How do I get Finder windows to hold their settings?

I've noticed a seemingly miraculous reversion once or twice. In the case of folder in which I had organized my icons just the way I wanted, at one point, the view settings got scrambled, the icons got scrambled, and I figured that was that, I'm screwed. But a few moments later --not sure what I did, possibly closed and re-opened the window once again, possibly fooled with the view settings-- the original icon arrangement reappeared.

I'm not sure I have any folders arranged in recognizable ways that go back as far as OS9, but I definitely have the impression that the view-setting-scrambling affects older folders less than newer ones. When a newer folder gets hit, there's nothing left of the previous view. I would only notice in the cases of folders I've set to icon view and arranged the icons per my workflow. For an older folder, in my experience, the icons settings are stable or nearly so. I think I've seen a few icons shift around while most stay as I arranged them.

As for "other repositories" of window settings... I think Finder knows nothing at all about folders that it hasn't been told to open for a while. When you open a folder, Finder almost certainly reads .DS_Store and displays the folder accordingly. Probably when you close that folder, Finder saves the settings back to .DS_Store.

Let me make some wild-*** guesses about some of the details:

a) There are multiple versions of the .DS_Store file format over the years as the Finder has evolved, and

b) the read step transforms the information in .DS_Store to a convenient in-memory format, and the write step transforms that format back to the latest .DS_Store storage specification --or not, possibly, for older folders; and

c) that there's some amount of buffering going on.

I think that a relatively minor glitch in any of these steps could scramble view settings. For example, a problem with the buffering could account for the apparent reversion you and I have seen. (Buffering problem? Might look something like this: the in-memory copy should be erased when the data is written back to the .DS_Store file but isn't.) I'm suggesting that there probably isn't a completely separate method of recording view settings, just a problem with managing the data that originates in .DS_Store files and gets written back to those files.

Like many others, I have been suffering from this problem since installing Lion. I've tried various fixes noted in this and other discussions but without success. After reading this article:

http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/os_x_lion_disabling_resume_one_program_at _a_time/

I got curious and wondered if this setting was confusing the Finder. So, I turned it off and relaunched the Finder. I then opened several folder windows and set them the way I want them to appear. For each folder, I used the Show View Options in the Finder's View menu. That was several hours ago.

So far, the windows now open up correctly. Correct view, correct size, correct location.

When I've tried the other solutions, they always failed within a short period. This solution seems to be longer lived. And perhaps it explains why some users have had the problem and some haven't.

If you are experiencing the problem, give this solution a try.

Mike

Thx Mike - but for me the problem persistes whether I have the restore box ticked or not. The solution appears to be deeply hidden in the system somewhere.

One thing that concerns me is that all the reading I have been doing about 10.7.2 doesn't have anything about a fix for this (unless I am missing something ) and I hate to say it but the problem has now spread to one of my external drives which, until now, had been untouched by the Lion visual gymnastics with my icons.

Other than this issue, I'm really enjoying Lion! (Although I found myself using a PC at work the other day and starting to panic whem my window wouldn't scroll down for me... It worked once I started to think in reverse...) <grin>

Well, my fix failed this morning. One window moved and resized. But the others have stayed correct (so far).

Sure would be nice if Apple had a "known issues" web page. Then we could all stop wasting our time trying to fix issues we see that are in fact known bugs (that may or may not be fixed in future updates).

Mike

It's over 24 hours now, since the 10.7.2 update and the icons are holding their positions. Looks like this bug is fixed...

unfortunately not so fo me - still random size and layout - time to put a large hammer to my hard drive!

Hmmm... so far my icons 'appear' more stable, but they appear to only hold settings if I have more than one window open when I shut down and open up the next day (still to test this theory further).

However, I still have an odd window problem... (which existed before the 10.7.2 update and which I assumed to be part of the whole not holding settings problem).

If I have a window open (e.g. set to list view) and open another folder, the second folder window opens as list regardless of previous settings (e.g. icon view) and slightly offset from the first window...

Overall I have yet to be convinced the problems are fixed, maybe even not yet started on???

Installed 10.7.2 yesterday. I set up my folders the way I want them using the Finder:View:Show View Options. All was well for about two minutes. After that, when re-opening the windows, they opened up in the wrong view.

So, using the Show View Options to set the folder didn't stick.

BUT, NOT using it does seem to stick. For example, just move a folder window to where you want it and set it how you want it to look (I use the buttons at the top of the window and/or the contextual menu). That position, size, and view seems to stick. Even after almost 24 hours.

I just did a restart (to reset the SMC on the MBP to try again to fix the keyboard illumination issue). After the restart, the windows open where they should. Whew!

So, the key is to NOT use the Show View Options.

This from MacFixit (Sat 15 October)

Finder Icon reorganization (fixed)
A number of people found that in Lion their icon organization and settings on the desktop and other windows in Icon view would change randomly, especially after restarting or logging out and logging back in. The problem appears to have been addressed so icons should stay in their proper locations.

Read more: http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-13727_7-20120069-263/os-x-10.7.2-what-it-fixed-and- what-it-didnt/#ixzz1ap4T1NZd

Not fixed for me.

okay... Icons are holding their settings for me in both the main drive window and for any external drives as well, which is great.

However not all the window settings stick - for example whether the window is set to icon or list view, or placement (location) of the window. This, however, to make matters difficult, appears to be a random problem - no logic to the manifestation of the problem at all. Some hold, others don't, some hold sometimes, but not others.

*** Often a window will pick up the attributes of the foremost window if I have more than one.

Odd behaviour, but at least the main one of rearranging itself appears to have been solved (for me at least).

Thanks to all those contributing here... It makes for interesting reading.

Message was edited by: wyrmsmaug

I have to agree, some folders have maintained some settings. However I for sure have seen other settings not stick yet. One example is my Applications folder. I want it in Icon view, sorted by name with a bit bigger icons, and the window streached to full height. It sticks for s time, but eventualy ends up back to normal size, snap to gid, and the window is small...

i keep getting my windows re-sized in this most irritating 2'' tall by 3'' wide - CONSTANTLY !!!

this is completely USELESS on my 27'' iMac, specially when you have 50, 80 or 100 files , folders inside AND have invested the time & effort in sizing them up according to your preference..

what an enormous waste of time & energy - or is this a new ''thing'' aimed at those who skip going to the gymn ?

finder still not remembering to open in my set director on a fresh 107.2 system.

Just out of curiosity, out of all those suffering here from this Finder problem, do any of you have TotalFinder running ?