10.7: Show folders last in Finder

By default, in Finder folders are shown in between all other files. alphabetically. There was a hint for Snow Leopard that showed how to show folders first in Finder, which is not working on Lion. This is because of the file:

/System/Library/CoreServices/Finder.app/Contents/Resources/English.lproj/InfoPlist.strings

It is now a binary file, instead of an XML text file.

You need to convert the file from binary to XML, using this Terminal command:

sudo plutil -convert xml1 /System/Library/CoreServices/Finder.app/Contents/Resources/English.lproj/InfoPlist.strings

Now you can edit the file, using:

sudo vi /System/Library/CoreServices/Finder.app/Contents/Resources/English.lproj/InfoPlist.strings

Find the following section in the file:

[raw2]
<key>Folder</key>
[/raw2]
[raw2]
<string>Folder</string>
[/raw2]

Then add a space in front of Folder on the second line. You should now have this:

[raw2]
<key>Folder</key>
[/raw2]
[raw2]
<string> Folder</string>
[/raw2]

Save the file, and convert it back to binary with the following command:

sudo plutil -convert binary1 /System/Library/CoreServices/Finder.app/Contents/Resources/English.lproj/InfoPlist.string

Restart the Finder and now folders will be shown at the end. I am not sure why they are at the end and not at the beginning.

[crarko adds: I haven't tested this one. As always, make a backup copy of the file before making changes, and be aware this may cause code signing issues.]

Hints by Topic

10.7: Show folders last in Finder | 11 comments | Create New Account

Click here to return to the '10.7: Show folders last in Finder' hint

The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. This site is not responsible for what they say.

10.7: Show folders last in Finder
Authored by: devlogic on Aug 02, '11 07:55:21AM

Um, why not just open the plist file in XCode (which seems to have eaten the old plist editor) and edit that item with the IDE? Saves the trouble of doing the conversion twice...

Edited on Aug 02, '11 07:56:05AM by devlogic

10.7: Show folders last in Finder
Authored by: Casemon on Aug 19, '11 10:00:01AM

Opened the .strings file in Xcode 4.1 (no project open) and it appeared as gibberish :(

Is there a way to explicitly tell Xcode to open the file as a binary plist?

PlistEdit Pro still does the job :)

10.7: Show folders last in Finder
Authored by: giulio on Aug 02, '11 08:54:39AM

I don't understand the need for this, maybe I'm missing something...
10.7 allows you to Arrange by Kind, and then you can Sort by Name/Date/etc. That effectively places folders at the top always.
In any folder, just hot Command-J and you'll see those options.

---
Freelance web development
WebVeteran.com

10.7: Show folders last in Finder
Authored by: xhinter on Aug 02, '11 10:39:41AM

This seems to me to be the real hint.

10.7: Show folders last in Finder
Authored by: lucianf on Aug 05, '11 03:56:41AM

It's not really the same, if you arrange by kind (& sort by name) you lose the triangles that allow to peek inside subfolders. Actually I think this is a bug, because you can still use the right-arrow on subfolders, which will expand the contents albeit not as a subtree but rather at the same level (and the rows are also wider).

10.7: Show folders last in Finder
Authored by: aanti on Aug 02, '11 09:08:54AM

Tested, works, but for the last command use:

sudo plutil -convert binary1 System/Library/CoreServices/Finder.app/Contents/Resources/English.lproj/InfoPlist.strings

an s was missing at the and of "InfoPlist.string"

10.7: Show folders last in Finder
Authored by: r-spx on Aug 03, '11 08:44:01AM

This doesn't work on my system all. I followed each step, and checked and rechecked each of the commands.

Put simply, there was no change. Files and folders were still mixed together. This is on OS X Lion, GM install from the App Store.

It's inexcusable for the editor of this site not to test these tips before they go live. Just get a virtual install of Lion to use for testing purposes if you don't want to f*** up your main system. There've been a handful of dud tips recently. What's the use of putting them up if they don't work?

10.7: Show folders last in Finder
Authored by: cbserra on Aug 04, '11 05:40:15PM

Are you sure you entered it properly? And Relaunched Finder? The folders appear at the bottom for me, and I believe everyone else who commented.

I added a tilda (~) instead of a space, hoping it'd put the folders at the top (like in Leopard, Snow Leopard), but no dice :/

I'd prefer folders are the top, rather than the bottom, but I guess I'll use "Arrange By" instead--unless there's a way to put them at the top manipulating the strings file.

10.7: Show folders last in Finder
Authored by: MrMiyamoto on Aug 17, '11 01:22:27AM

I changed the Folder string to Zolder and that brings them to the top in OS X 10.7.1.

10.7: Show folders last in Finder
Authored by: Tribes11 on Jan 27, '13 10:29:36AM

Well this worked like a charm for me on Mac OS X Mountain Lion 10.8.2 this works perfectly, however I had to make changes to the folder pt.Iproj instead of English since i'm using the system in portuguese, so, this works flawlessly and those who can't make it work is probably doing it wrong.

10.7: Show folders last in Finder
Authored by: Sergio_nikon on Apr 07, '13 03:39:47AM

I want to revive this, because i'm having troubles.

I follow al your steps and made a backup, I Also gave permissions to folder and file.
Then i followed your steps. But when i get to the point to edit in terminal I cannot add a space in terminal.

So I followed all your steps to convert, then I opened the converted file in notepad. Added a space and saved. All well

But then I go to terminal again to do the final step convert back to binary.

Then i got this:
System/Library/CoreServices/Finder.app/Contents/Resources/English.lproj/InfoPlist.strings: file does not exist or is not readable or is not a regular file
localhost:~ Sergio$

Any help on this. Or make the tutorial working from beginning to end for non terminal geeks? :-)

Thanks

Hint Options

Search

From our Sponsor...

Latest Mountain Lion Hints

User Functions

What's New:

Hints

Comments last 2 days

Links last 2 weeks

What's New in the Forums?

Hints by Topic

News from Macworld

From Our Sponsors