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Finder Window Customization
#42895 11/28/16 06:28 PM
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MG2009 Offline OP
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Okay . . . I am super stumped.

I have tried in ONE ACTION to change the icon size, background colour, font, etc. for ALL windows in Finder.

I "right click" in a Finder window to Show View Options, as per the instructions - including Always Open in Icon View. Then, Set as Default.

HOWEVER . . . not all windows change. Try as I may, I cannot figure out how to get all the windows to change to the same look at the same time.

Why don't ALL windows change to the "new default" settings? Any ideas how to make this work across the board?


Many thanks,
MG2009
Re: Finder Window Customization
MG2009 #42900 11/28/16 07:42 PM
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Some view settings are global, some only apply to specific view layouts (column, icon, list, etc) and some are specific to each folder. There is a hidden metadata file stored in each folder, called ".DS_Store", that contains this information. The Finder keeps it cached usually though. If you delete the file and close the window and reopen it, the file will probably instantly grow back. If however you close the window, rm the store file with terminal, KILL finder so it relaunches, you should see the folder revert back to its defaults. (for the settings that are kept in the store file anyway)

So no, you can't change some stuff globally, not without some 3rd party software anyway.

(I think some information about files in the folder may also be stored in there, like comments? deleting the store file may also nuke that metadata)


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Re: Finder Window Customization
Virtual1 #42902 11/28/16 08:23 PM
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So . . .what is the purpose of SET AS DEFAULTS if clicking the button, in fact, will not work globally across ALL windows and folders (which is what, I think, Virtual1 means by "global settings").

Does anyone know of any 3rd-party apps that do the task I am hoping to accomplish? I simply (?) want to have all windows open with the SAME customization (e.g. font, background, icon size, spacing, etc.).

Failing that, how can I revert back to the OSX default settings for Finder Windows - that is, the way these would have initially appeared fresh from the factory?


Many thanks,
MG2009
Re: Finder Window Customization
MG2009 #42904 11/28/16 09:09 PM
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The default settings are overridden by the settings in the invisible .DS_Store files that are scattered in folders throughout your system. In fact in every folder you have ever attempted to modify the view settings. The easiest way to get everything looking the same is to systematically delete all .DS_Store files in the folders at every level in your entire system. OnyX, TinkerTool System, Cocktail, and other utilities have the ability to do that. Then when you open a folder the default settings will be in effect.


If we knew what it was we were doing, it wouldn't be called research, would it?

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Re: Finder Window Customization
joemikeb #42909 11/28/16 09:54 PM
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Okay. Thanks for the extra info. At least there is a way to change back to the factory settings, if desired.

Of course, am I correct in assuming that, by removing the DS files, all the coloured labels/tags I added to files and folders along the way will be lost while resetting the icon sizes, fonts, backgrounds, etc. back to the factory defaults?


Many thanks,
MG2009
Re: Finder Window Customization
MG2009 #42911 11/28/16 10:24 PM
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Everything to do with the view of a FOLDER and its contents is stored in the .DS_Store file in that folder. When you are drilling down through sub-folders if there is a .DS_Store file in the topmost folder in the hierarchy its view settings prevail down through all the sub-folders until you hit a sub-folder with its own .DS_Store file. Otherwise the defaults prevail.

Icons, and tags are stored in the volume directory, not in .DS_Store. I don't know about fonts and backgrounds, I have never bothered to change them.


If we knew what it was we were doing, it wouldn't be called research, would it?

— Albert Einstein
Re: Finder Window Customization
joemikeb #42914 11/29/16 12:00 AM
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Again, many thanks for the clarifications between the functions/features of DS Store and Volume Directory . . . and how the FOLDER "tree" behaves.

I think I understand now : I changed the window options for my HOME FOLDER. No problem there, but the APPLICATIONS folder within my Home Folder would not take on the new appearance. However, MUSIC, DOCUMENTS, LIBRARY and others did change. So, APPLICATIONS must have its own DS Store file that overrides the settings of the HOME FOLDER (which is higher up the "tree", so to speak). blush

Re: Finder Window Customization
MG2009 #42915 11/29/16 12:13 AM
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In all probability that is exactly what happened.

I think it takes everyone a while, at least I know it took me some time, to figure out and become accustomed to the implications of the various views, defaults, settings, .DS_Store files and how it all fits together. Once you get it all figured out it is a logical and relatively simple solution to a complex objective.


If we knew what it was we were doing, it wouldn't be called research, would it?

— Albert Einstein
Re: Finder Window Customization
joemikeb #42925 11/29/16 01:33 PM
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Originally Posted By: joemikeb
The easiest way to get everything looking the same is to systematically delete all .DS_Store files in the folders at every level in your entire system. OnyX, TinkerTool System, Cocktail, and other utilities have the ability to do that.


unless you feel like opening terminal and pasting this:
Code:
find . | grep /\.DS_Store$ | while read f ; do rm "$f" ; done ; killall Finder


I think I've posted that before. Searches your entire home folder for store files, and deletes them. The usual cautions go with using this command. But it's not using anything terribly nasty like "rm -RF" or requiring sudo at least. It won't touch other users, other drives, or any system files, just store files in your home folder.

There's no "UNDO" for that. You'd better make sure you mean it when you do it. Time Machine won't save you either.


I work for the Department of Redundancy Department

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