Default "Application" folder on another disk ?

P

Pascal

Official visitor
In classic Mac OS, one could put apps anywhere one wanted. Personally, I always put them into an application folder, but not on the same disk as my System Folder. Same thing for my "Documents" folder. The idea being that it's easier to backup or defrag this way.

It also used to be that it was very easy to navigate this way too, but that does not seem as true in OS X : this OS does not seem to like the fact that the user may "Think different".

Anyway, I would like to know if it is possible to change these default location in a clean way ? Please be aware that I am a pure bred Mac User (yep, since 1984)... and hacks or other Terminal Voodoo are not part of my culture ! ;)
 
Maybe I'm completely misunderstanding what your asking, but from your post it would appear that you are just thinking too much.

In previous Mac OSes you could put Applications anywhere you wanted, but you had to guide them there. And, if you wanted any of the OS apps in the same location you had to move them. in your case you wanted them on another disk/partition.

Well, just move them there. No worries, no hassles. There is no problem here. In regards to installed appsOS X works no differently then OS 9.x. In fact, aliases will even update automatically when you move something. So, go ahead and put your Apps onto another partition.
 
When you click on the Application icon at the top of the Finder windows, you go in the system defined Application folder... on the Mac OS X disk. Not where I want.

Moreover, you should know that in Mac OS X, as opposed to 9 and earlier, any app that is not in the Application folder won't be looked for when the desktop is rebuild. (Not well said, but a TIL says so, anyhow, look on Apple's site)

So to be able to move the default Application folder is important... and I am not dumb !
 
I always thought rebuilding the desktop would find all applications ('cause I never used the default Applications folder in pre-X days).

In any event, the Applications folder in the Finder toolbar is just one of many icons you can put there. If you have a folder from another location, just drag (or is it command-drag?) to the toolbar. You can make pretty icon if you like, too.

Also, to be sure that OS X knows you application is there (in case you want to double click a file and have it open) you have to somehow let OS X know that. The easiest way is to just run the program. OS X then remembers the program.

It can be nice to put applications somewhere other than /Applications, so I'm glad it's not forced. That would be silly.

-Rob
 
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