• Apple OS X

  Full Name of Desktop files

  Posted by Marjonneke Grech on September 8, 2009 at 12:49 am

  The files on my desktop now only show 2 letters, an elipse (…) and another 2 letters. Does anyone know how to show the entire file name under the icon? I’m running Leopard on Mac OS-X Macbook Pro. Thank you!

  Marjonneke Grech replied 16 years, 8 months ago 4 Members · 7 Replies
• 7 Replies

• 

  Chuck Reti

  September 9, 2009 at 11:36 pm

  You could try changing the size of the type used to title the icons.
  Under main menu, Finder>View>Show View Options (CMD-J). Pulldown menu allows sizing down to 10 pt. I am not aware of a method to allow long names under icons, though there could well be one or more.
  Or, open a Finder window, select Desktop Folder and use List or Column view which would display full-length names for all items.
  As a last resort, rename the items using abberviations.
• 

  Marjonneke Grech

  September 10, 2009 at 12:13 am

  Thanks – but unfortunately, changing the size of the font doesn’t change the way it displays – with 2 letters on either side of a series of dots. I can see the files in Finder (which is how I have to view them now) but I want to be able to see their names on my desktop.

  Still looking for the solution to this.
• 

  Alexander Kallas

  September 11, 2009 at 6:16 am

  Try trashing the desktop prefs,
  home>library>preferences>com.apple.desktop.plist
  drag to trash, don’t empty, restart.

  Cheers
  Alexander
• 

  Marjonneke Grech

  September 11, 2009 at 11:07 am

  Great idea – but no… no change. Do you think I should trash the preferences again – and this time empty the trash? I say that because most of my preferences were still intact.
• 

  Alexander Kallas

  September 12, 2009 at 4:58 am

  [Marjonneke Grech] “Great idea – but no… no change. Do you think I should trash the preferences again – and this time empty the trash? I say that because most of my preferences were still intact.
  “

  No need to empty trash, on restart new prefs are created. You can control click on the new prefs and color-code them to distinguish them. Repair permissions, trash the pref again and restart.
  Next I would suggest you get the utility called Disk Warrior, if this doesn’t work, then back up your data, mail etc. and reinstall the OS.

  Cheers
  Alexander
• 

  Fred Hare

  September 12, 2009 at 1:49 pm

  hi,

  Desktop View -> Show View Options -> reset Grid spacing slider to max and all will be OK.

  regards Fred
• 

  Marjonneke Grech

  September 14, 2009 at 2:00 am

  YES! Thank you sooooo much. Seems so easy when you know, doesn’t it? Thanks for your help. Very appreciated. Cheers and thanks again.

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