Files open/copy in random order

I often work with multiple numbered files that I need to keep in order however I find when opening them, or copying them either locally or across a network they will open/copy in a random order.
For instance, if I have 12 single page pdf files I'd like to open, selecting them all and double clicking on them will give me a jumbled mess in Adobe Acrobat (preview opens them in numerical order though), If I drag them into my automated renaming tool (R name) they come in out of order, or when copying them to another server across our network then arrive in a random order.
We have this issue on several computer in several locations all running OS X 10.4.11, however one computer seems to copy/open files in the correct order. Is there a setting somewhere or terminal command I can run to get OS X to handle files the way I want, what am I missing?

There are three workarounds you can use for this annoying issue:
1. Use column view instead of list view.
2. Select your files in the open dialog box instead.
3. Open files using Adobe Bridge Instead.
We just wrote this up as a tip in our weekly tips blog:
http://www.creativetechs.com/iq/avoidthe_finders_odd_sort_when_openingfiles.html

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Photos open in random order in CS3

When I open a folder of photos in CS3 they open in completely random order. Is there some way in which I can persuade them to open in numerical order?
Any help much appreciated.

DYP - thanks for response. However, if I select all files in Finder they open in Preview not PS. If I want to open them in PS I have to drag them to the PS icon when they open in random order. The problem has been solved by using Bridge but I would be interested to know more details of your solution.

Files opened in random order

Hi
Why the heck when you open a bunch of files in iPhoto, Photoshop, or whatever, do you get them in random order instead, like in Classic, in their name order? And it's a different order each time. It can be very itching when you want to apply certain actions.
Since it's not application dependent it must be OS X. I guess you have to get used to it. Is there a reason why?
Nick

It's the same story in a Finder window: put the window into Column view first in order to get files to open in alphanumeric order. As for Photoshop--afraid I wouldn't know, as I almost never open psd files from the Finder, I use the PS file browser instead, which I keep open on my second monitor.
As for OS 9--you couldn't pay me to go back to it. OS X multi-tasks and almost never freezes or crashes. I can't remember the last time I had to do a forced restart.
The Finder however.... Well, let's just say I share the general sentiment that Apple should start over. Fixing what's there is not the answer. Writing a Finder for OS X with modern code would sure be nice. If you haven't seen it, take a look at John Siracusa's criticisms:
http://arstechnica.com/articles/paedia/finder.ars
And his update and hopes (and fears) for Leopard's Finder are here:
http://arstechnica.com/staff/fatbits.ars/2006/1/26/2673
You could always investigate Finder replacements on VersionTracker...
Francine
Francine
Schwieder

I have an iMac. , mid 2007. Frequently, when I take an action, the little color wheel starts spinning and goes on for quite awhile. Save a file, close a file, open a file, open a window, it's all random. Somtimes it stalls, sometimes it doesn't. Why?

I have an iMac. , mid 2007. Frequently, when I take an action, the little color wheel starts spinning and goes on for quite awhile. Save a file, close a file, open a file, open a window, it's all random. Somtimes it stalls, sometimes it doesn't. Sometimes long, sometims short. Why is this happening?

Consider adding more memory. Be sure you have adequate free space on the hard drive - 15 GBs or 10% of the drive's capacity, whichever is greater. Do not run too many applications concurrently. Visit The XLab FAQs and read the FAQ on resolving the SBBOD.
Do some maintenance:
Repair the Hard Drive and Permissions
Boot from your Leopard Installer disc. After the installer loads select your language and click on the Continue button. When the menu bar appears select Disk Utility from the Utilities menu. After DU loads select your hard drive entry (mfgr.'s ID and drive size) from the the left side list. In the DU status area you will see an entry for the S.M.A.R.T. status of the hard drive. If it does not say "Verified" then the hard drive is failing or failed. (SMART status is not reported on external Firewire or USB drives.) If the drive is "Verified" then select your OS X volume from the list on the left (sub-entry below the drive entry,) click on the First Aid tab, then click on the Repair Disk button. If DU reports any errors that have been fixed, then re-run Repair Disk until no errors are reported. If no errors are reported click on the Repair Permissions button. Wait until the operation completes, then quit DU and return to the installer.
If DU reports errors it cannot fix, then you will need Disk Warrior and/or Tech Tool Pro to repair the drive. If you don't have either of them or if neither of them can fix the drive, then you will need to reformat the drive and reinstall OS X.
Kappy's Personal Suggestions for OS X Maintenance
For disk repairs use Disk Utility. For situations DU cannot handle the best third-party utilities are: Disk Warrior; DW only fixes problems with the disk directory, but most disk problems are caused by directory corruption; Disk Warrior 4.x is now Intel Mac compatible. Drive Genius provides additional tools not found in Disk Warrior. Versions 1.5.1 and later are Intel Mac compatible.
OS X performs certain maintenance functions that are scheduled to occur on a daily, weekly, or monthly period. The maintenance scripts run in the early AM only if the computer is turned on 24/7 (no sleep.) If this isn't the case, then an excellent solution is to download and install a shareware utility such as Macaroni, JAW PseudoAnacron, or Anacron that will automate the maintenance activity regardless of whether the computer is turned off or asleep. Dependence upon third-party utilities to run the periodic maintenance scripts was significantly reduced since Tiger. These utilities have limited or no functionality with Snow Leopard or Lion and should not be installed.
OS X automatically defragments files less than 20 MBs in size, so unless you have a disk full of very large files there's little need for defragmenting the hard drive. As for virus protection there are few if any such animals affecting OS X. You can protect the computer easily using the freeware Open Source virus protection software ClamXAV. Personally I would avoid most commercial anti-virus software because of their potential for causing problems. For more about malware see Macintosh Virus Guide.
I would also recommend downloading a utility such as TinkerTool System, OnyX 2.4.3, or Cocktail 5.1.1 that you can use for periodic maintenance such as removing old log files and archives, clearing caches, etc.
For emergency repairs install the freeware utility Applejack. If you cannot start up in OS X, you may be able to start in single-user mode from which you can run Applejack to do a whole set of repair and maintenance routines from the command line. Note that AppleJack 1.5 is required for Leopard. AppleJack 1.6 is compatible with Snow Leopard. There is no confirmation that this version also works with Lion.
When you install any new system software or updates be sure to repair the hard drive and permissions beforehand. I also recommend booting into safe mode before doing system software updates.
Get an external Firewire drive at least equal in size to the internal hard drive and make (and maintain) a bootable clone/backup. You can make a bootable clone using the Restore option of Disk Utility. You can also make and maintain clones with good backup software. My personal recommendations are (order is not significant):
Carbon Copy Cloner
Data Backup
Deja Vu
SuperDuper!
SyncTwoFolders
Synk Pro
Synk Standard
Tri-Backup
Visit The XLab FAQs and read the FAQs on maintenance, optimization, virus protection, and backup and restore.
Additional suggestions will be found in Mac Maintenance Quick Assist.
Referenced software can be found at CNet Downloads or MacUpdate.
Be sure you have an adequate amount of RAM installed for the number of applications you run concurrently. Be sure you leave a minimum of 10% of the hard drive's capacity as free space.

Photos open in random order from bridge

Hi all,
This issue has been bugging me, trying to open the image in sequence from Bridge CS3 to Photoshop CS3.
The images in bridge is in sequence and all I did was select all and double click. My iMac at home works fine but my iMac at studio don't seems to like the sequence at all.
Hope there is a solution to it.
Regards,
Hart

DYP - thanks for response. However, if I select all files in Finder they open in Preview not PS. If I want to open them in PS I have to drag them to the PS icon when they open in random order. The problem has been solved by using Bridge but I would be interested to know more details of your solution.

On my mac when i click on pages, a new document doesn't open instantly but a window with my files open and then have to click on the left bottom new document in order to open one. How can i have directly a new document when i click on pages icon

On my mac when i click on pages, a new document doesn't open instantly but a window with my files open and then have to click on the left bottom < new document> in order to open one. How can i have directly a new document when i click on pages icon

How to open an existing Pages document?
Click Pages icon in the Dock to launch Pages.
When Pages is open, click File menu in the Pages menu bar.
Select “Open”.
When the select document dialog box opens up, highlight/select the document and click “Open”
at the bottom right corner of the dialog box.
s
https://support.apple.com/kb/PH15304?locale=en_US

Reverse order in File- Open dialogue

The file/folder list in the File->Open dialogue window is "stuck" at showing in reverse order. I can right-click in the Open dialogue window and sort ascending, but the next time I open a file it is back to reverse order.
I have experimented with Explorer's view settings but Reader appears to ignore those. Other applications, for example Word, use Explorer's view settings and behave as I would expect.
I suspect that someone has inadvertently changed something on this PC. Perhaps there's a keystroke combination that changes the file display order persistently?
Any ideas, please?
Adobe Reader version 8.1.2
XP Pro SP2

I'm still struggling with this - does anyone know how to change the file sort order in the File->Open dialogue?
It must be possible to change it because it has somehow been changed to reverse order!

On 10.9 - I can no longer open, copy or preview files on a shared server

I am on a 2007 iMAC and I connect to a shared server in our office. I just upgraded to 10.9 and am experiencing a number of problems:
- When trying to open files through finder I get the notification "Application not found"
- When trying to copy to/from server I get error mssages 43 or 8058
- Can't drag files into applications shown in dock
- Vectorworks 2010 not working at all
If I open an application and use File/Open and select files from the server they open fine, but I need to be able to use finder & preview...
I think the above issues might have something to do with permissions?
Please help

I've had the same issues. For me, trashing the permissions didn't resolve anything. The only work-around I've found is force quitting/relaunching the Finder. I have to do it every day, sometimes twice, but at least I can drag, copy and double click on files to launch an app.
Hope that helps.

Using browser javascript to copy selected text from a pdf file opened in Air app.

I have posted this question on reader forum as well, but I think it is more suited here...
I am trying to create a note-taking application in air. I want to extract selected text from pdf file as a string object or to the clipboard.
Obviously, all pdfs in my local storage will not be scripted to recieve postMessages and act accordingly, and that is not practical either. So, my problem is, how can I copy the selected text in the pdf file (opened as an object in htmlloader within my Air app) to clipboard or directly in another control by say clicking a button in air application? I suppose, this is possible using javascript, however, I don't know which reader methods are exposed to the wrapper htmlloader control. In short, I want to execute app.execMenuItem("Copy") command through htmlloader javascript. Any alternate solutions are also welcome.
This is similar to passing inbuilt commands/methods/functions (of adobe reader) to pdf-reader plugin embedded in a webpage via javascript. This is possible in IE where the pdf is rendered as activex object, and hence JSObject interface of pdf document/reader is accessible to the browser javascript. I have also read that this same JSObject is accessible to VB as interface for IAC, so as the Air is Adobe's own product, I was wondering if equivalent of JSObject is accessible to htmlloader control as well.
Thanks in advance...
Mits

Thank you Thom for your reply...
from
http://www.adobe.com/devnet/acrobat/javascript.html
...Through JavaScript extensions, the viewer application and its plug-ins expose much of their functionality to document authors, form designers, and plug-in developers...
As it is explicitly mentioned, that the functionality of adobe reader are exposed for plugin development, I thought someone here might have used external javascript to execute some safe methods in adobe reader. The functionality (i.e. external javascript interface-JSObject) is already available for VB programmers to develop IAC. Further, the Acrobat SDK example called "AcroPDFinHML" shows how one can embed a pdf-reader in a html page and execute some safe methods (like gotonextpage(), zooming etc.) in IE as ActiveX plugin. I have checked it myself for adobe reader 9, and it works perfectly, so there is no security issue as such to implement the same for another browser (like in my case, the htmlloader control in flex/air app).
I intend to create a note taking application in air, where it is very much required that I should be able to copy selected text from various pdf documents, that are open in my app, and subsequently paste/collect/save the collected notes and process them afterwords (offcourse, from the pdfs that allow me copying text). However, it is not happening for me here. As the pdfs are opened through adobe reader plugin, it does not register the copy command executed by my air app. It registers the system level copy command (by keyboard shortcut Ctrl+C), but my air app has no way to execute the system level copy command programmatically. So I am kind of stuck here...
Thanks again for your reply. Having known what am I intend to accomplish, any other (may be alternative) solutions will be appreciated nonetheless...
Mits

In Illustrator, I have a saved artwork, then I'm saving a copy as PDF, as usual. After I keep the AI file open, making some modifications which I don't want to save, so I close the file and click "Don't Save". Even though I clicked that, the file's modi

In Illustrator, I have a saved artwork, then I'm saving a copy as PDF, as usual.
After I keep the AI file open, making some modifications which I don't want to save, so I close the file and click "Don't Save".
Even though I clicked that, the file's modification time is changing.
(The modifications I made are not there, so it's not really saving but why the date is changing then?)
Please find the cause of it! Thank you!

All I can suggest is that you open that file on the MBA and save it as a new file, then see if you can open the new one on the iMac.

How to stop Ad. Reader XI erroneously opening copy of working file on top of original when cursor nears drop down menus, covering them?

Over the last two days, after opening any document in A R XI, as soon as the cursor nears the drop-down menus, another unwanted copy of the original document opens on top (but slightly offset from) that completely obscures the menu options. The original file is partially visible at the foot of the window but cannot be accessed by clicking.
On occasion a file opens from new without the drop-down menu options being visible. The above happens when I click in the empty space.
There have been slight variations of the above problem but at the moment I have not found a way to work with any pdf file
I can only close the document (and simultaneously the program) via the task bar.
I replaced the 'troublesome' program with a newly downloaded copy but the problem persists. I have scanned for viruses.
Any one with similar experiences find a solution?
Thanks.

Over the last two days, after opening any document in A R XI, as soon as the cursor nears the drop-down menus, another unwanted copy of the original document opens on top (but slightly offset from) that completely obscures the menu options. The original file is partially visible at the foot of the window but cannot be accessed by clicking.
On occasion a file opens from new without the drop-down menu options being visible. The above happens when I click in the empty space.
There have been slight variations of the above problem but at the moment I have not found a way to work with any pdf file
I can only close the document (and simultaneously the program) via the task bar.
I replaced the 'troublesome' program with a newly downloaded copy but the problem persists. I have scanned for viruses.
Any one with similar experiences find a solution?
Thanks.

Safari 6.1 sends files in random order to flash uploaders?

Here are two demo sites of popular flash uploaders where you can easily recreate the issue.
http://img.hompee.com/fupload/simpledemo/
http://www.uploadify.com/demos/
If you upload 2 or more files you expect them to be uploaded in the order in which they display in Finder. This is the case for all versions of Safari apart from 6.1. Safari 6.1 sends the files in a random order. I have had 30+ reports about this. I don't have Safari 6.1. I accessed a clients computer and its bizzare. Safari 7 doesn't have this issue. Neither does Safari 6.05.
Has anyone else experienced this problem? Does anyone know of any fixes or news of a fix?

Hello,
There are no files like that in that folder (com.apple.safari). They all have long numbers with .jpeg or .png at the end. That's what I meant by I cannot find any files like those mentioned in all the helps I read today. BTW-it's still crashing - no particular pattern to it at all.
The only two things I have downloaded recently is a new version of Flash and a Mac-driven update to Office.
Thank you very much for your attempt to help us.
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Copy File, Delete File & Opening Document

Hi All
Please help, note that I use JDK 1.1.7A. I have 2 directories I recieve a file into the first. This kicks of a process, when the process is finished I must take the file and copy it to the 2nd directory. Once it is copied I have to delete it from the 1st directory.. I then check through my explore from windows to see if I can open the document after it had been copied. I get an error from Winword that kinda says the following:
Document Name or path is not valid. Try these sugestions. Check file permissions. Use OPen Dialog box[]
private boolean copyFiles(String sFrom, String sTo, String sCopyList)
File fFrom = new File(sFrom);
File fTo = new File(sTo);
String sParent = "";
if (sCopyList.equals("PCIError"))
sParent = fFrom.getParent();
fTo = null;
fTo = new File(sParent, sCopyList);
int iNoToCopy = 0;
File fTempRead = new File(fFrom.getAbsolutePath(), sCopyList);
File fTempWrite = new File(fTo.getAbsolutePath(), sCopyList);
if (fFrom.canRead())
try
   RandomAccessFile randomWrite = new RandomAccessFile(fTempWrite, "rw");
   RandomAccessFile randomRead = new RandomAccessFile(fTempRead, "rw");
   long fLength = 0l;
   if (fTempWrite.exists())
    fLength = fTempWrite.length();
    randomWrite.seek(fLength);
   //FileReader fRead = null;
   //String sRead = fFrom.getPath() + File.separator + sCopyList;
   //fRead = new FileReader(sRead);
   //BufferedReader bufRead = new BufferedReader(fRead);
   String s = null;
   while ((s = randomRead.readLine()) != null)
    randomWrite.writeBytes(s);
   //bufRead.close();
   randomRead.close();
   randomWrite.close();
   fTempRead.delete();
   File fDelete = new File(fFrom, sCopyList);
   fDelete.delete();
catch (IOException ioE)
   ioE.printStackTrace();
   return false;
return true;

Hi All
I though that I had this problem resolved Alas I don't. If I have 2 existing directories than it works fine. When I have to create a new directory then I run into some problems. File creates a file. You then use the mkdir() method to make that file into a directory. It does not work the system creates the file but then doesn't turn it into a directory when that method is called.
Here is the code:
private boolean copyFiles(String sFrom, String sTo, String sCopyList)
     File fFrom = new File(sFrom);
     File fTo = null;
     String sParent = "";
     boolean bDir = false;
     if (sTo.endsWith("PCIError"))
          sParent = fFrom.getParent();
          fTo = new File(sParent);
          bDir = fTo.mkdir();
     int iNoToCopy = 0;
     File fTempRead = new File(fFrom.getAbsolutePath(), sCopyList);
     File fTempWrite = new File(sTo, sCopyList);
     if (fTempRead.canRead())
          try
                        //This is where the IOException is thrown
               RandomAccessFile randomWrite = new RandomAccessFile(fTempWrite, "rw");
               RandomAccessFile randomRead = new RandomAccessFile(fTempRead, "rw");
               long fLength = 0l;
               if (fTempWrite.exists())
                    fLength = fTempWrite.length();
                    randomWrite.seek(fLength);
               byte by[] = new byte[500];
               int byteread = 0;
               randomWrite.seek(0);
               while ((byteread = randomRead.read(by)) != -1)
                    randomWrite.write(by, 0, byteread);
               randomRead.close();
               randomWrite.close();
               fTempRead.delete();
               File fDelete = new File(fFrom, sCopyList);
               fDelete.delete();
          catch (IOException ioE)
               ioE.printStackTrace();
                        //what is printed out to my console:
                        /*java.io.IOException
                       java.lang.Throwable()
                          java.lang.Exception()
                       java.io.IOException()
                       void java.io.RandomAccessFile.open(java.lang.String, boolean)
                       java.io.RandomAccessFile(java.lang.String, java.lang.String)
                       java.io.RandomAccessFile(java.io.File, java.lang.String)
                       boolean pci.Pci.copyFiles(java.lang.String, java.lang.String, java.lang.String)
                       void pci.Pci.run()*/
               return false;
     return true;
RESULTS
I want to create in a directory PCIError as File folder in directory:
E:/Applications/.
Thus it must look like this:
E:/Applications/PCIError.
I want PCIError to be a File folder. But instead I get the following: E:/Applications/PCIError and PCIError is not a File folder but just a simple file that is not a directory at all so I can't copy any files into directory:
E:/Applications/PCIError
Because it isn't a directory but a file.
I would appreciate any help possible. Please also remember the version in which I have to write this program it is not an option to change the JDK Version.
Regards & thanx

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Files open/copy in random order

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