About.com Rating

Default Folder X from St. Clair Software is an open and save dialog box utility that can save you many steps. In some cases, it can keep your head from exploding from the mind-numbing ordeal of trying to find folders and files when you're opening or closing a document.

I've used Default Folder X since its early incarnation under Mac OS 9, when the default logic of opening or saving a document was to start at the root of your startup drive, and work your way through the folder hierarchy to find the item you were looking for.

It was a long and tedious process, with very few shortcuts. That is, until Default Folder came along in 1987, and provided an easy way to always start at the last folder you had used, keep a few shortcuts to often used folders, and have a default folder or two to use when saving files.

Default Folder X has undergone a few name changes in its 28 years, and is now up to version 4.6.13 under the current Default Folder X name.

Pros

• Quick access to recently used and favorite folders.
• Hierarchical pop-up menus provide access to just about every file and folder accessible to your Mac.
• Allows you to select files or folders from open Finder windows.
• Remembers the last folders you were working in.
• Includes built-in search service for finding files, all from within the open or save dialog boxes.
• Includes file preview capabilities.
• Installs as a preference pane for easy management of features.

Cons

• Default black bezel that surrounds an open or save dialog box is distracting.
• Default settings will likely need tweaking before being usable for most users.

As I mentioned, I'm a former user of Default Folder. I'm not sure how I ended up not having this very useful file utility around in recent years. I can only imagine it was lost when I was upgrading from one Mac to another, and then forgotten as I was trying out new system features and capabilities.

Now I feel like an old friend has moved back to town, and it's time for us to get reacquainted. I installed Default Folder X, launched Word, which is currently my primary app for writing, and selected the Open menu item. The Open dialog box appeared, with Default Folder X wrapping the box in a black bezel, and gave me quick access to a list of favorite folders (set up during the install process), which includes the folder where I store many of the articles I write for About: Macs.

I then spent some time trying out the app, and was very pleased with its capabilities. Aside from my dislike of the default black bezel (you can change this in the preference pane), Default Folder delivered on its promise of making the open and save functions much easier to use and manage. I quickly went about setting default folders for apps I routinely use, and discovered that the built-in preview allowed me to see large thumbnails of images I need for the articles I write. That's going to be a real timesaver for me.

Another nifty feature is the ability to click on any open Finder window you have on your Desktop, and select a folder or file directly; no need to navigate through the Finder hierarchy to get to it. If a Finder window is already open, you can simply choose that open window and start navigating from there. Now that's handy, since I more than likely will have a Finder window open for the projects I'm actively working on.

Default Folder X has quite a few additional features and capabilities, and I'm going to spend more time exploring what it can do for my productivity and workflow. But I already know that Default Folder X will have a home on my Mac for as long as St. Claire Software makes the app.

Default Folder X is $34.95. A 30-day demo is available

See other software choices from Tom's Mac Software Picks.