


10 posted on 08/27/2011 6:56:51 PM PDT by irishtenor (Everything in moderation, however, too much whiskey is just enough... Mark Twain)
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To: library user

Just create a folder and move your files from the trash into that folder. Then move that entire folder to a USB drive. Put USB drive in your pocket and that’s all there is to it.


11 posted on 08/27/2011 6:57:38 PM PDT by SamAdams76
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To: US_MilitaryRules
Why not just have the owner of the Mac do it for you?

Because a company that has a market cap bigger than the Federal Gov't should be capable of making software that is flexible enough to let me delete select files from the Trash, WITHOUT having to move them to a temp. folder first.

12 posted on 08/27/2011 6:57:38 PM PDT by library user (I want my headstone to read: "He died while doing what he enjoyed most: breathing.")
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To: SamAdams76
Just create a folder and move your files from the trash into that folder.

That's what every person on the internet says to do. But it's unnecessary extra work. Why can't a user delete specific files from the Trash? Will that option be available with the next OS Apple creates?

13 posted on 08/27/2011 6:58:52 PM PDT by library user (I want my headstone to read: "He died while doing what he enjoyed most: breathing.")
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To: library user

Click on the trash basket,
highlight the files you want to keep and put them in another temp folder on your desk top.
Delete the porn you were viewing.
Put the ‘good’ files back in the trash.


14 posted on 08/27/2011 6:59:50 PM PDT by GRRRRR (He'll NEVER be my President, FUBO! Treason is the Reason! Impeach the Kenyan)
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To: library user

“Because a company that has a market cap bigger than the Federal Gov’t...”

a. not saying much.
b. iPhones.
c. There are only 12 people with Macs and they are all at DU.


15 posted on 08/27/2011 7:01:44 PM PDT by jessduntno (Obama shanks. America tanks.)
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To: library user

Does this mac have a Time Machine back-up going?

Just empty the freakin’ trash - and if the owner of the Mac needs to, they can go back and get anything they need from the TimeMachine back-up.

THen quit bitching that Mac is not like Windows... smh.


16 posted on 08/27/2011 7:02:07 PM PDT by Keith in Iowa (Hope & Change - I'm out of hope, and change is all I have left every week | FR Class of 1998 |)
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To: library user

It’s really very easy.

First, drag what you don’t want to delete from the trash to the desktop.

Empty the trash (this deletes the files you want deleted).

Drag the other files back to the trash (for the owner to delete when they want to).

QED


17 posted on 08/27/2011 7:02:28 PM PDT by Amadeo
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To: GRRRRR

Thanks for the reply, but that’s exactly what I’ve been doing for years whenever I’m on a Mac. I thought there was a less time-consuming way to delete specific files from the trash can. I bet there’s a way to do it, it’s just that few people know how to do it.


18 posted on 08/27/2011 7:03:26 PM PDT by library user (I want my headstone to read: "He died while doing what he enjoyed most: breathing.")
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To: library user
you ask me how to do it and i told you... how much effort you want to put into it is up to you
19 posted on 08/27/2011 7:04:35 PM PDT by Chode (American Hedonist - *DTOM* -ww- NO Pity for the LAZY)
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To: rabidralph

Thanks. That was a no-brainer, really.


20 posted on 08/27/2011 7:05:23 PM PDT by Ronin (Obamanation has replaced Bizarroworld as the most twisted place in the universe.)
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