Can't delete Word documents in Office 2008's File Open screen?

[Ant]

Hello.

I am still learning about Mac OS X 10.5.6's GUI, but shouldn't dragging
a Word document on HDD to Finder's trash can remove from Open list? I
had to do it from Finder on the disk location.

I know in Windows XP Pro. SP3, I can do this trick. Or am I missing
something in Mac OS X as a newbie?

Thank you in advance.
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[Michel Bintener]

Hi,

as you have found out, it is not possible to delete files in the Open/Save
dialogue. Note that this is a limitation in the Finder (the Open/Save
dialogues are in fact Finder windows). On the Mac, you have to use the
Finder to delete files, which is certainly not as comfortable as the
approach used by Windows Explorer.

Hello.

I am still learning about Mac OS X 10.5.6's GUI, but shouldn't dragging
a Word document on HDD to Finder's trash can remove from Open list? I
had to do it from Finder on the disk location.

I know in Windows XP Pro. SP3, I can do this trick. Or am I missing
something in Mac OS X as a newbie?

Thank you in advance.

--
Michel Bintener
Microsoft MVP
Office:mac (Entourage & Word)

*** Please always reply to the newsgroup. ***

 

[Ant]

Is this true for all programs' File Open or only MS products? That's a
weird design if it is all OS'. I am still a newbie to Mac.

Hi,

as you have found out, it is not possible to delete files in the Open/Save
dialogue. Note that this is a limitation in the Finder (the Open/Save
dialogues are in fact Finder windows). On the Mac, you have to use the
Finder to delete files, which is certainly not as comfortable as the
approach used by Windows Explorer.

--
"Only two great groups of animals, men and ants, indulge in highly
organized mass warfare." --Charles H. Maskins
/\___/\
/ /\ /\ \ Phil/Ant @ http://antfarm.ma.cx (Personal Web Site)
| |o o| | Ant's Quality Foraged Links (AQFL): http://aqfl.net
\ _ / Nuke ANT from e-mail address: (e-mail address removed)
( ) or (e-mail address removed)
Ant is currently not listening to any songs on his home computer.

 

[Elliott Roper]

Is this true for all programs' File Open or only MS products? That's a
weird design if it is all OS'. I am still a newbie to Mac.

It is Mac wide. It has been like that for ever for every application.

I would claim that it is as it should be. While your head is in
'getting things done in an application' mode, you do not want to be
worrying about tidying the house. You may open a file or save a copy
with a different name. You don't want to be ripping the carpet out from
under your own feet. You sure as hell don't want to accidently delete
the file that you might be working on in another window, f'rinstance.
Doing it the Mac way is just a tiny bit less stressful.

Lots of little Mac touches like that must be strange at first.

 

[Clive Huggan]

Hello Phil,

Assuming that by "all OS" you meant "all applications", yes -- you can't
delete files other than from the Finder.

Ironically, until Word 5.1a, a version now long gone and pre-OSX, you could
delete from within Word. But if I recall correctly it was the only
application to allow this.

As to this being "weird design", you'll eventually find that such a feature
is not so much weird as different. Usually, innovations occur first on the
Mac interface and, er, they seem to be discovered some time later by "other"
companies. Mac OSX isn't "Windows ported to a more elegant interface". So it
is inevitably different.

I make this point because once you plunge into the Mac OS -- and it's easier
to do so by consulting some good books around, designed for people switching
over -- you'll see that "other ways of doing things" render the problem
originally perceived as null and void. In your example, it's no problem not
being able to delete from within the application because all you have to do
is right-click on the icon / file title that appears in the title bar of the
document window. A file-path hierarchy appears. One step up in the file path
you will see the name of the folder in which the Word document is located.
Let go on that: the file will now be shown in the Finder, in its folder and
highlighted already. Key Command-Delete (i.e., hit the Delete button while
holding down the Command key). That moves it to Trash. Done. As quick as
deleting from within the application. Just different from what you have been
used to.

Alternatively, just drag the aforesaid icon / file title that appears in the
title bar of the document window into the Trash. (I use this method more
often to drag a file that has been initially saved into the folder in which
I always save as the first step, to the "proper" folder -- often several
layers down but usually open on the desktop. Much quicker than navigating
down and down via the "Save" dialogue box.

So you can see there are wondrous ways on the Mac. ;-) Once you become
more familiar with them, and how there are many alternative ways of doing
suited to the individuality of Mac users, you will find yourself a "rusted
on" Mac user!

[By the way, I use Windows as well as Mac. I'm, um, totally objective in
these matters!] ;-)

Cheers,

Clive Huggan
Canberra, Australia
(My time zone is 5-11 hours different from the Americas and Europe, so my
follow-on responses to those regions can be delayed)
====================================================

 

[Phillip Jones, C.E.T.]

There is a method behind the madness.
IN PC you can delete files within applications.
In Mac you must locate the file from finder (open the hard drive and
locate file). Its done this way as Apple's way of saving yourself from a
dumb mistake. by having to hunt for the file/locate the file gives you
a chance to decide whether you really want to delete that file and make
sure its the file you really want to delete.

On a PC you don't have that luxury. although you can go to Recycle bin
and locate the file (if you have several files named almost the same you
have difficulty remembering which exact version you want to put back.

So on a PC you have learned to be careful because you are on your own,
and if you screw up you screwup.
Mac on the other hand tries to look after your interest and and help you
from making dumb mistakes accidentally. You have to be consciously aware
of what you are doing.