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Saving Views in the Finder

By JC » Posted on March 21, 2007 - 7:59am
Dave asks:

Question

Hi there, is there a way to alter the default width of columns when in column view?

Answer

In fact, there is, but it is one of the most irritatingly inconsistent behaviors in all of Mac OS X. In theory, when you alter a view in the Finder, these new settings are saved when you close that window. In reality, it only semi-consistently saves it if you have no other windows open and you made a change while there were no other windows open.

So, basically, you have to do this:

  • Close all Finder windows
  • Navigate to the window you want to manipulate
  • Close any intermediate windows you had to open to get there
  • Make the view change
  • Close the window

Now, you asked about columns, which carry a special caveat. You see, the finder will not remember the change you make to a single column; it’ll only remember it if you use the ‘option’ key while dragging the slider so that it modifies all columns in that view.

Convenient, huh?

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JC is a former Mac Genius and Mac-centric IT worker with a background in print advertising. He earned a reputation as a miracle worker when he saved the day at a new business pitch with the arcane knowledge that Apple’s ADB cables were nothing more than poorly shielded S-Video cables.

JC runs the Heroic Efforts Data Recovery Service and writes Ungenius, a tawdry tale of the life and times of a former Mac Genius.

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Re: Saving Views in the Finder
purduejim on March 21, 2007 - 3:35pm

Well, I voted this an excellent tip on the assumtion it worked, but it did not work for me at first. Got a window all lined up the way I need to see it, in list view, with just the first 2 columns shpowing, at a width and height I prefer. Followed all the directions but on closing and re-opening, back to 3 column view!

Then I remembered a Finder Preference, “Open new windows in column view”. I unchecked it and it worked! Well, to me that is not a “new window” but an existing folder, but it worked! Thanks for the nifty tip!

JL

Re: Saving Views in the Finder
davidr on March 23, 2007 - 11:36am

Thank You, Thank You!

I have been wondering about this for, uh, years?! now.

Blogged it: http://www.theconsultant.net/archives/2007/03/23/setting-the-default-width-for-columns-in-the-finder/

Cheers,

Dave

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