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mate-desktop / caja

Caja, the file manager for the MATE desktop
https://mate-desktop.org/
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Column-width remembering issue in Caja #18

Open seqis opened 12 years ago

seqis commented 12 years ago

In Caja, when I have files listed in list-mode (ctrl-2), I prefer to set the width of the filename column. Every time I open a new tab to the same directory, the column width resets to the max-width for the widest file/directory name... is there any way to get it to remember the column widths (like Nautilus did)?

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szesch commented 12 years ago

What version of Nautilus remembered the column widths? I've tested Nautilus 2.30 in Debian Squeeze and Nautilus 3.2 in LMDE and neither remember.

seqis commented 12 years ago

2.3.2 I believe.

It definitely remembered column widths and did not reset them every time to the longest filename/directory name.

szesch commented 12 years ago

I can't get Nautilus 2.32 to do it either. What distro did this work on? I wonder if it was a patch by the distro maintainers.

seqis commented 12 years ago

Ubuntu 10.04 ... I know I wasn't imagining it though... :)

It did recall column widths once set for a path.

Bill-MI commented 12 years ago

Was just looking at this and noticed something that might be a key. I'm not so sure Nautilus remembers the column width. It's more like it expands the filename column up to a maximum by default. While Caja compresses instead of expands the filename column.

I got a peek at SolusOS 1.1 and don't recall the Nautilus 2 version (something like 2.32.*?) but I never had to widen the filename column... it did this all by itself. So I made a note to mention that here. HTH

szesch commented 12 years ago

The filename column being compressed is actually inherited from Nautilus and it's a bug that's been around since 2007. The Debian GNOME maintainers have the bug patched, but for whatever reason upstream never accepted the patch. I recommend reading the bug report provided in the link below. It's entertaining.

Link: https://bugzilla.gnome.org/show_bug.cgi?id=410361

I'm changing this issue from confirmed bug to feature request. I still haven't been able to find a version of Nautilus that remembers column widths.

seqis commented 12 years ago

Is there a way (perhaps using something in a control panel or elsewhere) to force the default column width then for the NAME column?

szesch commented 12 years ago

I don't think so.

Bill-MI commented 12 years ago

Hi sequis, I finally got a good look at Ubuntu 10.04/Nautilus 2.30.1. Exactly like you, I don't like what Caja is doing with column width - especially the Name column. Here's what I find...

In Ubuntu 10.04, the Name column AUTO-EXPANDS and all others AUTO-CONTRACT. This keeps the Name column as wide as it can be. But it's purely a behavior, not a memory in any way I can find. I played with columns a lot and could not get any "memory" at all.

And this is identical to the way a SolusOS 1.1 64 bit fresh install with Nautilus 2.31.1 behaves, too. SolusOS has the latest Nautilus 2 I've come across.

However, Linux Mint 13 with Caja 1.2.1 is completely different. All columns, including Name, AUTO-CONTRACTS. A little column playing finds the right-most column, whatever it is, auto-expands to make up the difference and the result is not very functional.

I'm wondering if this NAME-COLUMN-AUTO-EXPAND behavior looks so much better it was mistaken for a memory that doesn't exist? It is definitely the way I would prefer.

szesch, do you see anything like this auto-expand for the Name column? It even adjusts to Nautilus window width but is lacking in Caja.

szesch commented 12 years ago

The patch I referred to earlier fixes this. I already have Caja patched and working on a vm.

Bill-MI commented 12 years ago

I see the references! And completely agree with https://bugzilla.gnome.org/show_bug.cgi?id=410361#c49

seqis commented 12 years ago

I didn't think I was remembering it wrong, I thought Nautilus under Gnome 2.3.2 did this -- but I suppose I was wrong?

My thought was simple -- I don't mind if Caja sets column widths to align with the longest directory or filename by default, I just wanted it to remember the column widths I set for a specific path, once I set it it Caja going forward.

I didn't like that I have to constantly shorten the NAME column all the time when I reopen a file browser window to the same path, just because in some paths I have some long filenames or long directory names.

Caja already auto-remembers column SORTS ... it ought to remember column widths.

Bill-MI commented 12 years ago

I wouldn't doubt anything is true, based on what I'm learning by looking into this. It's quite feasible we're talking apples and oranges. Column-width-memory and different-auto-sizing (I'll call it the "Debian Patch") are very different and I don't wish to add more confusion. Column memory is the most powerful, for sure.

I'm thinking a lot of people use and like the "Debian Patch" and aren't aware of it until it's missing. That's the situation I was certainly in until I took a careful look at it. Hope you can get the same satisfaction.

seqis commented 12 years ago

Bill,

Is it indeed a 'patch' ? If so, can it be applied to Mint 13 MATE edition?

Bill-MI commented 12 years ago

szesch has it running (see 5 comments back: https://github.com/mate-desktop/mate-file-manager/issues/18#issuecomment-6114053). szesch? Suggestions for non-developers?