b5media.com

Advertise with us

Enjoying this blog? Check out the rest of the Technology Channel Subscribe to this Feed

Microsoft Weblog

Wasted Space in Folder List View

by Jason Bean on January 11th, 2008

folder-files-list-view

When viewing a folder of files and you’ve set them to display in list view as shown above, what specifies the distance between columns in the view?

Is it a set pixel width?

Is it set to the width of the longest file name?

Is it random?

What I’d like is to be able to resize these columns and have it remember my preferred settings. I don’t mind if a file name is cut off in this view, if I want to see the full file name let me choose the “Details” view and expand the file name column to fit or delete other columns I don’t want.

In the view above I’ve got no control, that I’m aware.

The image below shows how I’d like the same folder of files to be seen in a compressed viewing space format:

folder-files-list-view-compressed

POSTED IN: Business Users, Home User, Software Wishlist, User Experience, Windows XP Pro

4 opinions for Wasted Space in Folder List View

  • Thierry
    Jan 25, 2008 at 3:53 pm

    XP also has a list view minimum width then adapt to larger file names, but Vista just got a larger minimum width somewhere in the registry. I wish a tweak would come anytime soon.

  • Vik
    Feb 1, 2008 at 1:35 pm

    Anyone got a solution for this? It’s absolutely KILLING me.

    I’ve gone to the free version of TweakVI in report mode for the desktop just to avoid the excess space, altho I don’t think its the best option.

  • Justin
    Feb 1, 2008 at 5:19 pm

    The list is related to the longest file name in that folder, so even if it is in the third column the longest file name will set your entire folders column width. Try shortening your longest file name and see if the width meets your criteria a bit more

  • Vik
    Feb 2, 2008 at 12:38 pm

    yea i had noticed that too, but even if the longest file name is 10 characters there still seems to be an extension of 20-30 characters. even if i refresh i get the same issue. frustrating.

Have an opinion? Leave a comment: