Four small symbols in lower left of Finder

[c073186]

I'm sure this has been discussed before but... what are those four little symbols in the lower left of a Finder window? Clicking on them doesn't seem to do anything.

 

[robbieduncan]

What 4 little symbols? Can you post a screenshot?

 

[mrchinchilla]

They signify if the current folder has any additional attributes to it, such as 'Align to Grid' or 'Arrange by Name' etc.

 

[-Ryan-]

I think they're just to remind you you're using icon view. It'll change to something else if you change it or change the arrangement etc.

 

[xUKHCx]

They show that you are in Icon view if you change to list, column or coverflow view those squares disappear.

Don't really see the point as it is usually pretty obvious if you are in icon view.

 

[Ropie]

They show that you are in Icon view if you change to list, column or coverflow view those squares disappear.

Not quite. They show that 'Arrange by something' has been selected in View Options. If you select 'Arrange by Snap to Grid' you get a little picture of a grid in their place. If you select 'Arrange by None' you get no symbol.

 

[Gregg2]

Perception is a marvelous deception, depending on my reception, with certain exceptions. "Four small symbols"? I see two possible symbols, but only one at a time: a grid, or four parallelograms arranged in a square pattern.

Interestingly, the symbol does not change using control-click or right click when I've set the window to None or Snap to Grid using Show View Options. StoG and None are only available in SVO, not in the contextual menu. And the same "four small symbols" apply to everything except StoG or None. Yeah, not a very useful feature.