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TICKET ARCHIVE -> OSX Finder - number of columns displayed

fstein1947 - Feb 17, 2006 - 10:39 am

On one of my G5's running OS X 10.4, opening a new finder window results in a display of 4 columns plus the Sidebar, with the columns' default width wide enough to show full file names. On my other G5, a new finder window displays9 columns, with each being pretty narrow.

I cannot figure out how to eliminate 6 of these columns, or change the default width. How do I do this seemingly simple task?

Thanks.

bobw - Feb 17, 2006 - 11:00 am

Hi Fstein

On the bottom of each column separator you'll see two horizontal lines. Drag those lines to remove or resize the columns.

bobw
http://www.macosx.com

fstein1947 - Feb 17, 2006 - 11:20 am

Thanks Bob - while that resizes the windows it does not allow me to delete any of the columns. I do not want the view I have with 9 columns - I'd like a view with 3 columns. Also resizing the columns with the handles on the bottom does not seem to hold - when I reopen the finder in another session, it has defaulted back to narrow columns. Any suggestions as to where I can change the settings for the default finder screens?

Fred

bobw - Feb 17, 2006 - 12:02 pm

Fred

Try trashing the 'com.apple.finder.plist' file from - User/Library/Preferences

That should reset to default and you can set the way you want.

bobw
http://www.macosx.com

fstein1947 - Feb 17, 2006 - 12:35 pm

I trashed the plist (in Finder of course) and relaunched Finder and I still have the default of 9 columns. So I tried replacing the finder.plist on one G5 with that from the other G5 that has the display in Finder I like, and it still defaulted to 9 columns. Sorry, but this didn't work. I suspect I have to get into some hidden setup file somewhere.

Fred

bobw - Feb 17, 2006 - 12:56 pm

Fred

Get AppleOff;

http://www.macupdate.com/info.php/id/18885

And use that to delete the DS_Store files.

Then trash the Finder preferences again, set a Finder window the way you want and see if it works.

bobw
http://www.macosx.com

fstein1947 - Feb 17, 2006 - 2:44 pm

Bob:

Thanks for the AppleOff suggestion, but it did not do anything. I think I'll just live with this anomally for now. Deleting the com.apple.finder.plist does not change the display of Finder, even after restarting.

Fred

fstein1947 - Feb 17, 2006 - 2:44 pm

Bob:

Thanks for the AppleOff suggestion, but it did not do anything. I think I'll just live with this anomally for now. Deleting the com.apple.finder.plist does not change the display of Finder, even after restarting.

Fred