Finder > Show View Options... how to use default settings?

Kappy wrote:
There no longer is a "global" default for view options. Snow Leopard will remember the defaults for each folder so when you switch between them you will always see your default view for that folder.

I beg to differ. According to my experience... the "Use as Defaults" button will set system-wide defaults for all folders that have not previously been customized using "Show View Options". The problem here is... there is no way to tell a previously customized folder to use those defaults.

Lexa Grey wrote:
However if the view had been previously saved in Leopard then you would have to show hidden files, go to column view, and delete the .DS_Store items for the affected folders. Note this will also likely delete spotlight comments.

I tried deleting .DS_Store for the folder in question. It didn't seem to do the job. I thought it would. Perhaps something was cached. I once had a bash script that would delete all .DS_Store files system-wide. I should have that now.

Kappy wrote:
There no longer is a "global" default for view options. Snow Leopard will remember the defaults for each folder so when you switch between them you will always see your default view for that folder.

Apparently just viewing a folder will set that folder's view options. Initially they are set to whatever the defaults are set for under View Options. But if you change the defaults later, the view for folders you've previously opened with finder are not changed. Changing the defaults will however change the views for folders that have not been previously opened with finder.

Of course that makes my previous statement incorrect. The Use as Defaults button does not change the view for folders not previously customized. It only changes the initial view for folders not previously viewed.

Still, I think we should have a way to set the view options for a folder to revert to whatever the default view options are. And the defaults do seem to be system-wide... just not in the way I was thinking.

Ideally, right next to the Use as Defaults button should be a Use Defaults button. LOL. Of course they'd want to word it differently so as not to be confusing.

Message was edited by: Elden

TenuousMoth wrote:
Oh good, it's not just me then. I would venture to guess this is a bug. At least, I hope it's a bug and not a change! Here's to hoping it gets fixed.

I personally don't have reason to believe it's a bug. What I was specifically referring to would be more like a feature request.

Are you referring to the difference between Snow Leopard and Leopard? I think it can be stated thusly:

Leopard = The default view options are in effect for all folders that haven't had specific view options set.

Snow Leopard = The default view options only pertain to folders not previously opened in Finder.

Does this seem right? Of course this is not what I was originally whining about. I was originally complaining that there is no way to tell Finder to use the default view options for a folder.

Randall Vaughn-Ward wrote:
opening the view options on the folder (cmd-j) hit the option key
"use as defaults" should change to "restore to defaults"

Bingo! Thanks very much Randall. Works like a charm.