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TUAW Tip: View long file names faster in list/column view

by David Chartier Feb 14th 2006 at 11:00AM


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.

via [apple.com/pro]



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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...
 

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Stephen

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.

February 14 2006 at 8:06 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
AngryMac

Excellent. Does it work in Spotlight? I hate waiting to see the path in Spotlight.

February 14 2006 at 5:58 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
skip

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).

February 14 2006 at 1:54 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Rosco

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.

February 14 2006 at 1:51 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Mark Fleser

You can also option+drag the column and it will remember the width the next time you open the Finder.

February 14 2006 at 1:33 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Suntiger

Even further back, there are DOS utilities that do column view. Volkov Commander comes to mind.

February 14 2006 at 1:16 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Nick

Like Chris (Comment 1), I had never noticed this either. Very useful. Thanks.

February 14 2006 at 1:16 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
mike

Number 1 in the 'hood, G!

Great tip.

February 14 2006 at 12:16 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Kevin Kitchel

The column view comes from nextstep.

February 14 2006 at 11:59 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
mbb

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.

February 14 2006 at 11:29 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
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