Richard & Stephanie Sipe

Problem: The Mac OSX finder does NOT support the Ctrl-X (would be Apple-X) functionality to move files as does Windows XP. Really Control-X in Windows does not Cut Files it just in initiates a Move File command. Apple decided in OSX that mapping Apple-X to Move File would be confusing so they just left it out. Well that is annoying to all of us Switchers whose fingers are hardwired to hit Control-X to move files to have to learn to hit the moved Command key (Apple) – X just to have it do nothing!

Solution:
The solution is two fold. The first step is to use Automator to create a move automator finder plugin. This is really easy and involves just a few steps:

• Open Up the Automator Application
• Drag over the “Get Selected FInder Items” element
  
• Drag over the “Move Finder Items” element
  
• Save as Finder Plug-in Named “…Move” or something similar
• Control (Right) Click on a file or group of selected files and choose whatever you named your plug-in in the step above
  

Now you have a finder plugin but you still can’t Apple-X to move files. For this you will need to map Apple-X to your new Automator function using a freeware or shareware software program.

• To use a keyboard shortcut (Apple-X) to move files you need to save the automator action as a Plugin for the Script Menu (same method as saving for Finder Plugin just use the dropdown to select Script)
• Download and InstallFast Scripts Lite
• Click on the Fast Scripts Icon in the top toolbar and Select Fast Scripts Light and then Preferences
• Expand the top Tree Element which is your personal Scripts Folder where Automator placed the created script from the first step.
• Click on the Move … Element then click in the Shortcut Column and press Apple-X to assign your Automator Action a Keyboard Shortcut.
• Thats it. Now, as long as Fast Scripts Lite is running you can use Apple-X to move your files!