View Modes
View modes change how files appear in a pane. The same folder can look like a spreadsheet, a grid of thumbnails, or a filmstrip with a large preview. Pick the mode that fits the task; you can switch anytime without leaving the folder.
Where to switch
- Open a folder in the file explorer.
- On the path bar, open View & arrange (the view/arrange controls).
- Click a view mode button in the strip below the path bar.
On narrow windows, the mode buttons may collapse into a single menu that shows the active mode’s icon.
Available modes
| Mode | Best for |
|---|---|
| Details | Sortable columns for name, size, dates, metadata, and Vial properties. |
| Thumbnails | A grid of thumbnails; good for photos and visual folders. |
| Gallery | Large preview of the selected file with a horizontal filmstrip of thumbnails below. |
| Column | Finder-style columns. Drill through nested folders column by column. |
| Tree | Expandable tree of folders and files in one scrollable list. |
| Boards | Kanban-style columns driven by a Vial property (status, select, tags, and similar). |
Boards appears only when Phials has a property schema for that folder, typically inside a Vial. Other modes work in any folder.
Item size
In Details, Thumbnails, and Gallery, use the size slider on the pane’s status bar (bottom of the file list):
- Details: row height (XS through L).
- Thumbnails: thumbnail edge length.
- Gallery: filmstrip thumbnail size (the main stage preview is separate).
Each pane remembers its own size. Switching view mode resets size to that mode’s default until you adjust it again or load a saved view.
Field visibility
In Details, Thumbnails, and Gallery, the field visibility control on the path bar (column icon) opens a panel where you choose which fields appear, whether in the list, under thumbnails, or on gallery filmstrip tiles. Reorder and resize columns in Details by dragging column headers.
View-specific options
Some modes expose extra toggles in the ⋯ menu on the status bar, for example Alternate Row Background in Details.
Saved views and defaults
A view mode is part of a folder’s overall setup along with sort, filters, and grouping. You can:
- Save the full setup as a saved view.
- Set explorer defaults for new folders in Default behaviors.
For sort, filter, and group controls in the same strip, see Sorting, filtering & grouping.