Desktop - Horizontal Icon Spacing

This problem just came up a few days ago, but my icon horizontal spacing is defaulting to double what it normally should be. I can manually move the icons into the double-wide space but they will automatically space themselves double what they normally should. I have linked you to a screenshot for reference. This is how my icons default:
http://www.deviantart.com/deviation/30382196/
MacBook Pro 1.83 Mac OS X (10.4.5)

I've experienced the same problem on two different macs now. There doesn't seem to be any logic to it either. For example, when I set my icon size to 32x32 and my font size to 10, I get double icon spacing on my desktop. If I keep the icon size at 32x32 but change the font size to 11, it changes to normal icon spacing.
Why would increasing the font size reduce the spacing? Surely if anything it should increase the spacing. Does anyone have any insight into this?
Anyway, I'm happy that I've got my normal icon spacing back on my desktop now, I just wish there was some logic to it all.

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Horizontal Icon Spacing

This is for my mini on 10.4.11.
I would like to be able to control the horizontal positioning of the icons on my desktop when they snap to grid. There is a lot of horizontal space between them. I cannot find some sort of slider bar or pixel number to adjust this. Any thoughts? Thanks.

Performance tip: Keep the Desktop clutter-free (empty, if possible)
Mac OS X's Desktop is the de facto location for downloaded files, and for many users, in-progress works that will either be organized later or deleted altogether. The desktop can also be gluttonous, however, becoming a catch-all for files that linger indefinitely.
Unfortunately - aside from the effect of disarray it creates - keeping dozens or hundreds of files on the Desktop can significantly degrade performance. Not necessarily because the system is sluggish with regard to rendering the icons on the desktop and storing them in memory persistently (which may be true in some cases), but more likely because keeping an excessive number of items on the Desktop can cause the windowserver process to generate reams of logfiles, which obviously draws resources away from other system tasks. Each of your icons on your desktop is stored as a window in the window server, not as an alias. The more you have stored, the more strain it puts on the window server. Check your desktop for unnecessary icons and clear them out.
Keeping as few items as possible on the Desktop can prove a surprisingly effective performance boon. Even creating a single folder on your Desktop and placing all current and future clutter inside, then logging out and back in can provide an immediately noticeable speed boost, particularly for the Finder.
And it is why Apple invented 'Stacks' for Leopard.

How to reset all the icon spacing etc in Finder back to default?

I have tried to set back to the default values but it's still isn't quite the same as before -- the horizontal spacing is correct but not the vertical one. Is there a way to reset the icon spacing as default?
Thank you.

John Guo wrote:
Try this... Go to User Name>Library>Preferences. Locate the "com.apple.finder.plist" file. Trash that. Press optionesc. That brings out the force quit icon. Restart Finder. See if anything changes.
Your not done... That will set the user defined defaults back to the Apple defined defaults. To get your folders to use the Apple defined defaults, open up a folder showing the wrong spacing and press Command-J to bring up the View Options window. At the bottom of the View Options window there is a button that says "Use as Defaults". Press the Option Key and the "Use as Defaults" button will change to "Restore to Defaults". Click the "Restore to Defaults" button and the folder will go back to the Apple defined default settings. You might need to Control-click on the window for the folder and select "Clean Up" to get things lined up. Good luck...

On Finder Freeze/Relaunch All my desktop files & icons disappear

The title sums it up.
When ever my mac decides to go into spinning wheel mode and I have to force quit/relaunch finder, when I relaunch finder every desktop file & icon disappear.
At that point I'm forced to push the shutdown button on the tower and reboot, then all is well until the next time.
And the next time could be a day or a few days or a week. No rhyme or reason why.
Please help me solve this frustrating problem.
Thanks
497secrets

Cloud backup plans can slow your Mac down, and if used simultaneously with your Mac's networking, or you have an unreliable internet connection, could be the cause of your freezes. You may be better off seeing if turning off iCloud temporarily helps. This can especially be a problem with non-Apple routers whose firmware may not be up to date. Multitasking with backups can lead to corruption of your backups. Time Machine should only backup to hard drives twice the capacity of the original, otherwise it spends a lot of time trying to discover which archives to eraes to maintain room. Here are some other options:
https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-1992
Energy Saver can also create problems for backups, as it takes a moment for the Mac to recognize the connection. Use screen saver instead of Energy Saver when backing up. System Preferences lets you control both. Putting hard drives to sleep when backing up is ill advised.

To create a desktop shortcut icon for the application for a jar file

Hi
I have created a jar file for my application. when i double click this jar file, the application opens.
What i want is--
Instead of user clicking on the jar file, my application also has to create a desktop shortcut icon.
If the user clicks on the icon which is on the desktop the application should open.
Please suggest me.
Thanks in advance.

>
Please suggest me.>Launch the application using java webstart. A webstart launch offers things like a splash screen, automatic updates, and desktop integration in the form of desktop shortcuts and program menu items. If the launch file specifies icons, they are used for the shortcuts, otherwise a generic icon is used.
For a comparison between a sandboxed webstart launch and a plain app., try the [Text Width Checker|http://pscode.org/twc/].
While the TWC can run OK within the security sandbox, many applications need to be digitally signed and request extended permissions, to do what they need to do.
STBC is an all-permissions webstart launch.
Edit 1:
And for one that definitely suggests desktop shortcuts (I usually avoid them, in favor of a menu item only), try the sandboxed [demo of the PrintService|http://pscode.org/jws/api.html#prs], which prompts the user to choose.
Edited by: AndrewThompson64 on Sep 2, 2008 10:49 PM

Is there a shortcut to adjust icon spacing?

Is there a shortcut to adjust icon spacing without selecting 'show view options?'

Well yeah, I know about that, but what I am asking is: for example, I use the track pad and when you swipe two finger out the icons enlarge and vise/versa. Is there a short that would allow me to expand and contract the icon spacing similarly to the icon size?

Drag and drop folders to desktop printer icon

I would like to drag and drop folders containing various documents, such as word, excel, pdf, to a desktop printer icon and have all the documents within the folder print automatically.
Does anyone know if it is possible, and if so, how to do so?
Thank you.
PS-I posted a similar question yesterday, however I incorrectly noted "files" instead of "folders". Sorry.

The printer has been set up on the desktop and works
fine with individual documents. My desire is to drag
a folder, containing several documents, to the
printer icon and have all the seperate documents
within the folder print.
That's not possible - dragging a folder, as I am sure you have seen, will print the contents of the folder.
By automatic print, I meant that the print dialouge
window would not open and require the print button to
be selected, ie, simply drag a folder and all the
documents start printing without further input/action.
The closest you'll get, I think, is dragging a group of documents of the same kind that are handled without presenting the print dialog - pdf or text files. It depends on the file types, the printer to a degree, and how the receiving application handles the Apple Events.

After installing Windows 7 my desktop Adobe icons have change in appearance. How do I change them back?

After installing Windows 7 my desktop Adobe icons have change in appearance. How do I change them back?

The file icons is one on the change features MS removed from the Explorer options. Supposedly you can do the change with the registry, though I have not figured out that option. If you want to try, backup the registry first and then you might try the instructions at How to Change a File Type Icon in Windows 7 and Vista - The Winhelponline Blog. If the application icon is not correct, try to fix that before the approach above. Good luck and be careful (dealing with the registry can make your computer not work..

Desktop themes/icons

ok...people please bear with me as i am new to the mac world. i went to my local electronics store that is an apple distributor and i came across one of their mac mini's but the strange thing is that the desktop was different and the icons especially the dock toolbar icons. i was wondering of any cool desktop themes/icons i can apply to my mac mini and step by step on how to do it. i came across some desktop themes but do not know how to apply them to my desktop. any help is greatly appreciated...thanks

To change the picture in your desktop click on the apple menu and select system preferences - desktop & screensaver - click the desktop tab and choose the picture you want to display from the desktop pictures file. Alternatively you can display pictures from the other files displayed.
If you want to tinker with your dock go back to system preferences and select dock to set it the way you want. Then there's also the apearance you can change - again from system preferences.
Additionally you can change icons by selecting the folder/file and get info (apple&I or use the file menu) then just paste the new picture over the top of the icon you want to change)
Hope this helps
Pos I've just seen that link you've found! Wow just what I've been searching for! Fabtastic!

Why are my desktop folder icons missing?

why are my desktop folder icons missing?

Yes I have tried a restart, a shut down and restart, a coling off period for 5 minutes anda restart, an examination of view options and I still get nothing, no destop folders icons, just the title of the folder. The folders without icons will open and their contents are displayed, just not the icons. The only icons I see are the hard drives, I have 4 in my old mac pro. So what gives?

Desktop shortcut icons after 8.1.1 update

I installed the 8.1.1 update and now I have two itunes shortcut icons on desktop. However I can't delete either of them and neither will launch itunes. Also sometimes when I launch itunes from starter menu it creates a third desktop shortcut icon.

First, remove the SIM, clean its contacts with a pencil eraser, and re-insert it.
If that doesn't fix it restore your phone using iTunes on your computer.
And if that doesn't fix it your phone has a hardware problem.

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Hi dsmw! And Welcome To Discussions!
You have posted your inquiry, in the Discussions Forum, that is intended for discourse about the use of Apple Discussions.
You will get more focused attention to your issue, if you select a more appropriate location from this page Discussions Forum Home.
Such as Mac OS X v10.4 Tiger, as Michael Morgan suggested.
This Forum Finder, Dock & Dashboard, may be a good choice.
Good Luck!
ali b

Just set-up my first IPad (Air) using ICloud. This resulted in none of my desktop Outlook icons working. Can anyone tell me how ICloud works and restore functional Outlook icons on my desktop.

Just set-up my first IPad (Air) using ICloud. This resulted in none of my desktop Outlook icons working. Can anyone tell me how ICloud works and restore functional Outlook icons on my desktop?

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Everything is oversized; desktop, safari, icons etc. I have tried view, preferences etc.

everything is oversized; desktop, safari, icons etc. I have tried view, preferences etc.

You may have accidentally activated Zoom!
Go to System Preferences/Universal Access/Seeing to turn it off!

OS X System Preferences Desktop Screensaver ICON DISAPPEARED

How can I get the DESKTOP Screensaver ICON to show up in the
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Spanky

Welcome to Apple Discussions.
Try this....
Quit System Preferences. Then go to Users/yourname/Library/Caches
Delete these 2 files...
com.apple.preferencepanes.cache
com.apple.preferencepanes.searchindexcache
Then, relaunch System Preferences. Did that help?
If you actually deleted the Preference Pane in /System/Library/Preference Panes. Then, you'll need to reinstall from your install disk using Pacifist to extract and install just that package from your install disks.
-mj

Desktop - Horizontal Icon Spacing

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