One of the biggest complaints from many Mac "switchers" is the inability to create new files in Apple's Finder program. Creating a new text file in Windows Explorer is a simple right-click operation, which, if you relied on it heavily, is sorely missed in OS X. In fact even many longtime mac users like myself find this oversight inexcusable.

Luckily there are ways around Apple's omission. Just in the last two days I've run across no less than for ways to create new files directly in the Finder. 

The first is an application called [Document Palette][5]. Document Palette runs in the background and allows you to create new documents in the current folder. With a folder active in Finder, press Control+Option+Command+N to make the palette appear, then select the document type you wish to create. 

New files aren't limited to blank documents, you can create new documents using templates with, say, basic HTML code.

But Document Palette isn't free, a single user license will set you back $8, which while cheap, still seems unnecessary for something so basic.

Another app you could check out is [NuFile][4] which can create a new file in the Finder with just two clicks. Call me lazy, but why two?

The third method is for users of the popular Quicksilver app and comes courtesy of [Vacuous Virtuoso][3]. If you already have Quicksilver installed you just need to activate the "Make New" action. 

To use the "Make New" command with templates navigate to ~/Library/Application Support/Quicksilver and create a new folder named templates. Then just create whatever file type templates you'd like to have access to and save them in the templates folder. Add a hotkey combo for Quicksilver's "make new" command and you're all set.

This morning I found an article on John Gruber's [Daring Fireball][1] that reminded me of the method I used to use for creating a new files in Finder. Gruber's method uses [Big Cat scripts][2] which can add an Applescript to the Finder's contextual menu and pretty much mimics the behavior of Window's Explorer. Gruber has a copy of an Applescript you can use to get started.

The final option is a bit extreme, but I gave up on Apple's Finder quite a while ago. I use Cocoatech's [Path Finder][6] instead and Path Finder ships with a contextual menu item for creating new files. Admittedly Path Finder is not free ($35), but it offers an impressive set of features for the price.

No matter what method you end up using, at least there are ways around Apple's oversight.

[1]: http://daringfireball.net/2007/03/new_text_files_contextual_menu "Creating New Text Files From the Finder’s Contextual Menu"
[2]: http://ranchero.com/bigcat/ "Big Cat Scripts"
[3]: http://dev.lipidity.com/feature/tutorial/right-click-new-file " Right click != New File"
[4]: http://growlichat.com/NuFile.php "NuFile"
[5]: http://www.coldpizzasoftware.com/documentpalette/ "Document Palette"
[6]: http://www.cocoatech.com/pf4/ "PathFinder"