Auto Sizing is inconstant; some folders auto size OK while others do not.
Auto size columns sometimes turns itself off for no reason.
With Auto Sizing working, images do not show as thumbnails.
Videos will not show as thumbnails at all unless I manually set them up as thumbnails for each folder even though Folder Formats clearly shows Movies as being checked.
Folder Options \ Enable Folder Content Type Detection is also on.
The Save the Current Folder Format gives THREE choices; they appear obvious but they often have unexpected results.
It just seems that the various settings are conflicting with each other.
I am going to give it another try later today and will get back with you.
Doc[/quote]
You have to consider, that using layouts or your settings in the "starting Opus" section might cause that confusion.
I´ve already suggested some "tracking" function, which is capable of showing, which setting (regarding columns) is coming from which place or layout. But perhaps this is not so easy to include (i am no programmer).
And if you use styles, those will also have an effect on auto-sizing. I always want auto-sizing turned on when I'm in details mode so I enable it in every one of my styles.
Boy, oh boy is this VERY confusing. What should be a very simple on/off thing is turning into a real nightmare.
Someone needs to take another look at this whole Preferences and Folder Options thing. They are not even in the same menu (Settings vis. Tools). Why is Folder Options not part of Preferences? To me they are just another setting and should be in Preference; at least that way there would be one less source of confusion.
I tried your suggestion about Folder Formats and that did cure one of the two problems; I now have auto detection of all file formats which I could not achieve before.
You suggestion did also work (ONE TIME ONLY) for Auto Sizing of the columns but that quickly failed (see image of my settings). As you can see all the correct options are on but the column is NOT auto sizing.
Christiaan; there needs to be a MUCH, MUCH simpler way to achieve BOTH Auto Sizing AND Auto Format Detection. As it is now it is total ciaos.
Folder Options works on the current window, possibly only changing things temporarily for that window and no others.
On the other hand, everything in Preferences is applicable to the entire program. So Folder Options and Preferences cannot be in the same place.
If you use Folder Options to save a format that then it will be added to the list in Preferences - Folder Formats.
If you just want to edit the saved Folder Formats then you only ever have to use Preferences.
The only reasons to use Folder Options are if you want to temporarily modify the current window or if you want to save the current window's format into the list that you can find in Preferences.
Was the problem that using Save For All Folders didn't update Local Drives, or that Local Drives was having an effect even though it was unticked (so you didn't think to look at it as it shouldn't have done anything), or did you just not think to try changing the Local Drives format?
If either of the first two happened then I'll report it as a bug.
I was trying to do it through Folder Options. I would first select the root of drive D:\ then bring up Folder Options \ Display. I would then turn on Auto Size Columns, Details and save. It would work for awhile then stop. The check mark for Auto Size Columns would be gone.
I did not realize I could use Preferences\Folders\Folder Formats\ Content Type Formats and let’s say double click on Documents to bring up Documents Edit Format. I was trying to do it all with only Tools\Folder Options which by itself does not do the job or only does it for the current session.
As I said, there needs to be a much, much better, faster and more reliable way to do things such as this. Most people that I know simply do not have the time to mess with this nonsense.
One of the problems I see with Opus is that it is so powerful that there are simply too many ways to do the same thing and some of the results are less than desirable.
I am a real “Tweaker and twiddler” but in all the file managers that I have used over the last 27 years none has presented such a challenge to set up as does Opus. Again; it is due to the great power of the program; I would rather have the power then a “dumbed down” program like Explorer.
But, never fear, that will not stop me from learning this monster of a program.
Leo, I understand it's not a bug, but what really confuses new users is this: Right-click the 'Columns-bar' -> More -> Folder Options -> Display Tab -> Check Auto-size columns -> Save -> For all folders.
When one clicks the words SAVE and FOR ALL FOLDERS one does not expect things to change only temporarily (as DocLotus wrote above)....
Save For All Folders isn't temporary. It deletes all saved formats (at least the ones for specific directories) and saves the window's current format as the new default.
If it didn't work in this case then maybe there's a problem with it not updating things like Local Drives? That's what I'm trying to understand in terms of if there is something that should change in Opus or if it was just a misunderstanding.
Don’t know about a misunderstanding (I suspect that was part of it), but the whole thing has been more than a little confusing and needs to be changed somehow to simplify it. You are simply going to have others confused by the many dialogs, options and screens needed to get it working.
This should not be the case; there should be just one or two check boxes on ONE screen to eliminate the confusion.
The only thing I know now it that it is finally working for me and I don’t want to mess with it any more.
It still isn't temporary. It just doesn't update Content Type formats. At least if they are turned off (but I think it doesn't update them even if they are on).
Do you think it should?
That would also wipe out the way that the Images Content Type changes to thumbnails mode, since the view mode would also be replaced if Save For All Folders overwrote all the Content Type formats.
I can see that being wanted in some cases, but not all, and if people don't want Content Type formats messing with them then they've probably turned them off anyway. (Or left them off? Sounds like they are off by default now from your post.)
I definitely agree that it can be complex working out why a folder format change hasn't taken effect but it's important we really understand what is going on and what is really desired. What might seem like the obvious fix for a particular problem can lead to other problems so it requires thought and discussion.
Ok, I think that's a good reason to leave it as it is now.
The only thing i can think of is adding an option to the Folder Options Save button 'For Folder Formats...'.
This would open a list of Folder Formats giving you the option to replace content types.
But everything would become even more complex...
I was thinking along the same lines. Rather than add a fourth item, the "For All Folders" item could be changed to display a list of formats that you can check/uncheck to overwrite. Would that make it more or less confusing? I'm not sure.
In my opinion this is the best way to make it less confusing:
When Folder content type detection is enabled: add an option to the Folder Options Save button 'For Folder Formats...',
because only when the Folder content type detection is enabled, clicking the save button currently leads to confusion.
When Folder content type detection is disabled: the option 'For Folder Formats...' should be grayed out.
I would not replace the third item, because when Folder content type detection is disabled the option is still useful (and
does not lead to confusion).
And a small rearrangement in Preferences could also make things less confusing:
I would move the option 'Enable folder content type detection for...'
from preferences - folders - options
to preferences - folders - folder formats:
