Filed under: OS, Software, TUAW Tips
TUAW Tip: View long file names faster in list/column view
A lot of Mac users know and love the Finder's column view. While I can't speak for Linux, I'm pretty sure it's a fairly unique view to Mac OS X, and it's a great way to browse and move files throughout your folder system. Today's tip, however, deals with one of the column view's occasional shortcomings: its relatively (default) thin column widths. Since long file and folder names get truncated in the column view, it isn't always easy finding just the right one in a long list of chopped-off and summarized names. Instead of holding your mouse over a long file or folder's name and waiting for its full title to appear as a tooltip, there is a much quicker way to do it: simply hold down the option key. This will cause the tooltip to appear immediately, and if you keep browsing in the same directory, you can let go of the option key as it actually toggles this immediate tooltip's functionality on while you remain browsing in that folder. This also works in file open/save dialogs, where the column view can typically get scrunched the most.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Chris said 11:16AM on 2-14-2006
I've noticed that previous TUAW Tips have taken a bit of flack (sp?!) from readers for being too obvious or basic, and I'm sure a lot of people already know this one as well...but although I consider myself a reasonably experienced user, I've wasted a lot of time hovering and waiting without knowing there was an easier way so thank you!
Please keep the tips coming, not all of them will be useful to everybody, but eventually these little things add up to make a big difference...
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mbb said 11:29AM on 2-14-2006
I recently discovered that if you double-click on the 'handle' (the two vertical lines at the bottom of the grey column-seperator) for a column , it will auto-resize to fit the longest name in the list. A big time-saver if you have to work through a long file-listing.
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Kevin Kitchel said 11:59AM on 2-14-2006
The column view comes from nextstep.
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mike said 12:16PM on 2-14-2006
Number 1 in the 'hood, G!
Great tip.
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Nick said 1:16PM on 2-14-2006
Like Chris (Comment 1), I had never noticed this either. Very useful. Thanks.
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Suntiger said 1:16PM on 2-14-2006
Even further back, there are DOS utilities that do column view. Volkov Commander comes to mind.
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Mark Fleser said 1:33PM on 2-14-2006
You can also option+drag the column and it will remember the width the next time you open the Finder.
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Rosco said 1:51PM on 2-14-2006
I've been enjoying the tips. They are quite handy, since I'm a PC 'power' user, and coming to Mac I'm missing all the shortcuts I know on the PC.
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David Anderson said 1:54PM on 2-14-2006
Ok, somebody tell the PathFinder folks so they can implement the same functionality.
I'd do it but you all seem like PathFinder minions (in a good way) so I'll let you have the Kudos (fitting as you posted the tip in the first place).
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BobbyW said 5:58PM on 2-14-2006
Excellent. Does it work in Spotlight? I hate waiting to see the path in Spotlight.
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Stephen said 8:06PM on 2-14-2006
What I'd really like is if you could set your Preferences so the columns auto-expand to fit the longest line.
That Option+Drag tip is most handy in the meantime. At least I can make the columns a little wider and keep them that way.
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