I know I can save my column settings e.g. for a given folder and all subfolders. But what I heavilly miss is to save my displayed column settings and apply it to a different folder on demand. For example, I selected once my preferred columns to be displayed for my music folder, I can apply it to all its subfolders, but I want to use the same settings for e.g. music subfolder in my dropbox folder, or music folder on my external drive. I know I can save lister layouts, but this is not what I want to achieve. The closest comes Windows explorer with its option to optimize the columns for files or multimedia. I would be glad to be able to save and "apply" my favorite columns to any folder - and do it easily by switching styles. Is it possible?
Thanks and regards,
Dominik
One way would be to use the content type formats. You can find them under -> settings - preferences -> folders -> folder formats -> content type formats.
You would have to activate the setting in -> preferences -> folders -> folder behavior -> enable folder content type detection..
You can use Styles to do that.
Or you can use Content Type formats (where e.g. folders with lots of MP3 files will get certain columns) or Favorite formats (where you can manually select a specific format from a menu off the default toolbar), which are both described in the Folder Formats page.
A fourth alternative is creating a button or hotkey which adds specific columns to the current window.
Another way would be "preferred formats". You could make one for music, in -> settings -> preferences -> folders -> folder formats -> favorite formats.
You can then apply them later from your "-> tools -> folder options" dialog under "reset" or similar (i don´t have the english translation handy right now), where you can pick it
from the "favorites".
Thanks a lot for the hints. Enabling content recognition in the settings indeed brings me closer to what I need. However o issue persists: how can I modify the columns? E.g. add Music Title, remove Attribute? I click "edit" in the settings, hit "apply", but my changes do not seem to be saved, next time I enter another music folder again the default settings are applied. Thanks a lot.
You have to set the columns used in the following place: -> settings -> preferences -> folders -> folder formats -> file type formats -> music. So, if you changed them in the regular place, by right clicking
the columns header, they will be lost in the next session. If you set them like described above, they should stay persistent.
That is what I did, but sometimes in some folders it is not applied, e.g. characteristicly "Attribute" column appears. I have not yet traced down the rule... Good to know it should work, so if I get something reproducable I will post it here.
In the settings, in the same location, there is an "options" tab. Perhaps you have to uncheck the lower option "include columns from other matching formats"?
Sounds very promissing, will try...
The whole settings in DO is overwhelming... could be simpler... but the instant support is fantastic, never experienced anything like it...
Folder Formats can be quite complex, which is the price we pay for flexibility. (If they were simple, the answer would usually be "you can't do what you want".)
But these three guides should make things much clearer, if you haven't read them:
[ul][li]Folder Formats: Quick Guide -- Set the view mode, columns etc. used for all directories.[/li]
[li]Folder Formats: Special Folders (Computer, Network, etc.)[/li]
[li]Folder Formats: Detailed Guide[/li][/ul]
The 3rd one is most relevant in this case. It explains the different types of formats that you can create and how they interact. It also explains how to tell where the current format for a window is coming from by hovering over the lock icon (don't click it, just put the mouse over it until the tooltip appears).