[HOWTO] - Use ONE desktop folder between OSX and classic

[swizcore]

This How-To courtesy of the ever-so-intelligent: darkshadow

Move all of the stuff out of your Desktop folder (in your user folder) to the OS 9 desktop folder. Then delete the Desktop folder out of your user folder, then go to the terminal and do this one:

ln -s /Volumes/OS9/Desktop\ Folder Desktop

(that assumes that you 1)are in your user folder when you issue the command - you will be if you just opened up the terminal, otherwise type cd before you do that, 2)OS9 is the name of the OS9 partition - I'm sure it's not, so replace OS9 with the actual name, and 3)it's not installed on the same partition or drive as OS X. If you installed OS9 on the same partition as OS X, I believe that Classics desktop folder is simply /Desktop\ Folder - use that one instead. You should verify that first. I don't have them on the same partition/drive, so I'm not sure )

What this does is make a symlink (think Unix's alias) from OS 9's Desktop folder to your user Desktop folder. You may or may not have the usual icon for the Desktop folder in your user folder after doing this one.

After doing this one, you'll need to log out then back in before the Finder will notice the switch. After this, you'll always be using the OS 9 desktop folder as your desktop folder. Note that whatever you place there under OS X will be there still if you boot into OS 9.

Note that this little trick can also be expanded to have ONE desktop for every user. Just a little sidenote on doing this: although one user won't be able to delete another user's stuff, they can place them in the trash! So this may be a good thing or a bad thing.

[GadgetLover]

What if you want your OS X Desktop folder to be the desktop of choice (not the other way around)??

[JB Cheong]

What a wonderful idea! Wish I have thought of it earlier, instead of navigating through the maze while in OS 9 to my OS X's desktop.

However, I can't seem to get it to work. Terminal reported "No such file or directory" error. Sigh. It's probably becoz I know nothing about UNIX commands and mis-understood your instructions.

Nevertheless, I managed to get it to work my way:-

1. Copy all the files in OS X's "Desktop" folder in my Home folder to OS 9's "Desktop Folder".

2. Delete the OS X's "Desktop" folder. <Finder don't let me delete it, but SNAX deleted it without any problem - I don't know why.>

3. Create an alias (Opt+Cmd) of the OS 9's "Desktop folder" in the same place. The alias is now called "Desktop Folder alias".

4. Rename "Desktop folder alias" to "Desktop".

5. Move this new "Desktop" to my OS X's Home folder. <If the original "Desktop" re-appears, repeat step 2.>

6. Logout and re-login.

7. Voila!

It works for me. Don't shoot me if it does not work for you.

Essentially, the idea is to create an alias to OS 9's desktop folder, re-naming it "Desktop" and place the alias in the Home folder, replacing OS X's "Desktop" folder.