Can I do anything about this small annoyance

[pschroeter]

I have a folder in List View that has three columns. I can see columns one and two in the window. I drag a file from column two into a folder in column one and when I release the mouse the number two column jumps to the left and becomes first slot and I can no longer see column one. This is annoying because the way my files work, the subfolders of my current folder are usually in the first column and they then disappear and then I have to scroll to the left to get them back.

I know I am somehow telling xplorer² that I am giving column two focus, but I just dropped a file in a folder in one and I still want to see it. This even happens if there are only two columns. If I drag a file from two into a folder in one, one then disappears even though there is enough space in the window to show all the files in the folder. I know there are all sort of ways around this with dual panes, the tree and such, I just find this behavior a pain if I’m casually organizing a few files in a folder into its subfolders.

[nikos]

i'm not quite clear what you mean by 'columns' can you post us an annotated picture?

[pschroeter]

i'm not quite clear what you mean by 'columns' can you post us an annotated picture?

In List view the only thing x2 shows is the file name. When there are more files than the window can show vertically, and the file names fill it top to bottom, x2 starts a new column of file names to the right of the first one on the left edge of the window. X2 repeats this, filling the window top to bottom, left to right until it fills the entire window with file names. If there are enough files, the columns of file names extend to the right of the viewing area and you have to scroll to the right to see them.

My problem is if I drag a file from the from the second column into a folder in the first, the second column jumps to the left edge of the window and becomes the first.

You, know I sometimes forget Windows Explorer even exists. I just performed a little experiment with Windows XP Explorer and it doesn’t seem to have this behavior. If I drag from the second column into a folder in the first.

Nikos, you take good care of us. I was going through the boards the other day and you seem to respond to every thread. I sometimes don’t want to ask too many questions, because I know it will take a little of your time.

[nikos]

so you are talking about the columns used by list view mode. I tried your scenario but i didn;t see any jumps. Perhaps you are talking about what happens after you copy the file in the subfolder in column 1?

[FrizzleFry]

I see what pschroeter is talking about... it's the feature that keeps the focused item visible that's causing it... I only saw it in a folder with somewhat long names so there were only 2 columns of file names visible... it would probably happen with shorter files if you drag something from the rightmost visible column.

[pschroeter]

so you are talking about the columns used by list view mode. I tried your scenario but i didn;t see any jumps. Perhaps you are talking about what happens after you copy the file in the subfolder in column 1?

After I drag the file from into a folder in column one, column two jumps over after I release the mouse button. I also think FrizzleFry might have a valid point about long filenames, because some of mine are pretty long. This is not a big problem, but it is annoying that column one gets hidden, even if all the files will fit in one window in two columns. I notice the second columns jumps to the left if I create a new file too.