Is there a way to have Opus9 remember the column widths of a lister?
I'm always having to change the name's width.
Thanks!
Leo - I tried the 'auto-size' and at first it was great, but many folders had very short or very large file names - so that didn't work.
I didn't see how to exactly set a column position for all detail views in the FAQ.
That's what I really want to do.
Thanks!
When you edit a folder format, the list of columns has a width field. Just edit that.
(If you use Tools -> Folder Options then it'll show the widths of the current window's columns. That can save you experimenting to work out the numbers to make them the desired width.)
I don't think the 'auto-size' column setting is even mentioned in the FAQ that Leo referred you to... Did you read it? It describes how display/format settings work related to the various ways Opus provides to open listers (check out your "Launching Opus" settings in Prefs after reading the FAQ). Opus folder options is a different beast than Explorer because Opus is intended to allow you many different ways of controlling the display rather than a single 'saved' setting...
@Leo: it's probably worth adding a note in that FAQ about the "Launching Opus" settings. The FAQ does a great job of explaining all the different settings and how they interplay, but I think it doesn't penetrate for people that may have tweaked the launch settings before they get used to the product and come to understand things like how layouts and folder formats work together...
I think you guys are missing the point of what Wannabe wants to do. He wants, for example, the name column in details mode to ALWAYS be the same (specified) width, for ALL folders. Here is how I do that (there probably is an easier way, but I can't figure it out). Go to Settings|Preferences|Folders|Folder Formats, and expand the Content Type Formats. Select the Programs format and Edit it. Set the filename column width to the desired width - I use 400. OK out of preferences. Then, create a button (I call it Details) for the following command: Set CONTENTFORMAT=Programs . Voila, a details view with a customized name column width. Add other columns and widths as desired.
Smalis, I don't see how that is different to what's described above and in the FAQ, except that it a) only affects a single format instead of all of them and b) requires him to keep clicking a button to get the desired column width (not making it "always the specified width" at all, really).
I may well be missing something. The reason I did it the way I suggested is that I use List view as my default view, for all folders. So, unless I want to use Details view as the default for all folders, the Folder Format dialog box is only useful for specific folders, yes?
No, the Folder Format dialog applies to all view modes, although some/all of the Columns tab will not apply to modes which don't display any columns.
If you set the Filename column's width via the dialog then that width will be applied to Details, Power and List modes (but not Thumbnails, Tiles or Icon modes). The auto-size columns option also applies to Details, Power and List modes. None of the other Columns (size, date, etc.) apply to List mode since it only displays the Filename column (which might lead you to ignore the Columns tab completely when thinking about List mode, but the Filename column settings do still apply; give 'em a go).
Most of the other options apply to all modes, too.
(I'm guessing OpusWannabe isn't using List mode, or if he is had already worked out this way to resize the columns, since he was just asking how to remember the resized columns after resizing them.)
Now I get it. So I change the filename width in the Folder Format dialog box, and even though I am in List view, if I save that format for all folders, then list view will remain the default, and when I change to Details, it will use the modified filename column width.
Got it - thanks.
I think that's true, but what I meant to say was that the filename column width will also be applied to List view as well. That width is used as the maximum width of all the filenames displayed in List view (as well as the width of the filename column in Details & Power views). Similarly, turning on the auto-size option makes the columns automatically expand to fit the longest filename, not just in Details & Power but in List view as well.
I see what you meant now, too. If you usually use List mode and want a button which changes to Details mode and sets the filename column width, then what you originally suggested would work. I don't think it's what the original poster was after, but if it's what you want to do then it's a good way to do it. That said, creating a favorite format for the job might make more sense than using the Programs content-type format. You can create one using the button above the list of formats in the Preferences window, and load it using the Set FORMAT command.
Good point. Since I have content detection disabled, it doesn't matter for me, but you are correct, sir.
I think an important point to stay aware of in any case is that even with a good understanding of how the folder formats system works, and that there is overlap between Folder Options/Folder Formats settings and those stored in Layouts and Styles; is that the "Launching Opus" settings affect what you actually see up front when you open a new lister. And I'm pretty confident that a fair number of people play around with those settings BEFORE they come to understand the topics explained very well in the Folder Formats FAQ, after which they may feel they grasp what Leo has illustrated, but then still not be aware of or remember that they at one time monkeyed around with lister settings like updating the Default Lister, or set their own custom Layout or some such to open on desktop dbl-click, etc...
Some people make changes to their folder formats (whether that be Content Type based, Custom, Favorite, Local Drives, whatever) and then still get confused why double-clicking on the desktop doesn't reflect their folder format changes. Or even more fun (:-)), if they do have a custom layout for desktop double-click and/or tray icon, etc... why opening a lister through one of those methods might look different than the one that opens when they click the program "shortcut" once Opus is already loaded (which always loads the "Default Lister").
Whatever lister layout is set to load for whatever method of "Launching Opus" you're using may (and by default "will") enforce it's own format for the tabs that are saved in the layout... but then if you open a new tab in that lister, you would see the Folder Format based settings take effect. Thus... when people start asking why their folder options are never being "saved" many of ask "how are you opening your lister" just as often as we suggest looking at the Folder Formats FAQ for guidance...
I've added this to the FAQ:
I'm loathe to add much more as it's already very long & detailed, to the point that it probably puts people off from bothering to read/understand it. 
I know what you mean, yeah 
. Especially since it often goes like "Please check the Folder Formats FAQ"... then "okay, but did you actually read the FAQ", and then "yes, that's in the second paragraph of the FAQ, perhaps you missed it" ... LOL
But I think your addition is short, sweet, and to the point...
What I would love to see in a future version of Opus is a way to keep the column set to automatic but with the ability to set boundaries (minimum width and maximum width). I love the auto size feature and most of the time it does exactly what I want, until I end up in a folder with outrageously long file names that will push all other column way to far for my taste Not complaining btw, I LOVE Directory Opus, just one little feature I would love to see in the future (unless it already exists and I didn't find it )