0

When I have a folder open in the Finder, in list view, and have several of the folders expanded (or as they say, the disclosure triangles expanded), sometimes I come back to the window and find all the triangles have been reset. In other words, various entries will be expanded/drilled-down, and then something happens, and then all of the folders have collapsed again.

This is particularly irritating because I often have a particular folder opened, one which has several levels of nested folders, and when this occurs I have to manually drill down using the disclosure triangles again.

Why is this happening? How can I stop it from happening? I am using Mac OS X 10.6.

Improve this question

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
0

The disclosure state of subfolders in the current folder is stored in hidden .DS_Store files.

  • Make sure you have write permissions in these directories so that these files can be created,
  • don't have a utility (e.g. BlueHarvest)
  • or preference (e.g. this for network volumes) that prevents creation of these files.
  • If you're referring to network volumes with multiple people accessing them, it's possible that other users (e.g. Windows users) delete those files, or other Mac users change the disclosure state.
Improve this answer
5
  • Thanks for your answer. (1) I have permissions to the directories. If I expand a few disclosure triangles, close the window, and go back, it's still in the correct state. (2) I don't have that (3) I don't have that (4) This is a folder on a local volume.
    – Shaggy Frog
    Commented Feb 4, 2011 at 9:07
  • @Shaggy Repeat the (1) test, but Restart Finder in between. Option-Rightclick its Dock icon and select Restart Finder. Finder keeps some state on its own independent of .DS_Store files.
    – Daniel Beck ♦
    Commented Feb 4, 2011 at 9:11
  • Relaunched Finder. No change -- I still own the directory, .DS_Store still present, etc etc. I can't get the behaviour to occur when I want it to. It is intermittent.
    – Shaggy Frog
    Commented Feb 4, 2011 at 9:26
  • @Shaggy Does it happen randomly with a different folder each time, a specific folder each time, or multiple folders each time? What do you mean by "come back to the window", do you have a Finder window open the whole time, or do you mean when you open a folder the next time after previously closing it?
    – Daniel Beck ♦
    Commented Feb 4, 2011 at 9:36
  • Different folders at different times. The Finder window is open the whole time, sometimes at the top of the heap, sometimes at the bottom, sometimes moved around the screen with a few others here and there. I'm beginning to wonder if there isn't some keyboard combo "collapse all folders" that I am unknowingly hitting.
    – Shaggy Frog
    Commented Feb 4, 2011 at 19:04

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .