Permanently make Finder columns as wide as longest filename in Lion?

It's been nearly a year with no response, so I thought I'd bump the question up.

Finder behavior just doesn't make sense to me. If I set everything to "Right Size All Columns" and navigate to another folder, then come back to the folder I resized, the column has shrunk back to its original size. If I select the right size option on the first folder on a drive, then navigate to a sub-folder, the sub-folder is not "right sized." Most folders have smaller names than file names, so to permanently set all columns the same width, which would have to be wide enough to show long file names, too much column width is taken up in white space.

Doesn't the fact that the option to auto-size a column is called "Right Size" say something about how columns ought to be sized by default? :-)

At this point, I'm ready to purchase a Finder replacement. Any good suggestions?

Adding my vote to solving this problem as a finder level setting. I too prefer the column view and am constantly control clicking the column width icon to force the column to right size. Really seems that if I set the option to 'right size this column' that it should be a remembered setting. And ideally with the option of being a global setting as with other finder level view settings. I'm using the latest Mavericks 10.9.1 on an iMac & MacBook Air.

Just in case this is still an issue, let me provide you the following options:

Double-clicking on the "handle" at the right of a column will quickly resize the column to fit the widest file name. We all know this. The knowledge you're missing is that holding Option while dragging a column width sets that custom width for every future Finder window. You can even fix all your columns at once with a right-click:

Control (Right) click on any column handle to reveal three choices (as follows): Right Size This Column, Right Size All Columns Individually, and Right Size All Columns Equally.

The first selection is the same as the manual (ie sizing to the longest name); the second, sizes the same for each individual column; and the third, takes the widest column and applies it to all, no matter what.

Now go! Be happy with your Mac!

Macbook Air (Yosemite - 10.10.5 - February 2016)

Xtrafinder allows me to view complete file names without fiddling with R click >Rightsize etc. whenever I need to do so. Why Apple would assume that it's okay to hide some of that information is a mystery. If the info was redundant I wouldn't have entered it. Duh. Use Xtrafinder, and buy those folks a round 😉

http://www.trankynam.com/xtrafinder/

Althought Apple hasn't addressed this feature request, I found an app called a Finder Plugin called XtraFinder that includes an auto column sizing feature along with dozens of other features you can selectively enable. Here's a link: http://www.trankynam.com/xtrafinder/ There's no cost and it's been tested with 10.9.

Yes, I have this same problem with the Finder.

This is fine for that one time using the window. If you close finder and reopen it goes back to original state. Really annoying!

Yes, but this doesn't help solve the original request. You are right that "holding Option while dragging a column width sets that custom width for every future Finder window." (Thanks for that).

However, Dr Whishbone's originally said that: "I wish columns to be just as wide as the longest filename - always."

Same as me, I think he/she means no more, no less, but "just as wide". This varies for every different colum i look at on my Mac.

Some colums have short names, some longer names and it is annoying to have to click, drag, right click or what ever) EVERY time i'm in a new column.

XtraFinder does this really well (as mentioned above by 'dnanneman'). I used it for a few months, but i was a little concerned about using a third-party thing in case it interfered with my system (but probably nothing to worry about?). I had a 'glitch' and i uninstalled XtraFinder in case it was a problem (but glitch was unrelated). It was easy to unistall too with it's uninstaller.

I miss it & I think i need to use it again - but WHY CAN'T APPLE INTRODUCE IT AS STANDARD?

Thanks for the link, it took me two attempts to install & I'm thrilled that my columns in finder now automatically right size.

I also would like to see a default option in Finder to permanently and automatically adjust column widths to the size of the longest file name. I work with a lot of folders and am constantly opening them, moving files around etc. It gets tiresome having to adjust columns every single time just to quickly scan whole file names.

There is a default option to sort all columns equally, but this means having to side-scroll/drag to see the whole path. Or having to drag your folder size to be as wide as your screen will allow.

Thanks for the suggestion for XtraFinder, going to download and try it now.

Double-clicking on the "handle" at the bottom right of a column will quickly resize the column to fit the widest file name. Holding Option while dragging a column width sets that custom width for every future Finder window. But you can fix all your columns at once with a right-click:

dnanneman wrote:

Althought Apple hasn't addressed this feature request, I found an app called a Finder Plugin called XtraFinder that includes an auto column sizing feature along with dozens of other features you can selectively enable. Here's a link: http://www.trankynam.com/xtrafinder/ There's no cost and it's been tested with 10.9.

I have not used column view in years. Xtrafinder is an awesome free little utility. Thanks for the link.

Has this issue still not been completed?

Seems so simple to just let them set themselves until changed? rather than reset. Hopefully this gets picked up...

Any news or updates?

On El Capitan even with SIP disabled, this feature in Xtrafinder no longer works right, so we are right back again asking for a fix or alternative.