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Mhaddy

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Oct 26, 2005
445
1
Canada
Is it possible to adjust the default width of columns in Finder? As you can see from the attached screenshot, almost all of my file names are too long to fit in the column, and I have to continually resize the width of the column to show everything. It's a major pain in the butt! Thanks.
 

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Those lines at the bottom of each column divider can be dragged around to change the width of the column to the left of the divider, but whether the new width is remembered, I'm not sure.
 
Those lines at the bottom of each column divider can be dragged around to change the width of the column to the left of the divider, but whether the new width is remembered, I'm not sure.

That's what I was referring to -- I can resize the columns via those lines (or double clicking on them) but Finder does not remember the new width.
 
Yeah, I would love it if the Finder remembered the last width I set a column to on a per folder basis (That is, each folder could specify the wdth of the column used to browse its children so that the width of the right-most column doesn't jump around as the selection on the current column changes.)
 
Is it possible to adjust the default width of columns in Finder? As you can see from the attached screenshot, almost all of my file names are too long to fit in the column, and I have to continually resize the width of the column to show everything. It's a major pain in the butt! Thanks.


Hi,
Yes it is possible! Hold down the option key and trag the column to the width you want it and then let go. That's all.
 
Bump!

I am loving Google and MacRumors right now. Option-Drag: one of uncountable reasons to love Apple. ES&D, MS. :)
 
Even Better Column Control

Thank you all for the OPTION key advice.

If you hold down "Control" key
Hover over foot of a column.
Right-Click

You'll get the option of changing individual column sizes FOR THAT SESSION. Next opening you are back to the widths set when you used Control Drag described above(which makes all columns adjust equally.)

I hope someone can refine this advice so that individually sized columns will be remembered.
 
... ad if you double click those 2 vertical lines the column gets the exact size of the longest file name ;)
 
does this also work on the sidebar width? If you use a cache cleaner like snow lep cache cleaner, will it clear all theses settings?
 
If you hold down "Control" key
Hover over foot of a column.
Right-Click

You'll get the option of changing individual column sizes FOR THAT SESSION. Next opening you are back to the widths set when you used Control Drag described above(which makes all columns adjust equally.)

I hope someone can refine this advice so that individually sized columns will be remembered.

I am trying to get this to work. I want to the size of the columns to stay the same obviously, but I am running into the trouble that when I hold the CONTROL button, all the columns adjust together. I tried what you mentioned above - holding down control and right clicking for more options - but I can't seem to find the right option to let me do this. I am working on an older OS, 10.4.11 to be exact, but I don't think this should be a problem. Any help would be appreciated! Thanks!
 
Oh my gosh, I swear this just saved me HOURS over the next year of my job adjusting the window so I can see the whole names of the projects I'm working on. Thank you, Apple... Thank you.
 
Can anyone verify if option-double clicking a column autosizes it AND tells Finder to remember the new setting? If this works it'll save me hours of frustration.
 
xtrafinder

The whole adjust column thing always really annoyed me, but I finally found a great solution today. It's a free app called Xtrafinder, and it gives you so many different options to customise your finder window, including automatically adjusting column widths to file/folder names. Yay! :) It also allows tabbed browsing and a dual window option.
It seems to be an add-on to the original finder app, and you can adjust the preferences via the finder menu.
Finder>xtrafinder>preferences.
Hope this helps!
http://www.trankynam.com/xtrafinder/
Cheers!
 
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