Auto Resize Columns - Is disable possible?

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JDN
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Auto Resize Columns - Is disable possible?

#1 Post by JDN » 24.09.2019, 11:09

Lately, I have been experiencing some annoyance with the way that FC automatically resizes my columns when I use the Detail view.

The Context Menu of the horizontal bar under the Address bar has a few settings related to the columns in the Detail View - such as "Add/Remove Columns" and "Auto resize columns". I usually use the setting in this Context Menu to explicitly resize the columns.
As an aside, and primarily for the benefit of anyone who may be interested, I know of two other ways to resize my columns. The shortcut key (Shift+Ctrl+Num +) causes all columns in the Detailed View to be resized. Also, using the "Tools->Define action toolbars" from the main menu, I placed an icon from the View menu onto the Action toolbar near the address bar and I also use that icon to resize my columns. But although it seems to me this resizing once used to happen "automatically" (whenever the size of the data in a column changed), I can no longer make this change happen automatically. The columns are now only resized when I select the control called "Auto resize columns" and I am now thoroughly confused as to whether this resizing is "automatic" or not.

By the way, one tiny detail. When I place the "Auto resize columns" icon onto my Actions toolbar, the icon works fine. But I cannot see any icon. The icon seems to be "invisible". But in the past, I reported what I thought was an error about some other icons and it seemed I was mistaken then. So I may be mistaken again about this icon appearing to be invisible.

My question is: "Is this column resizing automatic or not? Is it perhaps just the column "Size Auto" that is automatically resized?". I find that when I edit several file names or when I change the contents of several file records, the columns are automatically resized and it causes me some difficulty.
I have always considered this control ("Auto resize columns") to be a toggle switch. But perhaps I may have misunderstood since it now seems to operate as a "one-time" control that resizes all the columns whenever I execute that control but does not happen under any other circumstances.

To try to be clear. At the present time, I am confused whether this control causes the fields to be automatically resized whenever their contents change or whether this control only causes the columns to be resized when I select this control in any one of the three ways I previously described.
Last edited by JDN on 25.09.2019, 14:32, edited 3 times in total.

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Re: Auto Resize Columns - Is disable possible?

#2 Post by JDN » 25.09.2019, 13:48

Oh my gosh! Please excuse me. For some reason, I was experimenting with FC again today and now I cannot get this behaviour to repeat. I don't understand what is going on.

I swear that I had been using FC a few days ago and every time I changed the value of some field, the column would be resized to accommodate the new value. But today it no longer does that.

Today the control operates as a "one time only" control. When I select the control from the Context menu or actions toolbar or keyboard shortcut, all columns are resized but are never again resized when I change the width of a column by altering the value of the data field.

I can't imagine how this happened. But I wonder if this control somehow works differently when I select it from the Context Menu then it behaves when I select it from the Actions toolbar. I am left wondering whether my columns are ever "automatically" resized or whether they are only resized when I invoke this control. In other words, does this resizing of columns ever happen automatically? Or does it only happen when I invoke this control?

I will do some further investigation to see if I can replicate this problem. But I will leave this post active in case someone may know what the source of my confusion might be and if they can offer me any explanation.

ETA: I think I may be on to a possible explanation. The column that was previously automatically resized may have been the "Size Auto" column. I believe that column is supposed to automatically be changed to contain the current size of the file. That may have been the column that I kept seeing resized without my having deliberately resized it.

I must apologize for having created such a confusing post. But I honestly cannot figure out what is going on.

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Re: Auto Resize Columns - Is disable possible?

#3 Post by JDN » 03.10.2019, 04:46

I continue to experiment and struggle with this minor problem. It is actually more of an "irritation" than a problem.

I found it would occur sometimes and I wrote a post about it. But then I could not get it to re-occur. Well, I was working with it yesterday and it reappeared.

I have two different PCs and I use two different implementations of FC. I am a lifetime donor and one of the implementations I use is the 64 bit version 776. This is the one causing the problem.
I also use the 32 bit XE version 790a which I believe is the most recent version. The problem does not exist when I use this version.

To be specific, the problem is that whenever I change a file name or move or copy some files into an existing folder, every tiny change to the list of file names results in all the columns being resized. This is terribly disconcerting when I try to work on the folder at the same time that files are being moved or copied into that folder.

For a time, I thought the control "Auto resize columns" (Shift-Ctrl-Num +) may have meant the columns would all be resized any time one of the fields was changed. But that does not appear to be correct.
I must admit that I don't understand why the word "Automatic" is used in the name of this control because it appears to me this control causes all the columns to be resized - but this only happens one time when the control is selected. So, I cannot see what is "automatic" about this process. Am I correct this happens "one time only" and it happens only when I select this control?

It would be very difficult for me to ensure I report the exact specifications of my PCs and versions of FC used. I am embarrassed to admit that I cannot seem to download the current version of the 64 bit version available to Lifetime Donors. So I would just like to ask if this problem seems at all familiar to anyone here or if anyone might be able to suggest a way I can get this "automatic resizing" to stop?

I have tried to select this control several times in the hope that it might serve to act as a kind of on/off toggle. In other words, when you click on it once, it causes all columns in the Detailed view of a file list to be resized every time one of the fields change. But then, when you click on it a second time, it causes this behavior to cease.

Finally, the only place I can find to select this control is when I Right-click on the horizontal bar under the Address bar. Does it exist anywhere on the menu system?

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Re: Auto Resize Columns - Is disable possible?

#4 Post by Forez » 30.10.2019, 12:24

I think I have the same problem with auto-resizing. It used to work well, but about a month ago columns started constantly to squeeze themselves


At first I though that I accidentally changes some settings with a shortcut, so I restored some old one. But the problem persisted. Even going as far as one year in my settings does not fix this


I was using Windows 10 Enterprise x64 18362.239 but now I have 18362.356. I am using FreeCommander XE 2018 build 770 32-bit public but was using version 790 [I had to revert because of this bug: viewtopic.php?f=19&t=9703]

Have this started on the 239 with FC 790a and I am dragging some bug from 790a? Or did it happen after updating Windows to 356? I do not know as I had some problem with restoring my system from image and adding a lot updates and tweaks to it- and I simply lost track of what was done when


So the problem is: when switching to Detailed View I have to adjust the size of columns by hand or press Shift+Ctrl+Num+ + to do it automatically. But the change is not remembered, because if I switch to some other tab and go back to the one with the supposedly already adjusted width of columns - they are shrank again to some values taken from I do not know where. And yes, in my Column Profiles I have turned on >>Autosize for "Name" column<< as I did it a long time ago - and yet even this Column does not spread out horizontally when there is a very long name being displayed, accordingly to its width


This is super annoying and time / click consuming

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Re: Auto Resize Columns - Is disable possible?

#5 Post by Forez » 30.10.2019, 20:58

Forez wrote: 30.10.2019, 12:24 [...]
So the problem is: when switching to Detailed View I have to adjust the size of columns by hand or press Shift+Ctrl+Num+ + to do it automatically. But the change is not remembered
[...]
I forgot that it is even worse than that

Even when not in Detailed View [i.e. CTRL + F1] I do not get anymore to see the full name of files that are very long


Have I simply inadvertently changed some setting or is it a bug? I run through the View and Tools but did not find anything concerning this issue

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Re: Auto Resize Columns - Is disable possible?

#6 Post by My712thLoginHandle » 24.11.2019, 01:32

I am also having issues still with auto resizing even though I changed settings. I have my profile set up to "auto resize for name column" to 50 (even 35 I tried). Seems to work on the folder I am in but as I switch folders/drives, the column sizes changes to other values it seems. However, Recycle Bin always goes to the length of the longest file name in detailed view.
I reply as fast as I can at times, else it could be days/weeks/months. What you call resurrecting posts, I call "responding on my time."

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Re: Auto Resize Columns - Is disable possible?

#7 Post by Forez » 26.11.2019, 14:38

I somehow have fixed my issues, by setting once more my individual values at

Column profiles > Profile settings... > Profile name > [choose any profile] > Define columns [icon]

So please try to go over them once more. Or in worse case scenario, create a new one from stretch [with the old desired settings]


My theory is this: some update messed up my Column Profile. And the glitch was written to the configuration of that Column Profile- so changing versions of FC was futile. Setting my values once more simply zeroed the glitch

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Re: Auto Resize Columns - Is disable possible?

#8 Post by Forez » 26.11.2019, 20:51

As for the Recycle Bin

It seems that in the Detailed View mode the columns are always loaded up from some default settings. And no matter how many times or how I adjust them- they always reset to that default, when a new / another tab with Recycle Bin is opened

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Re: Auto Resize Columns - Is disable possible?

#9 Post by Marek » 26.11.2019, 21:28

If you want to define column profile for Recycle Bin:
- open the Recycle Bin in the left pane
- switch view to details
- open popup menu with Shift+F1 (left pane with recycle bin is active)
- select "Column profiles"->"Add current column profile specific to folder"
- define the name for the new profile: RecycleBin
- open Tools->Settings and select "Column profiles/Automatic view" in the tree
- select new created profile "RecycleBin" and click on "Define columns" button
- select "Name" column and set "Max. width" field to your desired value
- save the setting

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Re: Auto Resize Columns - Is disable possible?

#10 Post by Dreamer » 27.11.2019, 01:44

Wow, it works, I wanted this too, but could you add it also for Automatic views, please? I'd like to set sort by Date Deleted for recycle bin.

OK, so I got it - by editing the ini files, used the Condition from FreeCommander.ini file in the FreeCommander.views.ini file and it works, when I open Recycle bin, view is switched to details, with columns I need and sorting is by Date Deleted decending, so the last deleted item is first, finally!

Here is the link with my suggestions:

viewtopic.php?f=20&t=7884

So it's finally possible (and it was already, just we didn't know about it), but it's not very user friendly, hope there will be easier solution for normal users...

In the ini file I found, that option to exclude recycle bin from tree was already there and it has a GUI option, so I hope it will be added also for Column Views and Automatic Views.

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Re: Auto Resize Columns - Is disable possible?

#11 Post by My712thLoginHandle » 01.12.2019, 20:12

Forez wrote: 26.11.2019, 14:38 I somehow have fixed my issues, by setting once more my individual values at

Column profiles > Profile settings... > Profile name > [choose any profile] > Define columns [icon]

So please try to go over them once more. Or in worse case scenario, create a new one from stretch [with the old desired settings]

My theory is this: some update messed up my Column Profile. And the glitch was written to the configuration of that Column Profile- so changing versions of FC was futile. Setting my values once more simply zeroed the glitch
This does not apply to me, however. I freshly installed this system after a format. FreeCommander was the second program I then installed after all Windows updates (Revo Uninstaller being the first). So my profile is clean and it still seems no matter if I go to c:\temp or d:\hold or c:\programs or anywhere, the name columns keep changing sizes whether or not "auto resize for name column" is selected and various options next to it played with on the only profile FC is using, fc_default_view.
I reply as fast as I can at times, else it could be days/weeks/months. What you call resurrecting posts, I call "responding on my time."

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Re: Auto Resize Columns - Is disable possible?

#12 Post by Marek » 01.12.2019, 20:56

If you want that "Name" column size does not change:
- open your detailed view profile (e.g. fc_default_view) https://freecommander.com/fchelpxe/en/C ... files.html
- select the "Name" column
- deactivate check box 'Autosize for "Name" column'
- set the field "Width" of the name column to your desired value, e.g. 35
- save the settings
- switch your view to "List" and than again to "Details"

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Re: Auto Resize Columns - Is disable possible?

#13 Post by Forez » 03.12.2019, 20:32

Marek wrote: 01.12.2019, 20:56 [...]
- deactivate check box 'Autosize for "Name" column'
- set the field "Width" of the name column to your desired value, e.g. 35
[...]
But of course that setting a fixed size works

But my Column Profile used to work without such value. I could switch between List View and Detailed View and always see the full filenames, because my >>Name<< column would always adjust

And now once more that is no more- the bug somehow came back today



And it seems that it comes to this:

When I have at

Column profiles > Profile settings... > Profile name > [choose any profile] > Define columns [icon]

selected option

Autosize for "Name" column<<

then by choosing either

By item name length

or

Fill remaining space

I can make it go away- but only for one of the 2 modes. So I have to settle on a choice if I want to see the full filename in List or in Detailed view

But now comes the best part: that is not true for some of the tabs / folders- as some are able to display in both modes full filenames. And I just cannot figure out what is the difference between them. And it comes and goes in those special ones: I switch from 1-2 times - the length is retained. I do it 3rd or 4th time- the >>Name<< gets narrowed, sometimes drastically. I expand the width by double clicking the right edge of >>Name<<- once again I see everything, But then again I do some switching and it messes up

My FC used to run in every tab / folder with full filenames always, because I was utilizing this for the last 2 years for a very specific task that I repeat every couple of weeks. And until recently such constant switching between List and Detailed with retained visibility of full filenames was not a problem. I even remember that sometimes this was annoying me in the List mode, because sometimes I could barely see more than 1 column of files in a tab because of some literally 1 file residing in a folder that happened to have a very long filename. All in all, now such switching in my FC is more or less chaotic - something fishy is going on with my Column Profiles
Last edited by Forez on 03.12.2019, 20:55, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Auto Resize Columns - Is disable possible?

#14 Post by Forez » 03.12.2019, 20:54

Marek wrote: 26.11.2019, 21:28 If you want to define column profile for Recycle Bin:
[...]
Yes, it works

But the profile for Recycle Bin should be present on the list of Column Profiles by default after installation, along with the >>fc_default_view<<


Dreamer wrote: 27.11.2019, 01:44 [...]
I'd like to set sort by Date Deleted for recycle bin.
[...]
In recent months I also came to a conclusion that the Date Deleted is the most used data by me in the Recycle Bin

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Re: Auto Resize Columns - Is disable possible?

#15 Post by Dreamer » 04.12.2019, 00:16

Forez wrote: 03.12.2019, 20:54Yes, it works

But the profile for Recycle Bin should be present on the list of Column Profiles by default after installation, along with the >>fc_default_view<<
I agree, I already suggested changes like this, Status bar already has multiple default items, for jpg, plain view, container.

For column profiles, status bar and perhaps even for automatic views (perhaps disabled by default) I'd add few basic profiles, for plain view, file container, pictures, music, videos, recycle bin.

It's not a problem to create such profiles for advanced users, but it's too complicated for normal users, so they can't use these useful FC features. It would be much easier for normal users if they could just edit existing profiles, or even delete them, if they don't want it.

Anyway, it's quite OT now. :)

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