Deleting jpg files from desktop

rileydf · #1 November 29th, 2007, 05:24 PM

I inadvertently copied lots of jpg. files to my desktop and now I can't get rid of them except for dragging a few at a time to the trash and then selecting the continue button from the drop down notifying me that deleting the files may impact other applications. Any ideas about mass deletion of the these files?

SGilbert · #2 November 29th, 2007, 06:27 PM

Just why can't you drag all of them to the trash?

Do that and flush; er, empty it

rileydf · #3 November 29th, 2007, 06:52 PM

When I try to drag and drop to the trash I get a message that deleting the files may effect other applications. I have the choice of either cancelling or continuing. If I choose continue, I have to do so for each jpg. With about 1,700 jpgs on the desktop, you can imagine how long it would take.

simbalala · #4 November 29th, 2007, 08:25 PM

If you have no .jpgs on the Desktop you must keep you can simply use a terminal command.

Start Terminal, type ls, you should see Desktop as a directory (Folder) along with some other Folders and files.

Type cd Desktop

To be safe, type pwd , the system should respond /Users/yourusername/desktop. Then you can be sure you're in the correct folder.

Type ls again and you should see a long listing showing all your .jpg files and whatever other files and folders exist on the Desktop.

Now type rm *.jpg

Poof, they'll be gone.

If you want to read about rm just type info rm in the Terminal window.

If you want to save some of them just create a new Folder on the Desktop named temp or something and drag the "keepers" into it before executing rm

Mikuro · #5 November 29th, 2007, 10:35 PM

If Terminal scares you, you might find it easier to work with the Desktop as a window in List view. Go to your Home folder (under the Go menu), then open the "Desktop" item from there and you'll see everything on your desktop in a regular window. Go to list view, sort by "kind", and then it should be easier to deal with.

rileydf · #6 December 1st, 2007, 12:17 PM

Thanks for all the suggestions. I was able to delete the jpg files from the desktop via the terminal. Now my problem is that the jpg files are under the finder window and when selected, the message I get is that the volume of the selected jpg cannot be found. Any ideas about how to clear these out of the finder? Thanks in advance.

simbalala · #7 December 1st, 2007, 12:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rileydf

Thanks for all the suggestions. I was able to delete the jpg files from the desktop via the terminal. Now my problem is that the jpg files are under the finder window and when selected, the message I get is that the volume of the selected jpg cannot be found. Any ideas about how to clear these out of the finder? Thanks in advance.

It's not quite clear what you mean by "under the finder window". Is it something you can take a screenshot of and post as an attachment?

Did you try restarting the machine?

rileydf · #8 December 2nd, 2007, 11:53 AM

When I click on the Finder on the dock, a window open that lists items such as applications, utilities, etc. below that are gobs and gobs of jpg. files that I cannot get rid of. When I click on one I get a message that "The volume xxxxjpg. cannot be found" I would like to remove the jpg. files from the Finder window.