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STILL no auto-resize option for Columns in 10.7.2?

Sorry if this has been covered elsewhere, but just wanted to confirm -- before sending yet another Feedback feature request -- that the latest version of Lion STILL has not implemented a global preference option to have columns automatically right-size in every new window. This is a long-requested and achingly obvious option, which has been conspicuous by its absence ever sine "Column View" was first introduced. Is there some technical reason why this would be too hard to implement? It just seems bizarre to have a "manual" auto-resize function for the columns within each new window, yet not have a simple user-selectable preference to make that the default Finder behavior.


So what gives?

Mac Pro, 8-core 2.8GHz; 10 GB; GeForce 8800, Mac OS X (10.6.8), Mac user since 1990 (starting on a sleek SE/30)

Posted on Nov 29, 2011 12:19 PM

Reply
23 replies

Dec 26, 2012 2:05 PM in response to chris_mick

chris_mick wrote:


Anyway, in TotalFinder, option-cmd double click on any of the separator bars in column view, autofits all.


I may be missing something here but you can already do this by option clicking in the finder in Leopard (I think is when that was introduced) and above.


If you right click on the double bars I think in Lion they gave you a menu that shows three choices "Right Size This Column" "Right Size All Columns Individually" and "Right Size All Columns Equally" If you option drag on the double bars it will size them all equally.



Here is some code from that might help but doesn't unfortunately auto resize columns


tell application "Finder"


activate

tell list view options of the front Finder window

set properties to {calculates folder sizes:false, shows icon preview:false, icon size:large icon, text size:12, uses relative dates:true, sort column:name column}


tell columnname column

set properties to {index:1, sort direction:normal, width:400}

end tell

tell columnsize column

set properties to {index:2, sort direction:normal, width:100, visible:true}

end tell

tell columnmodification date column

set properties to {index:3, sort direction:normal, width:80, visible:true}

end tell

tell columncreation date column

set properties to {index:4, sort direction:normal, width:90, visible:true}

end tell

tell columnkind column

set properties to {index:5, sort direction:normal, width:200, visible:false}

end tell

tell columnlabel column

set properties to {index:6, sort direction:normal, width:55, visible:false}

end tell

tell columnversion column

set properties to {index:7, sort direction:normal, width:72, visible:false}

end tell

tell columncomment column

set properties to {index:8, sort direction:normal, width:240, visible:false}

end tell

set sort column to size column

end tell


tell the front Finder window

set current view to list view

set zoomed to false

end tell

end tell



The visible true or false doesn't work on Snow Leopard and up (maybe not even on Leopard).

Dec 26, 2012 5:06 PM in response to skillet

What's being asked for is not the ability to Right-Size specific columns, or to Right-Size all columns in a given window equally, or to Right-Size all columns in a given window individually -- whether by key command or by mouse click.


What's being requested is the (seemingly) achingly obvious ability to set ANY OF THE ABOVE as a Global Preference option (and I stress the word OPTION) for ALL new windows opened in the Finder, and/or in the Open/Close/Save navigation windows of ALL applications (or only those specific apps designated by the user) running under the Mac OS.


This preference option is painfully overdue. And I have to believe that if the ability to automatically Right-Size Columns exists in each and every new window -- and has for years now -- then offering that kind of functionality as an automatic global preference cannot be that daunting a task to implement.


C'mon Apple. This one's a no-brainer. ('Guess it's time for ANOTHER Feedback message on this one.)

Jul 30, 2013 9:22 PM in response to Bronson HH

Bronson --


Please re-read several earlier posts which clarify this point:


The feature you're describing is well known; what we're advocating -- and what I've sent MANY feature requests for -- is a global Finder preference giving users the option to have all columns automatically resize in ALL windows, rather than having to right-click and select that option in each and every open window,

and then having to right-click and select that option in the next new window you open,

and then having to right-click and select that option in the next new window,

and then having to right-click and select that option in the next new window,

and then having to right-click and select that option in the next new window,

and then...


...well, you get the idea.

Jan 3, 2014 6:54 PM in response to skillet

Hehe...

Skillet, it strikes me as humorous that we should all now think of this feature as a "gem".


This is something so clearly necessary and seemingly simple to implement that you'd really think it should be regarded as a boring bit of core functionality, not an exciting bonus feature that took 15 years to develop!


When i think of all the time I've wasted mousing and double-clicking... it just boils my blood.


While we are on the subject, another similar (and equally simple--albeit far less essential) feature that has been missing: The ability to "look left" in column view, the same way you can "look right".


When you navigate rightward into a column with a hidden column in front of it, the finder automatically "pushes" all of the columns to the left, in order to reveal the column on the right, so you can see where you're going. This doesn't work in the opposite direction. E.g., if you arrow in the left direction, you'll get all the way to the leftmost viewable column, and your columns do not "push" right to reveal the hidden column.


Apple probably assumed that you don't need to know what folder is to your left, because you were already there and remember it. Additionally, it is possible to swipe the trackpad and look back, so if you’re not a “keyboard only” type, it’s no big deal. However if you’re navigating with only the keyboard, through very large folder structures, and working rapidly, it can be an issue. And of course once you travel back too far in your folder structure, it is no longer possible to navigate back into the rightward folder using only your keyboard. Anyway, it's a really minor detail but it would be such an elegant symmetry… and i can't see what possible advantage there was to omitting it!

STILL no auto-resize option for Columns in 10.7.2?

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