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General discussion

Dragging files (tifs) directly from CDs to mac desktop

Oct 3, 2007 1:47PM PDT

I always used to be able to drag my tifs and other files directly from my CD to the desktop of my Mac. I have OS10.4.10. Now I can't drag them directly. I have to open each one up separately into PhotoShop and then save it to my desktop. If I want to copy 50 files, I have to open each one up and save separately instead of just dragging the bunch. It's not only the new CDs that I am making, but also the old ones that definitely used to be drag and dropable are no longer. Is there a setting on my mac that I need to make to accomodate this? Thanks for any help.

Discussion is locked

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Dragging
Oct 3, 2007 10:34PM PDT

I just tried this and did not have a problem.

When you drag the file onto the desktop, do you see the green spot with a + sign in it?
Do you get any error message of any sort?

As far as I know, there is no setting that prevents files from being dragged onto the desktop from any sort of media.

Try this: Create a folder on the desktop and open it. Drag files from the CD into that folder. Did it work?

Although repairing Disk Permissions is sometimes looked upon as a waste of time, it does seem to cure problems, some of the time. Either way, it does no harm to the system and is worth a shot.
Rebooting is also worth trying.

Let us know what you find

P

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Dragging files (tifs) directly from CDs to mac desktop
Oct 4, 2007 1:27AM PDT

Dear P,
Thank you. Yes, I have tried those things before. I repair permissions often (and find it helps many things). Also of course I reboot. But I tried again with a new folder closed and then open and repaired permissions again and still no go. I get a "verboten" symbol that is a white cirlcle with a white slanted diagonal line across it next to my cursor as I drag and no other error message. Then I wrote you and realized I hadn't rebooted for you. I'd better go through the motions there too.... I did and oh my god?I got the green plus signal and the dragging worked!!!! Thank you!!!!!!!! (I guess I don't reboot as often as I used to!)
Garbo Fan

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Dragging Files
Oct 4, 2007 2:19AM PDT

Glad it worked for you.

As to what the original problem was......who knows.

I don't recall seeing the verboten icon before, other than when I was really dragging to a non-dragable (is that a word?) location.

Thanks for the feedback

P