Folder and File Numbers Out of Sequence

[schwine1]

Jake, here is a screenshot of my list view vs. column view. In my case, the caret is pointing upwards (not visible in the screenshot).
It doesn't matter what option is selected, the number sequencing is the same (correct in list view, incorrect in column view).

[krs]

I have several files and folders that are numbered as: 01 02 03 etc.
Many of the files and folders were numbered years ago.

Recently I noticed that all of the numbers are out of sequence for some reason.
One example from a top to bottom list is: 02 01 03 05 04 06 (instead of 01 02 03 04 05 06).

This out-of-sequence numbering applies to top down lists for both folders and files within folders.
The "Arrange by" options don't seem to make any difference to the current out of order numbers.

This is for a Mac Mini desktop computer (late 2014), OS X El Capitan version 10.11.6
I can't identify any specific actions on my part that caused this sudden change in number sequences.

This issue may or may not be related to the view options of the files.
For example, my preferred view option is the column view, and this option is where the numbered folders and files appear out of sequence.

By comparison, the numbered folders and files are in sequence when viewed in the list view.
So I'm not sure why the numbered folders and files are in sequence in the list view, but out of numbered sequence in the column view.

Seems to me this is nothing unique to you.
I'm on macOS 10.11.6 as well with a bit older Mini - I usually sort my files & folders using list view and then sort by Date Modified with the current date at the top, but when I sort by "Name" in list view (with Arrange by None), the files and folders are not in numerical order for file or folder names starting with a number.

Strangely enough, when I switch to column view, the files and folders are in the right sequence, but the first column shows almost only folders with only a few files, where as in list view it shows tons of files.
And if I check the bottom of the folder window, the number of items in list view is not the same as the number of items in column view.
That doesn't make any sense to me - should the total number of items for column and list view of the same folder (with a few thousand items in it) not be the same?

Attached are the first 12 items in list view sorted by Name - no clue how those particular file names ended up at the top.
This is sorting by name basically from A to Z with numbers and symbols ahead of that.

Bottom line - I don't think the sorting actually works that well.

[pm-r]

Bottom line - I don't think the sorting actually works that well.

Maybe this will help:
Mac 101: Finder filename sorting
Mac 101: Finder filename sorting

This list appears in the order that Mac OS X sorts filenames. ...

- Patrick
======

[IWT]

Patrick,

The "Name" option is present in List & Column view and has been since - I'm guessing - at least El Capitan; which is the OS the OP is running.

Have a look at my post #2. That's what it looks like in List/Column views.

Ian

Edit: Sorry. I didn't realise that there was a second page when I posted this. So I posted my reply to Patrick without reading the subsequent posts.

[MacInWin]

Patrick, it's been there for years and years. As long as you have the default to None, it works. I seem to remember it even in SL, but it's been a very long time since I've been using it. And it's only for List view.

[ferrarr]

duplicate entry entered by mistake

I don't know if you are aware of this, but that button, has another ability if "option" is held down at the same time? If you hover over the button, t will explain the differences.

[krs]

Maybe this will help:
Mac 101: Finder filename sorting
Mac 101: Finder filename sorting
- Patrick
======

Thanks - that just proves the sorting doesn't work.

The hyphen and parenthesis come before the numbers and the alphabet (according to Mac 101) - in my case, there is one entry with a hyphen, then a few file names alphabetically (so far so good), but then entries starting with a hyphen again and then entries with parentheses.
Certainly doesn't follow the order listed in Mac 101 Finder file sorting.

What I also noticed just glancing through my complete sort is that the sorting algorithm seems to look at more than one character at a time and takes that into consideration - that's why a hyphen with a space as the next "character" is further up in the sorting sequence than the hyphen with a different character as the next one, but regardless, those entries and the ones with parentheses should have still sorted ahead of the alpha characters.

[pm-r]

Patrick,

The "Name" option is present in List & Column view and has been since - I'm guessing - at least El Capitan; which is the OS the OP is running.
Have a look at my post #2. That's what it looks like in List/Column views.

Ian

Thanks Ian, I finally found what you and others were referring to but I must admitI have hardly ever used column view and never realized there was actually a variety of sort option that one could change from that little icon in the menu.

Jake wrote:

As long as you have the default to None, it works.

Thans Jake, now that I found it, and I don't even need to have the lists sorted by None.

Sort of neat and I'm sure I could have used the feature fairly often if I had known about it. As they say... RTFM!!!

Screen Shot 2019-04-19 at 9.25.20 AM.png



- Patrick
======

[schwine1]

I tried installing the combo update but I received an error message that says it "can't be installed on this disk" (MacIntosh HD).
No explanation, just it can't be installed. Screenshot below.

installer update error message.jpg

[pm-r]

I tried installing the combo update but I received an error message that says it "can't be installed on this disk" (MacIntosh HD).
No explanation, just it can't be installed. ...

Try this for a possible explanation:

If the mac has installed the latest security update, Security Update 2017-004 OS X v10.11.6 El Capitan then you will no longer be able to install the 10.11.6 Combo update as it has not been updated to include the security update.

Mac Os X - 10.11.6 won't accept lates… - Apple Community

Don't ask me why Apple can't or doesn't update their "Combo" updaters if that's the reason they sometimes won't install.

PS: Why can't they even add what macOS version is installed on any of the mounted drives shown????



- Patrick
======

[schwine1]

I fixed the problem by deleting the following .plist file and then restarting the computer.
~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.finder.plist

Now the data appears in proper numerical order within the column view.
Thanks to everyone for their input, it's much appreciated.

[IWT]

And a very big thank you for posting back and sharing the solution so others may benefit.

Ian

[pm-r]

fixed the problem by deleting the following .plist file and then restarting the computer.
~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.finder.plist

Wow!!! The old trashing the OS Finder preference file still works again it seems.

And yes, thanks for posting back with your fix and the results.



- Patrick
======

[toMACsh]

Edit: Sorry. I didn't realise that there was a second page when I posted this. So I posted my reply to Patrick without reading the subsequent posts.

I'm up to post #28 on 1 page. I believe I changed a setting way back when to allow more posts per page.

[ferrarr]

I'm up to post #28 on 1 page. I believe I changed a setting way back when to allow more posts per page.

Thanks you for this, I had no idea there was a setting for this. I was on the system default of 15 posts per page.