The loss of column view in the finder?

Posted:
in macOS edited January 2014
Watching Steve's keynote presentation it appears column view is no longer an option in Tiger's finder. if that is true that is a very unfortunate change. I use columb view extensively and find it to be the easiest and most efficient way to use the finder.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 17
    I could be mistaken, but I believe that the column view is only disabled for Spotlight search results, where the column view wouldn't be relevant.
  • Reply 2 of 17
    kickahakickaha Posts: 8,760member
    How'd you get that idea, 'nut?
  • Reply 3 of 17
    applenutapplenut Posts: 5,768member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Kickaha

    How'd you get that idea, 'nut?



    Where he talks about "adding the spotlight view to the finder". He only says in additon to list view and icon view. It's at 13:30 in on the keynote stream.



    I tried to take a screen shot but apparently they have it protected cuz it came out green.
  • Reply 4 of 17
    buonrottobuonrotto Posts: 6,368member
    My understanding from previous Tiger leaks is that column view option is replaced by the Spotlight "category" option only when you tell Spotlight to open the results in the Finder or when you open a smart folder. Considering that column view has been around since NeXTstep 1.0 and it's been emphasized this whole timein OS X, I'd be surprised to see it go completely.



    I think it is confusing as I understand it right now, where column view, although not really applicable to these situations, would be replaced by another button. Rather, I would think that the spotlight category view would be better as its own view button, with either it or column view disabled (grayed out) when not available. Placing two things on the one space is not very explicit or obvious to the user. Besides, the category/Spotlight view thing seems like it could be applicable to any folder even if it isn't a smart search. For example, I could put a bunch of ofcopies of a file in different formats in a regular folderthen use this view to sort out the various items by name, filetype, date created, etc. just the same. I don't see why this new view would limit itself to only queries.
  • Reply 5 of 17
    kickahakickaha Posts: 8,760member
    Ahhhhh... right.



    No, those are just the Spotlight results windows that have that. There is no hierarchy, so column view makes no sense. List, icon, sure, those just show one container, so those are okay. The categories view is nice.



    Regular Finder windows though, categories make no sense, but list, icon, and yes, column view all do.
  • Reply 6 of 17
    applenutapplenut Posts: 5,768member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Kickaha

    Ahhhhh... right.



    No, those are just the Spotlight results windows that have that. There is no hierarchy, so column view makes no sense. List, icon, sure, those just show one container, so those are okay. The categories view is nice.



    Regular Finder windows though, categories make no sense, but list, icon, and yes, column view all do.




    is there any proof that it is still there in other finder windows?



    The Keynote presentation shows the finder with the column button completely replaced by spotlight view. Is it gone or is it poor UI and Apple has chosen to have buttons change in place like that?
  • Reply 7 of 17
    brussellbrussell Posts: 9,812member
    It is strange that Jobs clearly says there are three views - icon, list, and spotlight. And he does click on where the column view should be and calls it spotlight view. On the other hand, if you look at the spotlight video on Apple's Tiger section you can clearly that it's the same old column view icon. Weird. Maybe it just has something to do with smart folders - maybe when you click on a smart folder, the column view, which wouldn't work anyway, changes to a spotlight icon.
  • Reply 8 of 17
    buonrottobuonrotto Posts: 6,368member
    That's exactly what happens. The icon and behavior changes. Doesn't seem like the right implementation to me. I'd rather have grayed-out, inactive icons than icons that change under my nose in this case.
  • Reply 9 of 17
    applenutapplenut Posts: 5,768member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by BRussell

    It is strange that Jobs clearly says there are three views - icon, list, and spotlight. And he does click on where the column view should be and calls it spotlight view. On the other hand, if you look at the spotlight video on Apple's Tiger section you can clearly that it's the same old column view icon. Weird. Maybe it just has something to do with smart folders - maybe when you click on a smart folder, the column view, which wouldn't work anyway, changes to a spotlight icon.



    column view may not work in its heirarchy kind of way in a smart folder but it is still the only view in which you can preview most files in the finder.
  • Reply 10 of 17
    buonrottobuonrotto Posts: 6,368member
    I think (note emphasis) that Spotlight view creates a preview area in the righthand pane along with the various options for grouping and so forth.
  • Reply 11 of 17
    frawgzfrawgz Posts: 547member
    A user over at MacRumors has mirrored some new Tiger shots from Macshrine.



    In #44 and #45, it seems there's some sort of preview mechanism in the Spotlight view.
  • Reply 12 of 17
    So is there like some Dictionary/Thesaurus application for Mac OS X in Tiger?



    Is that why they created a Dashboard widget?



    Mike
  • Reply 13 of 17
    Quote:

    Originally posted by MPMoriarty

    So is there like some Dictionary/Thesaurus application for Mac OS X in Tiger?



    Is that why they created a Dashboard widget?



    Mike




    Correct. Apple's Dashboard page confirms this (down near the bottom of the page).
  • Reply 14 of 17
    maccrazymaccrazy Posts: 2,658member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by applenut

    Where he talks about "adding the spotlight view to the finder". He only says in additon to list view and icon view. It's at 13:30 in on the keynote stream.



    I tried to take a screen shot but apparently they have it protected cuz it came out green.




    Column view wouldn't and couldn't work with Spotlight. Steve is saying Spotlight view is in addition to list and icon view for smart folders. Column is the favourite way to browse, why would Apple scrap it?!
  • Reply 15 of 17
    Quote:

    Originally posted by MacCrazy

    Column view wouldn't and couldn't work with Spotlight. Steve is saying Spotlight view is in addition to list and icon view for smart folders. Column is the favourite way to browse, why would Apple scrap it?!



    Ah thank you for adding some logic into this

    thread. Granted I was a bit confused too.
  • Reply 16 of 17
    maccrazymaccrazy Posts: 2,658member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Vox Barbara

    Ah thank you for adding some logic into this

    thread. Granted I was a bit confused too.




    Pleasure
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