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eyeangle

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jan 2, 2014
159
20
Melbourne, Australia
It's really annoying. I use finder a lot and I'm constantly having to resize the window so I can see the entire file or folder names. Is there an option for Finder to do this automatically? Or a terminal command that anybody may know?
 

Mike Boreham

macrumors 68040
Aug 10, 2006
3,904
1,894
UK
It's really annoying. I use finder a lot and I'm constantly having to resize the window so I can see the entire file or folder names. Is there an option for Finder to do this automatically? Or a terminal command that anybody may know?

This has been a problem with OS X since the beginning.

The Totalfinder and Xtrafinder plugins for Finder have a setting to "automatically adjust column widths in Column view" to suit the title, along with many other benefits.

I use Totalfinder.
 

roadbloc

macrumors G3
Aug 24, 2009
8,784
215
UK
One of the many annoying issues Finder has that Apple never seems to fix. If it is really bugging you, I'd invest in a Finder replacement.
 

maflynn

macrumors Haswell
May 3, 2009
73,682
43,740
The only fix is a Finder replacement as mentioned. It is aggravating but then Windows has a similar issue when looking at a directory in icon view.
 

Mike Boreham

macrumors 68040
Aug 10, 2006
3,904
1,894
UK
One of the many annoying issues Finder has that Apple never seems to fix. If it is really bugging you, I'd invest in a Finder replacement.

Can I emphasise that TotalFinder and XtraFinder are NOT Finder replacements. They are plugins for Finder and you carry on using Finder just as before, but with some extra settings.

Pathfinder is a Finder replacement. Very different animal.
 

eyeangle

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jan 2, 2014
159
20
Melbourne, Australia
Thanks a lot for your help.

Is there any way of contacting Apple and giving them this suggestion for an 'automatic column adjustment setting' for the next update of OSX?

Do they often listen to the public when it comes to suggestions?
 

allenawatson

macrumors newbie
Oct 22, 2011
9
0
Finder tricks to view file names

It's really annoying. I use finder a lot and I'm constantly having to resize the window so I can see the entire file or folder names. Is there an option for Finder to do this automatically? Or a terminal command that anybody may know?

What view are you using? Icons, List, or Columns?

In any view, go to the View menu and select Show Path Bar. It appears at the bottom, and usually there is enough room to display an entire file name if you click on the file.

In column view, Double-click on the || symbol at the bottom of the column, and it expands to the width of the longest file name.

In list view, double-click on the divider at the top right of the Name column, and it will expand to the width of the longest file name.
 

w0lf

macrumors 65816
Feb 16, 2013
1,268
109
USA
Do they often listen to the public when it comes to suggestions?

Never, unless there's some sort of mass hysteria about a feature and even then it's not guaranteed to change.

What view are you using? Icons, List, or Columns?

In any view, go to the View menu and select Show Path Bar. It appears at the bottom, and usually there is enough room to display an entire file name if you click on the file.

In column view, Double-click on the || symbol at the bottom of the column, and it expands to the width of the longest file name.

In list view, double-click on the divider at the top right of the Name column, and it will expand to the width of the longest file name.

That's all extra work that's not necessary, tedious, and easily automated as evidenced by like every single Finder alternative/plugin.
 

eyeangle

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jan 2, 2014
159
20
Melbourne, Australia
In column view, Double-click on the || symbol at the bottom of the column, and it expands to the width of the longest file name.

Thanks. I didn't actually know that. It'll save some time so it helps. But it would be good to see an option for this automatically.
 
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