Mel WMay 4, 2023
Craig Hockenberry

Is there any way to get rid of this stupid play button that prevents you from clicking on the icon to move it in the Finder?

One of the dumbest “improvements" I've seen on the Mac in ages. Totally breaks muscle memory because you have to click on file name, and I've been clicking on icons for the past 39 years.

Also, good luck viewing the video at 48x48 pt.

May 3, 2023 at 8:27pmIvory for Mac
Show threadCraig HockenberryMay 3, 2023

It's possible that this is a useful feature for folks that work in media (it also does the same thing with audio files).

So let them flip a switch that enables this feature instead of breaking something with decades of history.

Show threadhagenMay 3, 2023
@chockenberry i work in radio and deal with a lot of audio files. it’s the worst feature ever. if i just want to check something real quick i use quick look so i have actual controls and hitting the space bar is much easier than hitting the small icon.
Show threadJack Regan May 3, 2023
@hagen @chockenberry I work in video production and have never used that button either
Show threadNamanMay 5, 2023
@jack_regan @hagen @chockenberry I third that. I’ve done video editing in the past and it’s a pain. QuickLook is all I need.
Show threadMartin the paranoid androidMay 3, 2023

@chockenberry For how long have Alan Dye et al. been allowed to spit in the face of basic usability? (Especially on the Mac.)

Seriously seems like they use printouts of the HIG as toilet paper these days.

Why no rebellion among Mac enthusiasts? Overdue.

cc @gruber

Show threadMatt BirchlerMay 3, 2023

@chockenberry I don’t know, I do a ton of vide work and I can’t think of a single time I’ve wanted to preview a video file in the icon. Especially when the spacebar lets me preview it at a readable size instantly anyway.

Would kill to be able to remove this without turning off all icon previews.

Show threadMembranophonistMay 3, 2023
@chockenberry Path Finder has its issues, but it does let you turn this “feature” off in the view settings. It also automatically disables the inline previews when the icons are sized smaller than 64pts.
Show threadGik  | 💙➡️🇺🇦May 4, 2023
@chockenberry Does clicking the title/name let you move it? (When not already selected)
Show threadGik  | 💙➡️🇺🇦May 4, 2023
@chockenberry Nevermind, you say that. I missed it the first time through.
Show threadBartek Wrony WroniszewskiMay 4, 2023
@chockenberry This is the problem with Apple - they don’t give a choice, they always know better. It can be really frustrating.
Show threadRonan JorahMay 7, 2023
@chockenberry I work in media. It’s not.
Show threadcounternotionsMay 3, 2023
@chockenberry “viewing the video at 48x48 pt”?!
↓
Show threadNico ReeseMay 3, 2023
@chockenberry It does not block dragging for me here. It's been there since Snow Leopard, though, so not a new thing.
Show threadCraig HockenberryMay 3, 2023
@nicoreese It's not the drag that's the problem: it's the selection (for Get Info, or Quick Look, or multiple selection, or …)
Show threadRick WilliamsMay 3, 2023
@chockenberry I would love to have a conversation with anyone who has ever used this. It’s annoying and there for no reason.
Show threadKeirMay 3, 2023
@chockenberry this should absolutely be disabled up to a certain icon size
Show threadJoe BaumgartnerMay 3, 2023
@chockenberry You could always go into Finder > View > Options and turn off "Show icon preview", but that just gives you a generic icon, and would turn off previews for images. Still, it would be something.
Show threadGKMay 3, 2023
@chockenberry really annoying… If we really want to do previews, a FinalCut-like scrobling-on-hover would be much better.
Show threadHudsonMay 3, 2023
@chockenberry 100% agree. Been using a Mac since 2011 and it still throws me off.
Show threadPhil SherryMay 3, 2023
@chockenberry How do people work out all the fancy `defaults write` stuff? It strikes me that this would most likely be turn-off-and-on-able (apols for the super-tech term) with such a flag.
Show threadDigital Mark λ ☕️ 🕹 👽May 3, 2023

@chockenberry Infuriating with PDFs, too. Click on the arrows, and now the icon is of a blank white page or TOC or something, not the cover.

HOW DOES THIS HELP‽

Show threadIain AndersonMay 3, 2023
@chockenberry At least in Ventura, if you click and immediately drag directly on that play button, it does move the icon; only a click and release plays the video. You can also click near but not on the play icon to select the icon. (That said, I do work in video production and have a lot of videos around, but I never use this feature because Quick Look is way better.)
Show threadkcǃMay 4, 2023

@chockenberry YES +1 HOW DO WE MAKE THIS GO AWAY!!!!

(There has to be a terminal command we can run or something, right!!?)

Show threadAlbert Kinng May 4, 2023
@chockenberry I’m not on my Mac now, but I think if you press a key… you can drag without hitting play. Option key? I don’t remember, I do it automatically.
Show threadmacfixerMay 4, 2023
@chockenberry It's the way movies were meant to be viewed!
Show threadA. Lee Bennett Jr.May 5, 2023
@chockenberry I was having a rough time figuring out what you were talking about, then I realized I use the Path Finder substitute Finder from Cocoatech which doesn’t have this “feature.”