Using "Delete" and "Return" in Finder to Go Back and Forward

Tutorials
1

For a while, I have been trying to use the "Delete" button to go 1 folder back in Finder and "Return" button to open the folder/file. This has been a feature of Windows File Explorer forever and wanted to replicate this behavior in MacOS.

Whenever I tried implementing this, it always resulted in breaking something or the other like when trying to rename a file or when using spotlight.

Finally I figured out and wanted to post this so others may find it useful.

  1. Create a Conditional Activation Group

Screenshot 2023-06-06 at 22.36.12
Screenshot 2023-06-06 at 22.36.122288×1662 234 KB

  1. Give it whatever name you like. I named it "Finder" for easy reference

  2. Add the following rules:

    • Change to "ALL" of the following are true
    • App Name contains "Finder"
    • Focused Element Role is "AXOutline"
    • Save

Screenshot 2023-06-06 at 22.37.43
Screenshot 2023-06-06 at 22.37.432481×1857 434 KB

  1. Add the following 2 Triggers:

Screenshot 2023-06-06 at 22.42.20
Screenshot 2023-06-06 at 22.42.202481×1857 466 KB

Screenshot 2023-06-06 at 22.42.14
Screenshot 2023-06-06 at 22.42.142481×1857 467 KB

Test it out. With this method, the triggers won't work on desktop or when renaming or anywhere else. Only when you are in a Finder window and navigating.

2

good job! thanks. I had encountered the same issues so this awesome. Implementation seems to be working great with no problems when renaming or using spotlight/Alfred etc

thanks

3

actually i did run into some issues-IIRC when renaming files the delete would not delete but instead moved back/up in the folder structure. This was one of the couple issues that I had encountered before. Was able to fix it and get iit working by adding a couple new triggers for the delete key and adding some advanced conditions to them using the condition element_focused contains (and the one not containing) AXtextfield. Added the 2 desired actions, the default delete and then cmd up or cmd [ depending yourr preference of back or folder up

1 Like
4 
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    "BTTLastUpdatedAt" : 1686803905.166939,
    "BTTTriggerConditionsReadOnly" : "NOT (focused_element_details CONTAINS \"AXTextField\")",
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    "BTTTriggerType" : 0,
    "BTTTriggerClass" : "BTTTriggerTypeKeyboardShortcut",
    "BTTLayoutIndependentActionChar" : "UP",
    "BTTAutoAdaptActionToKeyboardLayout" : true,
    "BTTShortcutToSend" : "55,126",
    "BTTAdditionalConfiguration" : "0",
    "BTTKeyboardShortcutKeyboardType" : 0,
    "BTTUUID" : "01357C95-205F-4992-8FF2-CFF3FC4BCF10",
    "BTTTriggerOnDown" : 1,
    "BTTLayoutIndependentChar" : "DELETE",
    "BTTEnabled" : 1,
    "BTTEnabled2" : 1,
    "BTTShortcutKeyCode" : 51,
    "BTTShortcutModifierKeys" : 0,
    "BTTOrder" : 1,
    "BTTAutoAdaptToKeyboardLayout" : 0
  },
  {
    "BTTLastUpdatedAt" : 1686803905.146318,
    "BTTTriggerConditionsReadOnly" : "focused_element_details CONTAINS \"AXTextField\"",
    "BTTTriggerConditions" : "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_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_AMUAxgDLgMzA0sDTwNbA2ADYwNoA34AAAAAAAACAQAAAAAAAABlAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAADgg==",
    "BTTTriggerType" : 0,
    "BTTTriggerClass" : "BTTTriggerTypeKeyboardShortcut",
    "BTTLayoutIndependentActionChar" : "DELETE",
    "BTTAutoAdaptActionToKeyboardLayout" : true,
    "BTTShortcutToSend" : "51",
    "BTTAdditionalConfiguration" : "0",
    "BTTKeyboardShortcutScope" : 0,
    "BTTKeyboardShortcutKeyboardType" : 0,
    "BTTUUID" : "9F525CA0-6835-4F4B-BD16-84245F6C4B16",
    "BTTTriggerOnDown" : 1,
    "BTTLayoutIndependentChar" : "DELETE",
    "BTTEnabled" : 1,
    "BTTEnabled2" : 1,
    "BTTShortcutKeyCode" : 51,
    "BTTShortcutModifierKeys" : 0,
    "BTTOrder" : 2,
    "BTTAutoAdaptToKeyboardLayout" : 0,
    "BTTTriggerConfig" : {
      "BTTKeyboardPreventRecursiveTriggers" : 1
    }
  }
]
5

That's strange. I haven't run in to any issues yet but I will keep this in mind if I do. Thanks!

6

Can you provide / update this as an exported preset? I am unable to "paste" it back into BTT, and apparently using presets is the proper way of doing this -- more info here: Presets · GitBook

7

Great Job! Works like a charm for me!

8

Thanks! I didn't know about conditional activation groups
I mapped these to key sequences (double tapping Enter anf Shift respectively), and it works great!

9

This preset isn't importable. Can you check it please and share it again?

10

@Andreas_Hegenberg Just bought a BTT license for Black Friday, thank you!

Is it possible to achieve this without a conditional group and just using the Advanced Conditions on the keyboard shortcut? Could you provide an example if you're available?

11

If I understand correctly, yes. Setup the shortcuts app specific (Finder) and select the name of the field in the Advanced Conditions.

image
image1190×244 19.1 KB

12

This is what I've been doing but it never seems to work somehow.

It breaks the deletion of text in filenames.

13

yah i encountered same issue thus the changes i made in order to remedy problem when in textfield ie renaming a file etc it would not delete letters/function properly until i made my changes.

14

tried but it interfere with spotlight and raycast

15

yah i recall coming across that issue as well....let me see. what i updated to fix...i might have used karbiner elements in addition to BTT to solve

16

if you get it working, share you setup

17

THANK YOU! 1step closer to a usable macOS . . .