Hi guys,
I have a question: sometimes, when I open Finder, the columns are separated by a single black vertical line which I can select and resize, etc. However, some other times, column separators show as attached.
I'm wondering what makes Finder change randomly between one column separator layout and the other. The second one - attached - really annoys me.
Thanks for your help!
MacBook Air
Any clues?
I think that is the way it is supposed to be. A column that is empty never shows the resize bars. If you click on an item in your left most column, and info is displayed in the next column, that column will immediately show the two lines.
You would be surprised if I told you that that's not what's happening. Content between the 2, 3 columns is always the same, however, I don't know what I'm doing but sometimes the resize bar is shown, and some others its not...
It's fun being a newby at the Mac world đ
Try posting a screen shot of what you are seeing.
Welcome to the world of Mac. Some 'light' reading. đ
A guide for switching to a Mac
Mac BasicsâTutorials on using a Mac
Switching to the Mac: The Missing Manual, Mountain Lion Edition
Thanks for the reading, will certainly go through it đ
Regarding the screen shot, I already sent it within the first comment...
Regards!
Just repeating what Eustace already said, but differently...
Open a Finder Window, click on an item that contains items inside of it (that would be a folder), then click on a folder within a folder. You will notice that you will be able to select and resize up to three levels--as long as there is something listed INSIDE the column you are trying to resize.
Hoping that this helps...
The request for a screen shot was because what you posted looks normal. I was hoping you would post a screen shot where you think there is a problem.
Below is a capture of Finder with what I believe to be the "normal" column separator bar. I believe this is the normal behaviour as it is how it is 90% of the time. I don't know what I do to trigger the layout within my first capture (beginning of this post).
On the two computers I have ready access to, there is a split decision. The iMac (2008) looks like your first screen shot. The MacBook Pro (2011) looks like your 2nd screen shot. I'm confused. đ
I'm using a MacBook air bought in 2013 with Mountain Lion and all updates :-) Also confused!
đ
I had the same issue come up.
To change it go to your Mac's:
System Preferences-->General-->Show Scroll Bars
For a "wide column divider" in Finder choose - "Automatically based on mouse or trackpad"
For a "thin line column divider" in Finder choose - "When Scrolling"
KK4BCX, Thank you! You solved it. Would have never thought to look at these two options seemingly unrelated to the issue.
KK4BCX you're awesome! That's exactly what I was looking for. Perfect. Thank you!!!
This was not an easy setting to figure out. This has been bugging me for well over a year. I'm going to add a couple keywords here because I've searched for this more than once and this is the first time I hit the correct words.
Finder scroll window separator dragable resize thumb random size changing issue.
Scroll bar sometimes stuck open other times minimized but behavior is totally random.
Unplugging MacBook from Thunderbolt monitor or walking away from Magic Mouse sometimes widens Finder pane separators.
Scroll bars stuck open across all applications and will not collapse.
Yeah, no one seems to know what i'm talking about when I describe this. I wonder if they just don't notice it or if it is truly an anomaly on my system. I have no idea how to set Finder to show a single, adjustable line or a "dual line" (aka column with an equal sign at the bottom) adjustable only by clicking on the "equal sign". I have heard that Finder automatically shows one rather than the other when connected to a magic mouse so maybe that's it.
Finder columns acting weird.
