Is there a shortcut for going from small file-picker to full?

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Is there a shortcut for going from small file-picker to full?

Many Mac applications give me only a small file-picker to choose from initially. For example, when I select "Move to" in Preview, at first I see only this:

I can get a longer list of options by clicking on the button with the up and down carats on it (is there a name for this icon?), but this still doesn't let me make an unrestricted choice. To get an unrestricted choice, I need to scroll down the list to the bottom:

Then I get the full file-picker. I know it's a first world problem, but this is a lot of friction (menu choice, extended list choice, scroll off window, select), given how often I do it.

Is there any way to short-cut this process and simply jump to the full file-picker window instead of seeing first the "one option only" window and then the pulldown with "Other" way off on the bottom?

Thanks

MacBook Pro 16″, macOS 14.7

Posted on Oct 26, 2024 9:56 AM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

Barney-15E

Level 10

116,788 points

Oct 26, 2024 2:21 PM in response to rpg25

I can’t tell from your screenshot, but in a file save dialog there is a disclosure triangle next to the file name which will show the full dialog. It should keep that setting.

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Answer 2

6x6

Level 6

15,572 points

Oct 26, 2024 4:56 PM in response to rpg25

That won't be possible for the "Move to..." popup window in Preview. Yet, on the keyboard, you could press the down arrow key, press "O" (uppercase O - so that "Other" is highlighted) and then hit return.

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Answer 3

6x6

Level 6

15,572 points

Oct 27, 2024 9:48 AM in response to rpg25

That’s odd. I just tried again (using another PDF file) and it’s working fine. I’m using an iMac (macOS Sequoia 15.0.1) with a Magic Keyboard (2nd generation). I doubt it would make a difference, though.

i see on your 1st screenshot that the field (containing “Downloads”) does not have the focus (blue border). Here is what I see when I click File > Move To:

Try pressing the tab key to see if the focus changes and displays the blue border.

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Answer 4

rpg25 Author

Level 1

58 points

Oct 27, 2024 10:13 AM in response to 6x6

Tried the tab key. No effect. Preview has the focus, but the modal box for the destination folder does not select unless I mouse on it, at which point it shows the pull-down menu.

Wondering if there's something in my settings that disabled this. Do you have "Keyboard Navigation" enabled in Keyboard settings? It's on for me.

"Full keyboard access"? That seems to enable tab-based navigation. Indeed, when I enable this in system settings I do see the "Documents" field being highlighted and the keystrokes you suggest work! Hooray!

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Answer 5

rpg25 Author

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58 points

Oct 28, 2024 7:43 AM in response to rpg25

OK, that actually does not work very well. Yes, it gives me quicker access to the full file picker. But only at the cost of radically changing my interaction with all the apps I use. The tab key's function changes completely, making actions that are deep in my muscle memory now do things that are quite different and often undesirable.

I'd have to say that keyboard navigation is not for anyone who just wants to file away some friction.

Perhaps there's a different way to do this?

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Answer 6

rpg25 Author

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Oct 28, 2024 9:01 AM in response to rpg25

The big question seems to be if there's any way to get "Keyboard Navigation" without hijacking the TAB key, which is quite commonly used for other purposes. I don't see any setting that lets me rebind that.

I think if I go to "Full Keyboard Access," I could probably set up keys to do what I want, although this might be a lot of work.

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Answer 7

Barney-15E

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116,788 points

Oct 28, 2024 11:42 AM in response to rpg25

rpg25 wrote:

The big question seems to be if there's any way to get "Keyboard Navigation" without hijacking the TAB key, which is quite commonly used for other purposes. I don't see any setting that lets me rebind that.

I think if I go to "Full Keyboard Access," I could probably set up keys to do what I want, although this might be a lot of work.

What do you use the Tab key for when focus is on a control or dialog box. I can’t think of any App I use that uses the tab key for anything when any window controls have the focus.

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Answer 8

rpg25 Author

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Oct 28, 2024 2:12 PM in response to Barney-15E

I'm not entirely sure I know when focus is or is not on a control or dialog box.

But, for example, using the Gnucash application, there's a set of boxes in a dual-entry bookkeeping record, and one typically moves between them using the tab key. But with KN turned on, suddenly the tab key starts bouncing me around and I am no longer able to use it to move from field to field in a record.

In my text editor, as well, if I type a tab I get bounced around to some control or other, instead of just indenting.

My email client, MailMate has some similar misbehaviors. If I've selected a message in the message list pane, MM normally would let me use the space bar to scroll that message in the message display pane. But now the space bar makes strange UI events happen in the message list pane, instead.

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Answer 9

Barney-15E

Level 10

116,788 points

Oct 28, 2024 3:17 PM in response to rpg25

rpg25 wrote:

I'm not entirely sure I know when focus is or is not on a control or dialog box.

But, for example, using the Gnucash application, there's a set of boxes in a dual-entry bookkeeping record, and one typically moves between them using the tab key. But with KN turned on, suddenly the tab key starts bouncing me around and I am no longer able to use it to move from field to field in a record.

In my text editor, as well, if I type a tab I get bounced around to some control or other, instead of just indenting.

My email client, MailMate has some similar misbehaviors. If I've selected a message in the message list pane, MM normally would let me use the space bar to scroll that message in the message display pane. But now the space bar makes strange UI events happen in the message list pane, instead.

I may not have followed close enough, so if you are talking about the Avcessibilty “Full Keyboard Access, “ that’s a mess. What I was thinking is now called keyboard navigation and it won’t do what you want.

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Answer 10

rpg25 Author

Level 1

58 points

Oct 27, 2024 9:31 AM in response to 6x6

I just tried that and the down-arrow key does not do anything at the first pop-up (the one that shows only Downloads). Is there something I'm doing wrong?

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