File views and finding files

A file view is how an Explorer tab presents the current location. Changing the view changes the presentation and available controls; it does not move or rewrite the files in that folder.

Choose a useful presentation

Phials provides views for different kinds of work:

• Details presents rows and configurable columns.
• Grid emphasizes thumbnails and file cards.
• Columns follows a folder branch across adjacent columns.
• Boards groups files into property-backed columns.
• Calendar places files by a filesystem date or a Workspace Folder date property.

Each Explorer tab owns its live view state. The same folder can therefore appear as Details in one tab and Grid in another. Use Configure a file view when you need to change the mode, visible properties, item sizing, or other view options.

Narrow what the view shows

Sorting changes the order of items. Grouping divides them into sections. Filtering keeps only items that meet chosen conditions. Search looks for filenames or file contents and shows the results in that Explorer tab’s file view.

These controls work together, but they answer different questions. For example, a filter can keep only files with a particular status, while sorting orders the remaining files by date. Search is better when you know part of a name or content but not where the file appears in the current view.

See Sort files, Filter files, Group files, and Search filenames and file contents for the complete controls. To reuse a configured presentation, see Create and switch saved views.