Keyboard navigation

[cunnus88]

This is on a macbook which doesn't have the separate home/end keys so please keep that in mind (and yes, I'm aware that fn + arrows will do something similar).

These things are driving me absolutely NUTS, and if you know fixes for them, please let me know.

1. On windows (no matter the application), you can select text from the current position of the cursor to the beginning of the line by shift + home. On FIREFOX on my macbook, shift + fn + right arrow selects up to the end of the line, but shift + fn + left will NOT select up to the beginning of the line.
2. In windows explorer, you can page up or down and have focus on the files move along with the page. If you do fn + up /down, the focus does not move, so if you press your arrow key after you've moved your page, you're back where your focus is.
3. In windows, if you hold shift and move around, the beginning of the selection always stays fixed. If you do this in mac (e.g. move up then down) the beginning of the selected area MOVES! What the hell is that all about.
4. In windows explorer, if you hold down on the control key while moving around files, then push you space key, you can select multiple files while leaving the files you don't need alone. You can't do this in mac.
5. No cmd + x for cutting and pasting files???!!!

Some of the inconveniences of Mac have driven me to use emacs' dired almost exclusively (and no, I don't want to install Quicksilver). In the end, if I get more proficient with dired, it might be even quicker than in windows. But knowing some workarounds to the above in mac would be nice.

[Curiosity]

These keyboard shortcuts work for me:
<Fn>-<Up> => Page up
<Fn>-<Down> => Page down
<Fn>-<Left> => To top of window (not move cursor)
<Fn>-<Right> => To bottom of window (not move cursor)
<Command>-<Left> => Cursor to start of line
<Command-Shift>-<Left> => Select to start of line
<Command>-<Right> => Cursor to end of line
<Command-Shift>-<Right> => Select to end of line
<Command>-<Up> => Cursor to start of page or open parent directory
<Command-Shift>-<Up> => Select to start of page
<Command>-<Down> => Cursor to end of page or open directory
<Command-Shift>-<Down> => Select to end of page

[simbalala]

Originally Posted by cunnus88

In windows explorer, if you hold down on the control key while moving around files, then push you space key, you can select multiple files while leaving the files you don't need alone. You can't do this in mac.

You mean in a window file listing? Selecting some files but skipping others between them?

Command click.

[Satcomer]

Well you always could study Mac OS X keyboard shortcuts. Plus have you gone to your System Preferences->Keyboard & Mouse, Keyboard Shortcuts tab and created your own short cuts?

Lastly everyone Mac computer expert knows in Windows in messed up in their proprietary shortcuts. In every Unix based it was always highlight the word, middle click to paste the copy in the location you want. In OS X it is command+c=copy, command+v=paste.

One more thing, this is not Windows, it is a Mac. Your transition will go smoother is you try to remember that.

P.S.: You seem to be the prefect candidate for the book Switching to the Mac: The Missing Manual, Leopard Edition. I personally switch several coworkers and they all praised this easy to read book.

[cunnus88]

Originally Posted by simbalala

You mean in a window file listing? Selecting some files but skipping others between them?

Command click.

I meant without using the mouse/trackpad button. You can do that in windows AND linux.

[cunnus88]

Originally Posted by Satcomer

Well you always could study Mac OS X keyboard shortcuts. Plus have you gone to your System Preferences->Keyboard & Mouse, Keyboard Shortcuts tab and created your own short cuts?

That still won't fix the idiotic behavior of focus staying where you first started. That's why I'm using my Mac as a glorified X11 terminal right now.

Originally Posted by Satcomer

In OS X it is command+c=copy, command+v=paste.

Yes, but you still can't do cmd+x on files.

Anyway, thanks for replying. I got a Mac only because it had X-forwarding out of the box. I was hoping for more, but my use of it has never advanced beyond that. Of course, the fact that it looks so pretty is nice, but does nothing for ease of use.

[simbalala]

You CAN do Command X for files to delete them (move to Trash), I use it all the time. There's no corresponding Paste though.

Follow this link: Enable 'cut items' in the Finder

[cunnus88]

Originally Posted by simbalala

There's no corresponding Paste though.

And your point is...?

Why should I go through the trouble of creating a second cmd + delete?