Autosize Columns suggested improvement

[meteorquake]

Currently there's the autosize columns to fit the results viewable width command
It doesn't do a great job because it can't read your mind which column you are most interested in prioritising space for. It particularly gets it wrong when there are long path names and you are wanting to focus on e.g. the Name (or for music lovers, the Album) etc.
* Can I suggest there be a command which you can assign a keyboard shortcut to that resizes the columns with priority for whatever column your cursor is over. So when you want to see the names mostly you just hover over the name column and do the shortcut, and so on.
* When you currently shift-right click a column heading it just has the generic "Size All Columns To Fit Window" but perhaps could say (instead or as well) "Size All Columns To Fit Window Prioritising <current column name>"
Cheers, David

[therube]

Feature Request: Automatic Fit of Column Width

[void]

I will consider an option to prioritized a column when auto sizing.

Thank you for the suggestion.



For now, please consider auto sizing all columns to fit the window:
Ctrl + Shift + Numpad+
-or-
Shift + right click the result list column header and click Size all columns to fit window.

Then double click the divider on the right side of the prioritized column.
Adjust other columns as needed.
-The issue here is choosing the columns which you can shrink. (My guess would be the path column, but this might be wrong so it will be hard to have Everything automatically do this)

There's also Alt + 1, Alt + 2, Alt + 3 and Alt + 4
I have on my TODO list to add a command to save window and column positions and restore them with Alt + 0..9

[ChrisGreaves]

I’d like the ability to automatically size all columns to fit the found data in the latest search.

I will consider an option …

I hope that this means the fix is not in yet, and/or this topic remains open (grin)

For now, please consider auto sizing all columns to fit the window:
Ctrl + Shift + Numpad+

I tried this and I *think* that this command makes a “best-fit” decision to load every occupied column into the screen. That is, I gain nothing by scrolling the screen horizontally. That’s OK. This is still a useful interpretation.

-or-Shift + right click the result list column header and click Size all columns to fit window.
Then double click the divider on the right side of the prioritized column. Adjust other columns as needed.

I tried this and I *think* that this is similar to the idea above, with a bit of finesse following; that is, to focus on a specific column.
As well, I think my suggestion resolves the issue of "... choosing the columns which you can shrink. ... it will be hard to have Everything automatically do this"

-The issue here is choosing the columns which you can shrink. (My guess would be the path column, but this might be wrong so it will be hard to have Everything automatically do this)
There's also Alt + 1, Alt + 2, Alt + 3 and Alt + 4

I have been using Alt+4 for about a year now. I am so remote (grin) that I hadn’t realized that (I think) this affects only column 4, whatever that holds. But also it seems to reduce the Report List pane to the minimum possible with the given results. Then I feel the need to resize the pane once I am done.

I have on my TODO list to add a command to save window and column positions and restore them with Alt + 0..9

I can’t say I follow this completely, but it sounds good to me.

I’d like to see some sort of static “Autosize” option.
I am a firm believer in using ONLY maximized windows, as in “Alt+space, X” on the grounds that the eye-brain combination can then accommodate the maximum amount of data and work on it, rather than using the slow 80-year-old muscles to scroll the screen for five minutes.

I would like an option of an “Autosize Columns” that would, while in force by a user-toggle, always size the result list columns to accommodate, in every column, the width required to display the longest field in that column.
Of course with files such as “T:\Media\Music\Calm\Classical\Instrumental\Arthur Fiedler - Boston Pops Orchestra\Hi-Fi Fiedler - Boston Pops Orchestra\09 - Rakoczy March.mp3” I will be forced to make at least one manual adjustment.
This need will be a red-flag, warning me that it is time for me to shorten THAT folder or name item.
While the option “Autosize Columns” is in force, the leading column will be autosized. For me that means “Name”, then – space to the right permitting – will appear data in “Path”, then “Size”, “Date Modified”, “Type” and other stuff.

By listing *my* regular column list I am telling you which column is the most useful to me, then the second-most useful, and so on.
I think that this approach allows the option “Autosize Columns” to operate on the assumption that each user’s column list/sequence is the most important, and hence sets a priority sequence to maximum data in each column.

If I want to work using a column “Parental Rating Reason”, so be it. If that is my regular task, I’ll be dragging that column towards the left side of the list screen, and that will establish my regular working view. So then the full value of that column is likely to be autosized and appear on my screen without me having to scroll to the right to see the values.

I hope that this makes sense.
To me all the current means of sizing columns make sense, but I’d sure like to always have a maximized window, no matter where I am in Everything (and every other application!) with the ability to automatically size all columns to fit the found data in the latest search.
Thanks, Chris

[meteorquake]

When the folder bar is open most of the path size problem could be resolved by a column that only shows the path relative to the lowest common folder chosen in the folder sidebar.

[void]

I’d like the ability to automatically size all columns to fit the found data in the latest search.

I hope that this means the fix is not in yet, and/or this topic remains open (grin)

I haven't added anything yet.
I have concerns about the columns always being auto resized as the Everything results are live.
Column widths are going to be changing constantly.

I have been using Alt+4 for about a year now. I am so remote (grin) that I hadn’t realized that (I think) this affects only column 4, whatever
that holds.

Alt+1, Alt+2, Alt+3, and Alt+4 resize all columns.
It doesn't matter what columns are shown.
These commands will adjust all columns (except name and path) to fit.
Then the name and path columns will try to fill in the rest of the window.

But also it seems to reduce the Report List pane to the minimum possible with the given results. Then I feel the need to resize the pane once I am done.

I have on my TODO list to add a command to save window and column positions and restore them with Alt + 0..9

I can’t say I follow this completely, but it sounds good to me.

This still no way to save the current window position, window size and columns.
Setting the window position, window size and columns can be done with search commands.
For example, from a bookmark search:

Code: Select all

/window_x=502
/window_y=606
/window_wide=838
/window_high=678
/columns=[{"name":"Name","width":323},{"name":"Path","width":322},{"name":"Size","width":61},{"name":"Date Modified","width":99}]

Optionally bind to something like Alt+0

I’d like to see some sort of static “Autosize” option.

There is Tools -> Options -> Advanced -> auto_column_widths = true
It's not perfect.
When enabled, resizing the window will auto size your columns.

When the folder bar is open most of the path size problem could be resolved by a column that only shows the path relative to the lowest common folder chosen in the folder sidebar.

This is also still on my TODO list.

[therube]

concerns about the columns always being auto resized as the Everything results are live

If this (optionally) happened on an F11, you could auto-size based on the current viewport - set 1 time, & as you scroll through a list of names, do not resize again. Though if a user did wanted to auto-size, again, they could hit a hotkey, say Shift+F11, & that would then resize to the then current viewport.

You could auto-size only specific columns, say the basic ones; Name Path Size Date Modified.
Date & Size, could be a "fixed" size.
Date, as it could only be 19 characters wide, max?
Size, say such that a TB size fits the width.
That would suffice for most cases.
(doesn't take into consideration locales, double-width chars...)

Then you're left with Name & Path, & those could be expanded, smartly, taking up the remainder of the otherwise unused (F11) screen real estate.


(Then, when you exit F11, sizes are reset to what they had been originally.
Or, the original sizes are not changed at all, only the widths when you initiate F11.)