Navigating Finder using Enter/Backspace

Discussion & Questions
1

I've run into a couple problems when assigning finder shortcuts like enter to cmd+down and backspace to cmd+up to make navigating finder more intuitive to me as a long time windows user.

These shortcuts work as intended when it comes to navigation, but because they are always active in finder, when it comes to renaming a file the whenever I hit backspace instead of deleting the letters it sends me up a level in the directory. When I hit enter to finish renaming it immediately opens the file or folder. Is there a way to stop this from occurring specifically until I'm done renaming the file or folder?

I had a similar issue where if finder was the last thing I was using and then I went to spotlight, the enter button would send me down the list instead of opening the program. I was able to solve this by using conditional rules that are only active when spotlight is open. I'm hoping there are conditional rules that can pick up the renaming file/folder state.

2

It looks like BTT can distinguish the Finder fields.

I have not tested this, but with CAG it should be possible to do what you want.

If the cursor is in this field (renaming)

image

then backspace = backspace.

Otherwise backspace does something else.

1 Like
3

thanks for the tips! got it working. Thanks. I was getting stuck by trying to use the Advanced Conditions instead of the CAG groups. Whats the difference and/or how you know when to use what? BC i was getting the conditions met/unmet with arguement using AXRoleDescription: "text field" but of course no luck.

anyways thanks much appreciated

1 Like
4

Thanks a bunch, also to wynstaxxx.

I got rid of all my previous finder rules, created a conditional activation group in the leftmost column with all the following conditions:
App name is Finder
Focused element role is not AXTextField

Then in the Top Level Triggers column I put in the following triggers:
"Enter" assigned to "CMD-Down" with Advanced Conditions when"None" of the "Focused_element_details" "Contains" "Spotlight"
"Backspace" assigned to "CMD-Up" with Advanced Conditions when "None" of the "Focused_element_details" "Contains" "Spotlight"

As far as I can tell it all works beautifully!

5

Hey,

I tried to use your solution and it works fine. However, when I try to use backpack or enter when using spotlight or alfred, it triggers the CMD+Up / CMD+Down shortcut instead of regular backspace or enter.

Would appreciate your help.

My configuration:

Screenshot 2023-05-23 at 20.45.42
Screenshot 2023-05-23 at 20.45.421920×1437 119 KB

Screenshot 2023-05-23 at 20.45.55
Screenshot 2023-05-23 at 20.45.551920×1437 112 KB

6

I am not sure. It could be related to the fact that Spotlight is not a Finder window. Spotlight is also not the front app when the search window is open, as far as I know. Honestly, I'm more or less guessing here.

But BTT recognizes the Spotlight window. Did you try "when this window is visible", then Enter does something?

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7

Thanks for your input! That unfortunately did not work.

8

Doesnt seem like "focused_element_role" is updating to "AXTextField" when renaming a file - is this a new bug?

9

updated to the latest OS - fixed the bug, was weird!

Working perfectly now in finder, editing a file name and spotlight :slight_smile: