Desktop folders snap back in place

i have folders and stuff on the desktop, when i click and drag to move them around on the desktop, they just snap back to their original position after about a half second delay, so i cant move them around, this is really annoying, can anyone help please??

yes, that was probably it, i was trying to use keyboard shortcut and i pressed the wrong buttons and it did something with the arraignment of the icons.
thanks

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either snap to grid or align to pixel grid yet again, i guess.

How to keep desktop folders in the same place?

I use an iMac (with Mac OS X V.10.6.6) and I have some folders and files on my desktop. However, lately after I shutdown my iMac and start it again, all the folders and files on my desktop move and scatter. I want to keep them in the same order that I originally arranged. How do I keep them in the same place? Is it normal for them to move around after shutdown?
It´s a new iMac (with about 6 monts old) and it only appens sometimes...
PS. I don't want to sort them out by name or date modified or anything like that. I just want to keep them in the same order that I put them.

As this oddity strikes also on my machine, I wrote this script.
--[SCRIPT récupérerrestaurer_positionicônes]
Enregistrer le script en tant que Progiciel (Application sous 10.6.x) : récupérerrestaurer_positionicônes.app
Installer dans le Dock.
Sélectionner les icônes du bureau dont la position doit pouvoir être rétablie.
Lancer le script
Cliquer le bouton "Enregistrer leur position"
Un fichier texte contenant les informations relatives à ces icônes sera créé dans le dossier défini à partir de la property 'dest'
Par défaut c'est dans "<startupVolume>:Users:<userAccount>:Library:Application Support:".
Pour remettre les icônes en place, lancer l'application et cliquer le bouton "Rétablir leur position"
--=====
Save the script as an Application Bundle (Application under 10.6.x) : récupérerrestaurer_positionicônes.app
Install it in the Dock for easy access.
Select Desktop's icons whose location must be reset when needed.
Run the script.
Click the button "Get there position".
A text file containing the datas linked to these icons will be created in the folder defined according to the property 'dest'.
Default location is : "<startupVolume>:Users:<userAccount>:Library:Application Support:".
Run the script and click the button "Reset there position" to move the icons back to their original location.
--=====
KOENIG (VALLAURIS, France)
2010/03/16
--=====--=====
property toutlebureau : true
property dest : 3
1 = liste dans : "<startupVolume>:Users:<userAccount>:Library:Preferences:"
2 = liste dans : "<startupVolume>:Users:<userAccount>:Applications:Utilities:"
3 = liste dans : "<startupVolume>:Users:<userAccount>:Library:Application Support:"
property nomDuRapport : "position des icones.txt"
property rapport : {}
--=====
on run
run script mon_script
end run
script mon_script
my nettoie()
if dest = 1 then
set p2d to path to preferences as text (*
"<startupVolume>:Users:<userAccount>:Library:Preferences:" *)
else if dest = 2 then
set p2d to path to utilities folder from user domain as text (*
"<startupVolume>:Users:<userAccount>:Applications:Utilities:" *)
else
set p2d to (path to library folder from user domain as text) & "Application Support:" (*
"<startupVolume>:Users:<userAccount>:Library:Application Support:" *)
end if
set p2r to p2d & nomDuRapport
if my parleAnglais() then
set prompt to "What to do with icons ?"
set {btn1, btn2, btn3} to {"Cancel", "Get their position", "Reset their position"}
else
set prompt to "Que faire avec les icônes ?"
set {btn1, btn2, btn3} to {"Abandonner", "Enregistrer leur position", "Rétablir leur position"}
end if
set maybe to button returned of (display dialog prompt buttons {btn1, btn2, btn3} default button 3)
if maybe is btn1 then (*
Cancel / Annuler *)
error number -128
else if maybe is btn2 then (*
Get their position / Enregistrer leur position *)
tell application "Finder"
set itms to name of every item of the desktop
repeat with itm in itms
try
set {x, y} to get desktop position of item itm
copy "" & itm & return & x & ", " & y to end of my rapport
end try
end repeat
end tell -- Finder
set rapport to my recolle(my rapport, return)
crée un fichier texte dans le dossier "Bibliothèque:Application Support" du compte utilisateur *)
tell application "System Events"
if exists file p2r then delete file p2r
make new file at end of folder p2d with properties {name:nomDuRapport}
end tell -- System Events
write rapport to (p2r as alias)
else (*
Reset there position / Rétablir leur position *)
set my rapport to paragraphs of (read file p2r)
repeat with i from 1 to ((count of rapport) - 1) by 2
try
set itm to item i of rapport
tell application "Finder" to set desktop position of item itm to my decoupe(item (i + 1) of rapport, ", ")
end try
end repeat
tell application "Finder" to update folder p2d
end if
my nettoie()
end script
--=====
on nettoie()
set my rapport to {}
end nettoie
--=====
on decoupe(t, d)
local l
set AppleScript's text item delimiters to d
set l to text items of t
set AppleScript's text item delimiters to ""
return l
end decoupe
--=====
on recolle(l, d)
local t
set AppleScript's text item delimiters to d
set t to l as text
set AppleScript's text item delimiters to ""
return t
end recolle
--=====
on parleAnglais()
local z
try
tell application "Finder" to set z to localized string "AL1"
on error
set z to "Cancel"
end try
return (z is not "Annuler")
end parleAnglais
--=====
--[/SCRIPT]
I run it by hand to get the icons positions.
I may also run it to restore these positions but in real life, I use a subset of the same script which is automatically ran when I boot the machine.
This subset retain only the code restoring the icons positions.
--[SCRIPT récupérerrestaurer_positionicônes]
Enregistrer le script en tant que Progiciel (Application sous 10.6.x) : récupérerrestaurer_positionicônes.app
Installer dans le Dock.
Sélectionner les icônes du bureau dont la position doit pouvoir être rétablie.
Lancer le script
Cliquer le bouton "Enregistrer leur position"
Un fichier texte contenant les informations relatives à ces icônes sera créé dans le dossier défini à partir de la property 'dest'
Par défaut c'est dans "<startupVolume>:Users:<userAccount>:Library:Application Support:".
Pour remettre les icônes en place, lancer l'application et cliquer le bouton "Rétablir leur position"
--=====
Save the script as an Application Bundle (Application under 10.6.x) : récupérerrestaurer_positionicônes.app
Install it in the Dock for easy access.
Select Desktop's icons whose location must be reset when needed.
Run the script.
Click the button "Get there position".
A text file containing the datas linked to these icons will be created in the folder defined according to the property 'dest'.
Default location is : "<startupVolume>:Users:<userAccount>:Library:Application Support:".
Run the script and click the button "Reset there position" to move the icons back to their original location.
--=====
KOENIG (VALLAURIS, France)
2010/03/16
--=====--=====
property toutlebureau : true
property dest : 3
1 = liste dans : "<startupVolume>:Users:<userAccount>:Library:Preferences:"
2 = liste dans : "<startupVolume>:Users:<userAccount>:Applications:Utilities:"
3 = liste dans : "<startupVolume>:Users:<userAccount>:Library:Application Support:"
property nomDuRapport : "position des icones.txt"
property rapport : {}
--=====
on run
run script mon_script
end run
script mon_script
my nettoie()
if dest = 1 then
set p2d to path to preferences as text (*
"<startupVolume>:Users:<userAccount>:Library:Preferences:" *)
else if dest = 2 then
set p2d to path to utilities folder from user domain as text (*
"<startupVolume>:Users:<userAccount>:Applications:Utilities:" *)
else
set p2d to (path to library folder from user domain as text) & "Application Support:" (*
"<startupVolume>:Users:<userAccount>:Library:Application Support:" *)
end if
set p2r to p2d & nomDuRapport
if my parleAnglais() then
set prompt to "What to do with icons ?"
set {btn1, btn2, btn3} to {"Cancel", "Get their position", "Reset their position"}
else
set prompt to "Que faire avec les icônes ?"
set {btn1, btn2, btn3} to {"Abandonner", "Enregistrer leur position", "Rétablir leur position"}
end if
set maybe to button returned of (display dialog prompt buttons {btn1, btn2, btn3} default button 3)
if maybe is btn1 then (*
Cancel / Annuler *)
error number -128
else if maybe is btn2 then (*
Get their position / Enregistrer leur position *)
tell application "Finder"
set itms to name of every item of the desktop
repeat with itm in itms
try
set {x, y} to get desktop position of item itm
copy "" & itm & return & x & ", " & y to end of my rapport
end try
end repeat
end tell -- Finder
set rapport to my recolle(my rapport, return)
crée un fichier texte dans le dossier "Bibliothèque:Application Support" du compte utilisateur *)
tell application "System Events"
if exists file p2r then delete file p2r
make new file at end of folder p2d with properties {name:nomDuRapport}
end tell -- System Events
write rapport to (p2r as alias)
else (*
Reset there position / Rétablir leur position *)
set my rapport to paragraphs of (read file p2r)
repeat with i from 1 to ((count of rapport) - 1) by 2
try
set itm to item i of rapport
tell application "Finder" to set desktop position of item itm to my decoupe(item (i + 1) of rapport, ", ")
end try
end repeat
tell application "Finder" to update folder p2d
end if
my nettoie()
end script
--=====
on nettoie()
set my rapport to {}
end nettoie
--=====
on decoupe(t, d)
local l
set AppleScript's text item delimiters to d
set l to text items of t
set AppleScript's text item delimiters to ""
return l
end decoupe
--=====
on recolle(l, d)
local t
set AppleScript's text item delimiters to d
set t to l as text
set AppleScript's text item delimiters to ""
return t
end recolle
--=====
on parleAnglais()
local z
try
tell application "Finder" to set z to localized string "AL1"
on error
set z to "Cancel"
end try
return (z is not "Annuler")
end parleAnglais
--=====
--[/SCRIPT]
As it was for my own use, I didn't change the explanations at the beginning.
Yvan KOENIG (VALLAURIS, France) jeudi 3 février 2011 12:37:56

Time Machine did not back up desktop folders?

Hello, I've been backing up my mid-2010 iMac 21.5" for over a year and a half every 24 hours to my external hard drive via Time Machine.
Recently, I just got back from a very lengthy and important trip where I was commissioned to take photos and videos. I made sure to do another time machine backup every day for a week until I needed to send the photos and videos in. I keep all of my photos and videos in separate folders on my desktop.
In that week time period, I sold my iMac in order to buy a Macbook Pro (needed the portability). No problem, just boot the Macbook while holding CMND+R to enter rocovery, and restore from my time machine backup on my external drive.
After booting up my Macbook, I noticed there were no folders or files on my desktop that I had originally on my iMac. Actually, there was virtually nothing the same that I had from my previous machine. There are now missing documents, applications, and many other VERY important files that I need to have.
My question is, where are these files? These backups took ages to perform, but what exactly was it even backing up? I desperately need these photos and videos for my job's sake. And they are nowhere to be found. I've tried entering Time Capsule and dating back weeks and months prior, none of which have any traces of files or folders being on my desktop. If anybody could help me out, or fill me in on a missing step perhaps, it would be much appreciated. Thank you.

I'm going to come accross sounding like a bitter old man . . .
Mac user since 1990. At the time, the whole cornerstone of the OS was "People don't want to learn how to use a computer. They just want to do their work." I bought it. Every piece of software (and operating system) I used was intuitive. You'd say "how do I . . ." and within moments, you could figure it out. No manual. No help.
To my dismay I've discovered (just bought 2 new Mac Minis for my business) that this is a thing of the past.
Case in point is Time Machine. I've just discovered, as did RoganLigby, that folders on the desktop are NOT backed up. Fortunately I discovered this (quite by accident) before a drive failure occurred.
My question: Why?
Why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why?
What possible purpose is there to not backup items on the desktop? Perhaps more importantly, wouldn't it be a good idea to tell users that this is the case? Near as I can tell, there is no option to specifically add desktop folders to the backup.
Does anyone at Apple actually use their own creations?

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http://www.adobe.com/downloads/updates.html
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Hi,
I've had this problem off and on... that is, it comes and goes, so I'm not really able to effectively troubleshoot it. My setup is this:
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-OD Master bound to AD for authentication
-Hosts AFP and SMB shares, all stored on Xserve RAID
On the RAID, I have a folder called Users (/Volumes/XserveRAID/Users) that is shared via AFP. The system Users folder (/Users) is not shared. In fact, nothing at all on the root drive is shared. All share points are on /Volumes/XserveRAID/. All Mac users' home directory profiles are pointed to \\servername\Users\username (in Active Directory Users and Computers application on our domain controller). Their home directories mount automatically when they log into their client machines (also bound to AD).
The problem is this; at seemingly random times, a user's home folder will all of a sudden be created in /Users on the server, and it will not use the /Volumes/XserveRAID/Users/ folder. I will clean out /Users every now and again, but the errant home folders show back up. The only folder that should be in /Users is the local admin.
Since /Users is not even shared, how is it doing this? Why is it that sometimes the /Volumes/XserveRAID/Users share is used (I know this because there are users' files in their folders in the proper place) and sometimes it's going to /Users? Any ideas? Thanks in advance!!
Going slightly mad,
Jason

Hi there,
Just wanted to share my make-due solution.
I have setup the automount sharepoint at "/Data/Home".
When I logged in or tried to use createhomedir in terminal, nothing happened but users could login (even though there was no home folder on the sharepoint for them).
I have created the Home Folders manually "/Data/Home/username" and then logged in again. When I did this it created two folders in the home dir:
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-Library
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So I manually added them and assigned them the propper rights.
Now users can log in without any problems, network home folders are working.
So essentially I got thing s to work, luckily I have only a hand full of Mac Users, Imagine having a user base in the hundreds !
Thinking about this really makes me want to know how I can fix this problem, I have a make shift solution but this really isn't the way to go. When I use the createhomedir command, it says "creating homedir on servername.domain.net" and it seems to be busy for like 20 - 30 secs, but after that nothing has changed.
I've checked all possible locations on the server (i thought maybe it might have made local accounts on server by accident, but it didn't.)
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Thx!!
Have a nice day

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After installing OpenOffice, my Mac Mini suddenly lost the ability to open desktop folders by double clicking.
Open Office does not have a de-installer that I can locate.
Please advise.
Thank you!

You may have to log out and back into your account, or restart the computer, for the system to work correctly after a software installation; at times one could also try other things in what may be an exercise in futility just in case something comes from any frustration and accidentally helps resolve any issue that may be in hiding...
The 'safe boot' and 'repair disk permissions' and other antics sometimes will work to scare the gremlins out of a testy Mac. Or, perhaps it really is as simple as the man says. Adjust the mouse/trackpad in system preference? Could be the settings changed and it may be trying to interpret your clicks too fast.
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Everything on the hard drive is still there, all my apps, etc.
Is there anything I can do to retrieve the folders without paying someone to try to retrieve the info? The trash is empty so nothing is there.
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Hi cornelius,
This is so odd, I just posted almost the identical reply at about the same time you did but mine is not showing up in thread for me. It does show in my posts but by no method going back to the thread is it showing for me....very strange.
Looks like Discussions is having another prolonged delay to posting again for some reason.....I'll hop over to Feedback About Discussions to see if others are seeing this...of course by the time you see this my post will most likely be showing up....
hope all is well with you,
littleshoulders
edit: Yep, there they are....strange that the posts are taking so long to post to the thread...
Message was edited by: littleshoulders

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Why can't I move the icons around on my iMac hard drive? They just pop back in place when I release the mouse.

iMac Mavericks
Why can't I move folders around on my iMac hard drive? They just pop right back in place. I've selected Sort By None. This just started happening this morning so I must have done something! Any help?

This is a shot in the dark, but try this:
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2. How do I bet the internal frames(minimized or open) to not bounce around when I add a new one?
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here is the code:
//DM.java
import javax.swing.*;
import java.awt.*;
import java.awt.event.*;
import java.awt.image.*;
public class DM extends JFrame{
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/////////////////// CONSTRUCTORS ////////////////////
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     deskTop = new JDesktopPane();
deskTop.setBackground(new Color(0,0,150));
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queryMenu.add(targetQueryItem);
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menuBar.add(queryMenu);
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targetQueryItem.addActionListener(new ActionListener() {
public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e){
JInternalFrame qc = new JInternalFrame("TEST2",true,true,true,true);
qc.setPreferredSize(new Dimension(500, 300));
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qc.show();
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}// end DM constructor
////////////////// MAIN METHOD /////////////////////////
public static void main(String[] args){
     DM dm = new DM();
               dm.setBounds(10,100,1000,450);
               dm.setVisible(true);
               dm.setDefaultCloseOperation(DISPOSE_ON_CLOSE);
               dm.addWindowListener(new WindowAdapter() {
                    public void windowClosed(WindowEvent e) {
                              System.exit(0);
}//end main
}// end DM class

Use the direct select tool to select the image, then set the scale in the scale fields to 100%, and finally, fit frame to content.

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I have 2 external firewire drives (one Lacie 160GB and one Maxtor 300GB). Both are partitioned in 2. The 4 volume creates an empty desktop folder. I throw them on the trash but they always come back. Well its not a serious problem but it bothers me a lot. Anyone ? thx
G5 Dual 2.3 GHz Mac OS X (10.4.4)

Some more information: Well, inside the apparent empty desktop folders there are two invisible files: ".localized" and an empty folder "VISE temp folder".

Desktop folders snap back in place

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