Apple - Make Lion finder windows sticky?

I very much like the new Lion Mission Control interface for multiple desktops.  And although I do wish versioning were a bit more tweakable, I also like the way that Lion restores my apps to their appropriate desktop/workspaces.  I have a three-desktop setup that is very important to my workflow, and it's a huge improvement for me not to have to re-position all of the apps and open files each time I reboot my computer.
However, the one area where Lion really gets the fail whale in workspace administration is FINDER WINDOWS.  Why can't Lion remember where my 5 standard Finder windows were positioned, and what folder and view they were opened to?  Granted, Lion does re-open the same number of finder windows, and remembers their size.  But instead of putting them back in the workspaces they were in when I shut down, Lion dumps all of the finder windows in Desktop 1.
At the app level, I'm aware you can right-click the Dock icon and make each app sticky to its proper desktop.  But that doesn't work for Finder windows, because they're all the same app.  If you assign Finder to "this desktop," it pulls all of the open Finder windows to "this desktop."  I want the Finder windows that go with "research" to stay on my "research" desktop, and the ones that go with "writing" to stay on my "writing" desktop, and the general windows to stay on general Desktop 1.
Yeah, it only takes me a minute to move them back where they belong.  But that minute pretty much pops the whole Mission Control balloon - the whole point is that your workspaces are right where you left them.  "Almost" where I left it doesn't have nearly the same oomph.  Moreover, not only do the Finder windows forget which desktop they go with, some of them - but not all of them - forget which folder they were opened to.  I can't quite figure out the pattern, but possibly it's only the windows which were open to my iDisk that forget their folder?  Because that window always comes back the same size, but opened to "Computer" instead of the research folder on my iDisk. (which is synced, so it's not a network issue).  This happens on both of my computers, laptop (over wireless) and desktop (wired).
I know it's a nitpicky little complaint, but if you're going to leverage one of the main productivity advantages of Apple over Windows, you might as well go all the way.  I switched 10 years ago but still have Windows for a few games, but I go MAD if I have to actually work in Windows because there are no workspaces.  (Among other reasons.)  Apple, please consider.

You are not talking to apple here, this is a user forum
Feedback should be directed here
http://www.apple.com/feedback/

Similar Messages

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  • What happened to photos file that used to show in Mountain Lion finder window?

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  • Lion finder window not displaying file info

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    Please read this whole message before doing anything.
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  • How to make the finder window expand to full height AND width of my screen, but not "full screen mode".

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    I have 2 x 27" monitors, so the "full screen takeover" mode is not right as I only want the finder window to be on one monitor whilst I work on another.
    Any ideas?! Thank you!

    Was about to post the same question.
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  • How can I make new finder windows open in front

    Since upgrading to Lion, whenever I open a new window, installer, DMG, etc, it opens BEHIND all the other windows and I have to move windows out of the way in order to interact with application or whatever I have opened.
    I know this has to be a setting somewhere but I can't tell where it is and have no luck searching for the answer.
    Thanks,
    Alan

    I know this may not help but when u open finder instead of moving all the windows when u open finder right click on it put show all windows and u can click on finder for easier access
    Leo

  • OK how do I put at the bottom of Lion Finder window the path and size of a file.

      I miss that.

    Thanks feeling better about Lion.  Which the upgrade process looked at all my setting and added them.

  • How do I change colour of Mountain Lion Finder window icons?

    The icons are all grey and actually make it harder to locate things. I know there is Side Effects to change this but it's Beta and I don't know if this trustworthy. Anyone know of a safe way to do this?

    Hello Bronson,
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  • Mountain lion finder window white patches

    This is difficult to describe, I'll try and do a screen grab next time it happens, but simply, occasionally, when I wake up my iMac there are big areas of random white patches on the desktop ... it's totally corrupt and I have to bring up the 'Force Quit' dialogue and 'Relainch' finder which clears it so no big deal - I'm more concerned that it might be pointing to a more profound problem.
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    OK I couldn't get a screen grab (well the phenominon didn't appear in the grab) but here's a photograph, it is a small area of white in the top corner of the screen, often it takes more of the space in random rectangular 'patches' ... any thoughts welcome.
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  • Finder window  "refresh" issue

    Since upgrading to Mac OS X (10.4.10) on my work mac yesterday, my finder window seems to have a mind of its own.
    The finder window opens at start up (which is okay) but if I minimize it or close it, it will reappear in one and a half minutes, popping up in front of whatever document I'm using. When it reappears it seems as though the contents of the desktop and the finder window are being automatically "refreshed" as the icons disappear for a split second. If I leave the finder window open on the desktop, it still refreshes every one and a half minutes--yes, I've timed it!
    I've downloaded and installed the latest updates and tried to see if I could change preferences to fix the issue, but with no success.
    Any ideas about how to make the finder window stay put? It's a major pain to try and work when the finder keeps kicking me out of my document every 90 seconds
    Thanks in advance for your suggestions.

    What is happening is that the Finder is crashing, after it crashes it returns to the state it was last in, thus the reappearance of the open window where it was when you started. If you just upgraded my first guess would be some startup item that is not compatible with the system upgrade. Try holding the Shift key when you startup--I can never remember how long you need to hold it, so always keep it down until I see the splash screen with the notice at the top it is in Safe Mode. This will run a number of disk repair, cache cleaning routines, and also disable all third party startup items, as well as Apple's own startup items that are not necessary for the computer to run. Safe boot takes longer to get up and going than normal boot, so be patient. If the Finder does not crash in Safe Mode, restart normally. If the crashes resume you are going to have to disable all startup items, then add them back one at time to determine the culprit. If the Finder continues to crash, even in Safe Mode, then you can try creating a new user, log out of your regular account and in to the new user. If the new user is fine, then the problem is some file in the regular account that is causing the crashes.
    Francine
    Francine
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  • A weird question on opening a new finder window

    this is not a big deal, but it really bugs me. when you have a finder window open and do apple-N to get a new one, it puts the new one right on top of the one already open. this is totally stupid. 99% of the time when i open a new window it's because i want to drag a file from one location to another, in which case i have to first move the new window. is there some way you can have it put new windows someplace else other than right on top of the current one?
    and please, please, please dear apple, give us tabs in finder windows like in safari. i keep expecting it to happen in each new system upgrade, and it keeps never happening.

    ...when you have a finder window open and do apple-N to get a new one, it puts the new one right on top of the one already open... is there some way you can have it put new windows someplace else other than right on top of the current one?
    In addition to the excellent suggestions regarding the Sidebar offered earlier, you might consider creating an AppleScript and adding it to your Finder window's toolbar. Once added to the toolbar, the script would serve as a button, which, when clicked on, would open a fully viewable new Finder window positioned above and slightly to the left of the existing Finder window. The existing Finder window would be repositioned if necessary and set to a size matching the dimensions of the new window.
    The example scripts below were created with the assumption that your Home folder's Finder window opens when you press ⌘N. These scripts can be modified so that another window is opened instead by replacing the word "home" where it appears in the script with "desktop" or "documents" or "applications" etc. To open the "Computer" window use the command *make new Finder window* exclusively. Paths to non system-level folders, or user-created folders, can be specified by using an *open "Macintosh HD:path:to:folder"* command.
    Copy and then paste either block of code below into your AppleScript Script Editor (Applications > AppleScript > Script Editor). From the Script Editor's File menu choose Save As > File Format: application, and leave the Options unchecked.
    To add the button to your Finder window's toolbar, simply open any Finder window and drag the saved AppleScript icon to a convenient location on the toolbar. Let go of your mouse when you see the round green "+" indicator.
    +This script might work best with a monitor set to a minimum 1024 x 768 screen resolution:+
    *tell application "Finder"*
    activate
    *make new Finder window to (path to home folder)*
    *set the bounds of window 1 to {70, 59, 955, 399}*
    *set the bounds of window 2 to {100, 403, 985, 743}*
    *activate window 2*
    *end tell*
    +This version would be more suitable for a monitor set to 800 x 600 screen resolution:+
    *tell application "Finder"*
    activate
    *make new Finder window to (path to home folder)*
    *set the bounds of window 1 to {85, 47, 715, 317}*
    *set the bounds of window 2 to {115, 320, 745, 595}*
    *activate window 2*
    *end tell*
    Good luck.

  • Set sidebar width of (Finder window 1) to 0 - (no longer working for me)

    on script_title()
    Filename : finderwindowprops.scpt (Script Debugger)
    Author : Bill Hernandez
    Version : 1.0.0
    Updated : Thursday, December 14, 2006 ( 6:01 PM )
    end script_title
    -- ---------+---------+---------+---------+---------
    on script_notes( )
    Setting the sidebar width for finder windows is not working consistently,
    nor correctly for me. I had written several scripts to standardize the
    display of windows on screen several months ago, and they have quit working
    during the last couple of versions of the OS, not sure what has happened ?
    end script_notes
    -- ---------+---------+---------+---------+---------
    on run
    tell me
    set this_folder to (path to current user folder)
    SetupWindow(this_folder)
    if (ChooseTest() = 1) then
    TestOne(this_folder)
    else
    TestTwo(this_folder)
    end if
    set str to ""
    set str to str & "The Sidebar Width Should be Zero" & return & return
    set str to str & "It had worked well several months ago when I was doing some "
    set str to str & "window stacking, but it seems to be broken for me..." & return & return
    set str to str & "iMacG5 running OSX 10.4.8" & return & return
    ShowMsg(str, 10)
    end tell
    end run
    -- ---------+---------+---------+---------+---------
    on SetupWindow(whichFolder)
    tell application "Finder"
    activate
    set counter to 1
    try
    open whichFolder
    select Finder window 1
    on error
    set win to make new Finder window
    end try
    set bounds of (Finder window counter) to {20, 60, 700, 700}
    set current view of (Finder window counter) to icon view
    set toolbar visible of (Finder window counter) to true
    set sidebar width of (Finder window counter) to 300
    set w_props to get properties of Finder window 1
    set str to ""
    set str to str & "The Sidebar Width Should be 300" & return & return
    set str to str & "Sidebar Width : " & ((sidebar width) of w_props)
    my ShowMsg(str, 0)
    end tell
    end SetupWindow
    -- ---------+---------+---------+---------+---------
    on TestOne(whichFolder)
    tell application "Finder"
    activate
    set counter to 1
    try
    open whichFolder
    select Finder window 1
    on error
    set win to make new Finder window
    end try
    set bounds of (Finder window counter) to {20, 60, 600, 600}
    set current view of (Finder window counter) to list view
    set toolbar visible of (Finder window counter) to true
    set sidebar width of (Finder window counter) to 0
    set w_props to get properties of Finder window 1
    set str to ""
    set str to str & "The Sidebar Width Should be Zero" & return & return
    set str to str & "Sidebar Width : " & ((sidebar width) of w_props)
    my ShowMsg(str, 0)
    end tell
    end TestOne
    -- ---------+---------+---------+---------+---------
    on TestTwo(whichFolder)
    tell application "Finder"
    activate
    set w_props to {}
    set w_props to w_props & {sidebar width:0}
    set w_props to w_props & {current view:list view}
    set w_props to w_props & {toolbar visible:true}
    set w_props to w_props & {statusbar visible:true}
    set w_props to w_props & {bounds:{20, 60, 400, 600}}
    try
    open whichFolder
    select Finder window 1
    on error
    set win to make new Finder window
    end try
    set w_ref to Finder window 1
    set properties of w_ref to w_props
    set w_props to get properties of Finder window 1
    set str to ""
    set str to str & "The Sidebar Width Should be Zero" & return & return
    set str to str & "Sidebar Width : " & ((sidebar width) of w_props)
    my ShowMsg(str, 0)
    end tell
    end TestTwo
    -- ---------+---------+---------+---------+---------
    on ChooseTest()
    tell application "Finder"
    activate
    set s to ""
    set s to s & "The sidebar width is inconsistent no matter which method I use." & return & return
    set s to s & "Sometimes there is a sidebar, sometimes there is none, particularly "
    set s to s & "with a window that already exists." & return & return
    set s to s & "Method one seems to work better, but does not always hide the sidebar." & return & return
    set s to s & "Please select a choice..."
    set b1 to "TestOne"
    set b2 to "TestTwo"
    set aReturn to display dialog s buttons {b1, b2} default button {b2}
    if (button returned of aReturn = b1) then
    return 1
    else
    return 2
    end if
    end tell
    end Choose
    -- ---------+---------+---------+---------+---------
    on ShowMsg(s, howLong)
    tell application "Finder"
    activate
    if (howLong = 0) then
    set theTIme to 3
    else
    set theTIme to howLong
    end if
    set b1 to "OK"
    display dialog s buttons {b1} default button {b1} giving up after theTIme
    end tell
    end ShowMsg
    -- ---------+---------+---------+---------+---------

    This is a re-post since I learned how to format the output a little nicer...
    on script_title()
       Filename : finderwindowprops.scpt (Script Debugger)
       Author : Bill Hernandez
       Version : 1.0.0
       Updated : Thursday, December 14, 2006 ( 6:01 PM )
    end script_title
    -- ---------+---------+---------+---------+---------
    on script_notes()
       Setting the sidebar width for finder windows is not working consistently,
       nor correctly for me. I had written several scripts to standardize the
       display of windows on screen several months ago, and they have quit working
       during the last couple of versions of the OS, not sure what has happened ?
    end script_notes
    -- ---------+---------+---------+---------+---------
    on run
       tell me
          set this_folder to (path to current user folder)
          SetupWindow(this_folder)
          if (ChooseTest() = 1) then
             TestOne(this_folder)
          else
             TestTwo(this_folder)
          end if
          set str to ""
          set str to str & "The Sidebar Width Should be Zero" & return & return
          set str to str & "It had worked well several months ago when I was doing some "
          set str to str & "window stacking, but it seems to be broken for me..." & return & return
          set str to str & "iMacG5 running OSX 10.4.8" & return & return
          ShowMsg(str, 10)
       end tell
    end run
    -- ---------+---------+---------+---------+---------
    on SetupWindow(whichFolder)
       tell application "Finder"
          activate
          set counter to 1
          try
             open whichFolder
             select Finder window 1
          on error
             set win to make new Finder window
          end try
          set bounds of (Finder window counter) to {20, 60, 700, 700}
          set current view of (Finder window counter) to icon view
          set toolbar visible of (Finder window counter) to true
          set sidebar width of (Finder window counter) to 300
          set w_props to get properties of Finder window 1
          set str to ""
          set str to str & "The Sidebar Width Should be 300" & return & return
          set str to str & "Sidebar Width : " & ((sidebar width) of w_props)
          my ShowMsg(str, 0)
       end tell
    end SetupWindow
    -- ---------+---------+---------+---------+---------
    on TestOne(whichFolder)
       tell application "Finder"
          activate
          set counter to 1
          try
             open whichFolder
             select Finder window 1
          on error
             set win to make new Finder window
          end try
          set bounds of (Finder window counter) to {20, 60, 600, 600}
          set current view of (Finder window counter) to list view
          set toolbar visible of (Finder window counter) to true
          set sidebar width of (Finder window counter) to 0
          set w_props to get properties of Finder window 1
          set str to ""
          set str to str & "The Sidebar Width Should be Zero" & return & return
          set str to str & "Sidebar Width : " & ((sidebar width) of w_props)
          my ShowMsg(str, 0)
       end tell
    end TestOne
    -- ---------+---------+---------+---------+---------
    on TestTwo(whichFolder)
       tell application "Finder"
          activate
          set w_props to {}
          set w_props to w_props & {sidebar width:0}
          set w_props to w_props & {current view:list view}
          set w_props to w_props & {toolbar visible:true}
          set w_props to w_props & {statusbar visible:true}
          set w_props to w_props & {bounds:{20, 60, 400, 600}}
          try
             open whichFolder
             select Finder window 1
          on error
             set win to make new Finder window
          end try
          set w_ref to Finder window 1
          set properties of w_ref to w_props
          set w_props to get properties of Finder window 1
          set str to ""
          set str to str & "The Sidebar Width Should be Zero" & return & return
          set str to str & "Sidebar Width : " & ((sidebar width) of w_props)
          my ShowMsg(str, 0)
       end tell
    end TestTwo
    -- ---------+---------+---------+---------+---------
    on ChooseTest()
       tell application "Finder"
          activate
          set s to ""
          set s to s & "The sidebar width is inconsistent no matter which method I use." & return & return
          set s to s & "Sometimes there is a sidebar, sometimes there is none, particularly "
          set s to s & "with a window that already exists." & return & return
          set s to s & "Method one seems to work better, but does not always hide the sidebar." & return & return
          set s to s & "Please select a choice..."
          set b1 to "TestOne"
          set b2 to "TestTwo"
          set aReturn to display dialog s buttons {b1, b2} default button {b2}
          if (button returned of aReturn = b1) then
             return 1
          else
             return 2
          end if
       end tell
    end ChooseTest
    -- ---------+---------+---------+---------+---------
    on ShowMsg(s, howLong)
       tell application "Finder"
          activate
          if (howLong = 0) then
             set theTIme to 3
          else
             set theTIme to howLong
          end if
          set b1 to "OK"
          display dialog s buttons {b1} default button {b1} giving up after theTIme
       end tell
    end ShowMsg
    -- ---------+---------+---------+---------+---------

  • How do I get my finder windows to open in the same way?

    Hi, I'm really frustrated with the finder view options. I want all my windows for every single folder to open the same way. Same icon size. Same spacing between the icons. I've pressed the 'Use as Defaults' so many times, but the options I choose don't stay.
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    I just want all of them to look the same, to be spaced equally horizontally across the width of the window.
    I also want to ask if I'm sharing a dropbox folder with other Mavericks users, do their view options apply to me as well? Because they have tagged some of the items and it shows up on my own computer.
    Thank you!

    That's called the simple Finder mode. You would need to configure that as part of Parental Controls in the Accounts preferences. To make any Finder window appear that way jut click on the gadget in the top right corner of the Finder window.

  • Problem with the Finder window in Chrome

    Hello,
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    Thanks!

    I found the solution on another thread...Here it is.
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