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

Question

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
-- ---------+---------+---------+---------+---------

Answer 1

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
-- ---------+---------+---------+---------+---------