Make List View Default for Finder

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Level 1

9 points

Make List View Default for Finder

My apologies if this has been posted before.

I want to make my finder windows open in list view, rather than column view. I've gone to Finder Preferences, unchecked the open new windows in column view option, and they STILL open in columns. This is even if I close all finder windows, re-open again, etc. But I want to set the list view as default.
How can I set the List View as default?

Any tips would be much appreciated.

macbook, Mac OS X (10.4.10)

Posted on Aug 27, 2008 4:30 AM

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Answer 1

cordee Author

Level 1

9 points

Aug 27, 2008 8:18 AM in response to The Bohemian

Thanks Bohemian.
I tried both of these suggestions, and they still don't set the List View as default. That is, the list view works fine when the Finder window remains open, but when I close and re-open Finder, it's back to the Column View as default (even if I check off the "all windows" option under view options). Would there be something somewhere over-riding my List View default preferences, and constantly changing it back to Column View?
Many thanks.

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Answer 2

cordee Author

Level 1

9 points

Aug 27, 2008 6:04 PM in response to The Bohemian

Thanks again Bohemian. I followed your advice, and restarted the Mac, but it still didn't work. Something is keeping me from changing the default view settings from column to list. I would love to get this fixed at some point.

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Answer 3

Aug 28, 2008 7:48 AM in response to cordee

One more question. In the Finder > Preferences... where you say you have 'un-checked' the box for 'Open new windows in column view', do you have checked 'Always open folders in a new window'? I do. And I also have the 'New Finder windows opens': Applications, which seems to work well on mine, you may want it to open somewhere else.

Perhaps the Open in a New Window setting is the key here.

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Answer 4

BDAqua

Level 10

250,655 points

Sep 5, 2008 11:37 PM in response to azusa

Hi Azusa, and a warm welcome to the forums! 🙂

Please don't take this wrong as several newcomers to the forum do, but actually starting a new topic of your own will get more individualized attention, and many more helpers!

It can be hard to sometimes find where to start a New Topic, so here's the link...

http://discussions.apple.com/post!default.jspa?forumID=751

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Answer 5

Aug 27, 2008 6:38 AM in response to cordee

Hi,

Try clicking on Finder to open it; then go to the View Menu, there select 'Show View Options'; up at the top you will see the for All windows, and the arrangement order and size below... set as you want close it and next time it comes up you should have the list view.

Alternatively, in Finder on the top of the open window, you have a selection upper left, four squares/lines/window... the lines are your list view. If you select that and close Finder, it should come back as last set 'for that selection'. You can mix and match with the different selections, or put them all as list.

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Answer 6

Aug 27, 2008 9:07 AM in response to cordee

Perhaps, once you have things set the way you want them in Finder... try a "Restart" under the Apple Menu.

Mine is set and can be changed either way, but I sleep and wake my computer frequently, and restart it daily. This may have set mine (un-be-known to me).

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Answer 7

azusa

Level 1

0 points

Sep 7, 2008 10:14 PM in response to BDAqua

Thanks BDAqua, I found the culprit.

It's BlueHarvest, a preference panes.
http://www.versiontracker.com/dyn/moreinfo/macosx/28432
It automatically removes .DS_STore and Resource fork files and other things.
Once I remove it everything is back to normal.

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Answer 8

cordee Author

Level 1

9 points

Aug 28, 2008 10:24 AM in response to The Bohemian

How about that? I changed my preferences as you suggested, and the list view is now the default. Thanks Bohemian!

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Answer 9

Aug 28, 2008 10:49 AM in response to cordee

Cordee,

Glad that did it for you. This OSX is funny sometimes...

Good Luck and Thanks.

Enjoy

Bo

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Answer 10

azusa

Level 1

0 points

Sep 5, 2008 5:06 PM in response to cordee

Hi, I too have the same problem as cordee.
I've tried every method above and still every folder reverts back to view as icon after a reboot.

Any more suggestions, please.

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Answer 11

BDAqua

Level 10

250,655 points

Sep 7, 2008 11:26 PM in response to azusa

Great to hear... thanks for the info/feedback! 🙂

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