Skip to my Lou: how to select random files

How to skip files when selecting a batch to move from one folder to another? Every macuser knows how to select a group of files or objects - just drag to highlight them. Or press Shift and click on the files you want to select.

But, if you want to select random, not adjacent, files in an open folder, pressing Shift won't help - all the files in between will be selected too.

I've long been frustrated by this. Until I discovered that

pressing Command while selecting the files does the trick.

It helps, for example, when you work on a periodic or regularly updated project, a magazine or a catalogue, and want to resave current documents as templates for the next edition.

Select all (Command+A) and duplicate (Command+D). Now you have a new set of all the pages with 'copy' added in the name of the file. Copies are below the originals. To select just the copies, press Command and click on the copies. Then move them to a new folder or to the Desktop to start working on the new issue of your publication.

The same works in iPhoto. If you select several photos while pressing Shift, all the images in between will be selected too. If you press Command - only the ones you want.

I am preparing a linked list of articles about keyboard shortcuts on this blog and general Mac tricks and tips. Meanwhile please read this previous article:
Look after your hands: useful shortcuts

And, if you are a fan of folk music, watch Pete Seeger explaining how to play Skip to my Lou on banjo here.