"Name" portion of my Finder windows too long

Question

When I open most (but not all) Finder windows, the Name section is extremely long, even when the names in the directory or folder are very short.Does anyone know a way to reset or define the width of the name column? The other columns seem fine.

campoxford · Answer

Well, what do you know...just found it...hold option while dragging the column it will remember your setting. (that was from a 2007 convo;)

Michael Mortilla · Answer

Thanks, I agree it&#x27;s a bug but one doesn&#x27;t throw such words around here too quickly. Here  are the main issues:• It does not matter how I adjust the size of the NAME section in a Finder Window in List view. The next time the very same window is open, it defaults to the original size when initially opened with the NAME section too long for the content.• The NAME section is always extremely long regardless of what is in the list (see image attached).• Often, the TAG dot is so far over to the right that is does ot appear.  It is not visible because the LIST COLUMN is too long. The rest of the window columns (SIZE, KIND, etc.) are similarly completely hidden in the overlarge window scrolling off to the right. They can be scrooled into view, but still default to the "too large" size when the window is opened.• About half the time, it is not possible to adjust the LIST VIEW column size by the handle betweem the sections (NAME, DATE, KIND, etc.). Clicking on the handle (the line between sections) has no effect and the left and right arrows do not appear. This seems to be limited to only the NAME section ofthe window.Again, resizing the screen does nothing to fix any of this. I&#x27;ve looked at the FInder Preferences in the User Library which I have bolded below. I have opened and changed these in TextWrangler but they revert to the exact same settings, which I assume is becuase there is no way to quit the Finder w/o it saving the currently used preferences and settings (at least the unmutable ones). I will try booting in Target mode and replacing that file later today to see if i can force the OS to default to a smaller column size.Please! No more "novice" answers to this question. It&#x27;s not a matter of my not understanding how the Finder works, nor any user error. The Finder windows on this system, for whatever reason, are not working efficiently and not accepting user adjustments for some reason. THAT is what I am trying to address.Thanks again, Edwin Drood, for your confirmation of the issue.Best,mmExcerpt from the plist : com.apple.finder.plist&lt;key&gt;ComputerOptions&lt;/key&gt;          &lt;dict&gt;                    &lt;key&gt;ListViewOptions&lt;/key&gt;                    &lt;dict&gt;                              &lt;key&gt;ColumnCount&lt;/key&gt;                              &lt;integer&gt;8&lt;/integer&gt;                              &lt;key&gt;ColumnFlags&lt;/key&gt;                              &lt;integer&gt;9&lt;/integer&gt;                              &lt;key&gt;Columns&lt;/key&gt;                              &lt;array&gt;                                        &lt;dict&gt;                                                  &lt;key&gt;ColumnPropertyID&lt;/key&gt;                                                  &lt;string&gt;dnam&lt;/string&gt;                                                  &lt;key&gt;ColumnSortOrder&lt;/key&gt;                                                  &lt;integer&gt;1&lt;/integer&gt;                                                  &lt;key&gt;ColumnVisible&lt;/key&gt;                                                  &lt;true/&gt;                                                  &lt;key&gt;ColumnWidth&lt;/key&gt;                                                  &lt;integer&gt;300&lt;/integer&gt;                                        &lt;/dict&gt;                                        &lt;dict&gt;                                                  &lt;key&gt;ColumnPropertyID&lt;/key&gt;                                                  &lt;string&gt;modd&lt;/string&gt;                                                  &lt;key&gt;ColumnSortOrder&lt;/key&gt;                                                  &lt;integer&gt;2&lt;/integer&gt;                                                  &lt;key&gt;ColumnVisible&lt;/key&gt;                                                  &lt;true/&gt;                                                  &lt;key&gt;ColumnWidth&lt;/key&gt;                                                  &lt;integer&gt;181&lt;/integer&gt;                                        &lt;/dict&gt;                                        &lt;dict&gt;                                                  &lt;key&gt;ColumnPropertyID&lt;/key&gt;                                                  &lt;string&gt;ascd&lt;/string&gt;                                                  &lt;key&gt;ColumnSortOrder&lt;/key&gt;                                                  &lt;integer&gt;2&lt;/integer&gt;                                                  &lt;key&gt;ColumnVisible&lt;/key&gt;                                                  &lt;false/&gt;                                                  &lt;key&gt;ColumnWidth&lt;/key&gt;                                                  &lt;integer&gt;181&lt;/integer&gt;                                        &lt;/dict&gt;                                        &lt;dict&gt;                                                  &lt;key&gt;ColumnPropertyID&lt;/key&gt;                                                  &lt;string&gt;phys&lt;/string&gt;                                                  &lt;key&gt;ColumnSortOrder&lt;/key&gt;                                                  &lt;integer&gt;2&lt;/integer&gt;                                                  &lt;key&gt;ColumnVisible&lt;/key&gt;                                                  &lt;true/&gt;                                                  &lt;key&gt;ColumnWidth&lt;/key&gt;                                                  &lt;integer&gt;97&lt;/integer&gt;                                        &lt;/dict&gt;                                        &lt;dict&gt;                                                  &lt;key&gt;ColumnPropertyID&lt;/key&gt;                                                  &lt;string&gt;kind&lt;/string&gt;                                                  &lt;key&gt;ColumnSortOrder&lt;/key&gt;                                                  &lt;integer&gt;1&lt;/integer&gt;                                                  &lt;key&gt;ColumnVisible&lt;/key&gt;                                                  &lt;true/&gt;                                                  &lt;key&gt;ColumnWidth&lt;/key&gt;                                                  &lt;integer&gt;115&lt;/integer&gt;                                        &lt;/dict&gt;                                        &lt;dict&gt;                                                  &lt;key&gt;ColumnPropertyID&lt;/key&gt;                                                  &lt;string&gt;labl&lt;/string&gt;                                                  &lt;key&gt;ColumnSortOrder&lt;/key&gt;                                                  &lt;integer&gt;1&lt;/integer&gt;                                                  &lt;key&gt;ColumnVisible&lt;/key&gt;                                                  &lt;false/&gt;                                                  &lt;key&gt;ColumnWidth&lt;/key&gt;                                                  &lt;integer&gt;100&lt;/integer&gt;                                        &lt;/dict&gt;                                        &lt;dict&gt;                                                  &lt;key&gt;ColumnPropertyID&lt;/key&gt;                                                  &lt;string&gt;shvr&lt;/string&gt;                                                  &lt;key&gt;ColumnSortOrder&lt;/key&gt;                                                  &lt;integer&gt;1&lt;/integer&gt;                                                  &lt;key&gt;ColumnVisible&lt;/key&gt;                                                  &lt;false/&gt;                                                  &lt;key&gt;ColumnWidth&lt;/key&gt;                                                  &lt;integer&gt;75&lt;/integer&gt;                                        &lt;/dict&gt;                                        &lt;dict&gt;                                                  &lt;key&gt;ColumnPropertyID&lt;/key&gt;                                                  &lt;string&gt;cmmt&lt;/string&gt;                                                  &lt;key&gt;ColumnSortOrder&lt;/key&gt;                                                  &lt;integer&gt;1&lt;/integer&gt;                                                  &lt;key&gt;ColumnVisible&lt;/key&gt;                                                  &lt;false/&gt;                                                  &lt;key&gt;ColumnWidth&lt;/key&gt;                                                  &lt;integer&gt;300&lt;/integer&gt;                                        &lt;/dict&gt;                              &lt;/array&gt;

Michael Mortilla · Answer

UPDATE: I have found a way to temporarily fix this. Toggle the Finder window to FULL SCREEN and then back to normal (traditional) view). You can use the ESC key to do this. It fixes it. New windows seem to revert to the problem on an ad hoc basis but at least there is an easy fix. I&#x27;ll be setting up a Quickeys command to toggle it for me when the need arises.

alexpselamat · Answer

Hi Michael. I had the same problem too. And after reading this thread, I tried something different and it seemed that it fixed the problem, at least for me, for now. Maybe you can try it and confirm.1. I think the key is, this change affects all the enclosed folders. So, if you want to change the "Name" column width of all of the folders on your hard drive, start at your hard drive (highest) level. Close all windows in Finder, then double-click your hard drive icon (if you do this at several folders down, it will seem like it doesn&#x27;t do anything).2. Adjust the "Name" column width, and the window size to your liking. Go to menu -&gt; Show View Options -&gt; Then click "Use as Defaults" button down at the bottom. That sets the "Name" column width for all of the folders on that hard drive.  If you have a second drive or an external drive, you have to do the same thing to that hard drive.If you have a shared drive on a server, you have to do the same thing on the server (can&#x27;t do it remotely).Worth a try.-Alex.

itsamacthing · Answer

When I open finder, I find my column for name arbitrarily pushed all the way out like this:I can adjust the columns manually and bring it not even close to the longest name:Then close and reopen and the column is pushed back over and sometimes off the screen:Maybe there is someone in this forum who has the technical skill to resolve this issue beyond the usual, "re-install" I see so over suggested.  I am currently using the better touch tool solution discussed in various places with a keyboard short cut and it&#x27;s been a huge help.  But I would like control over my columns again.

dansalmon · Answer

This isn&#x27;t a bug it&#x27;s a feature. For some reason Apple have decided to widen the first column (usually Name) when you widen a window, rather than the way they used to do it by widening the last leftover column. Afraid it&#x27;s just bad user interface design from the Mavericks team.

cmscss · Answer

This has been driving everyone in our office crazy for months!Have just sent a report to Apple and suggest everyone do the same - choose "Bug Report" from the Feedback Type dropdown here: http://www.apple.com/feedback/macosx.htmlCheers

cmscss · Answer

Thanks for the update,..they were very honest that it&#x27;s a bug and that there is nothing we can do until the engineers feel like it&#x27;s important enough to address.If anyone&#x27;s interested in making it something they feel is important enough to address, choose "Bug Report" from the Feedback Type dropdown: http://www.apple.com/feedback/macosx.html

alexpselamat · Answer

http://www.apple.com/osx/It&#x27;s supposed to be the most advanced operating system in the world. "...what makes a Mac a Mac".  Easy to use, so everything works just the way you expected it to.Well... Something as simple as adjusting the finder name column cannot be done? It makes sorting and finding files a slow process and cumbersome. Very inefficient.

Michael Mortilla · Answer

Thank you both for taking the time to respond. I understand how windows work and how to resize columns and windows. That is not what I am asking, however, which is why I took the time to post a screenshot.The window nearly* always defaults to this large width in the Name column and it&#x27;s new behavior since installing 10.9. I&#x27;ll go through my 3rd party hacks to the OS and see if I can find the culprit (assuming there is one).* - I say nearly becuase there are some windows that do perform normally, but the majority do not and even after resizing the window size and column width, re-opening the window reverts to the long Name column.

EdwinDrood · Answer

I think it&#x27;s a bug.The Finder adapts column width to the width of the window. So far, so good. But it does it by expanding the FIRST column, and only that one.  The sensible thing would be to  widen the columns in whch text is cut, then stop once everything is readable.It seems that the size of a window is determined by its size when you last closed it, that would explain why all the windows do not have this behaviour.

heepno · Answer

I have the same issue, this was the first thing I noticed when I installed Mavericks. I even tried reinstalling it because I thought maybe the installation process got corrupted or something. Unfortunately, as expected, the issue persisted. Sometimes the columns width gets saved, sometimes it resets and does not fit the window anymore again. I think it&#x27;s definitely a bug because the behavior is very inconsistent.

Michael Mortilla · Answer

Thanks for the report and post, heepno. In other sites some of my music friends say they saw the problem arise in Mountain Lion while a coupld say it goes back as far as Snow Leopard. I didn;t experience it in either.Nice to know I&#x27;m not crazy, at least not about this. I hope Apple monitors these discussions. I&#x27;ve reported a couple of smaller bugs via the Ap[ple Developer site and will report this one as well.It&#x27;s always something... The "workaround" for me it column view. I hate it, but it&#x27;s reliable.

sunflood · Answer

Exactly the same issue. I&#x27;ve tried deleting all Finder plist files as per another post suggestion, but no success.Will follow this post and hold fingers crossed for a Mavericks update soon.PS. thanks for the ESC tip, but it doesn&#x27;t work with TotalFinder it seems. Nor does it solve the &#x27;Save As&#x27; issue, because pressing ESC will cancel the save. Aaargh!

GaryKing · Answer

I can confirm that this "fixes" the problem. Although manually resizing the Name column does basically the same thing.The reason that this gets reverted eventually is because you manually increase the width of the window while viewing a specific folder. The next time you open that same folder and the window width is smaller than the last time, then the columns will be wider due to this, and therefore you get a horizontal scrollbar.