# Folder Format

The Folder Format describes the appearance and presentation of the files currently displayed in the file display.

It includes things like:

* The [view mode](https://github.com/Chaoses-Ib/DirectoryOpus/blob/main/Manual/basic_concepts/folder_options/the_lister/view_modes.md) (icons, thumbnails, details, etc)
* The information columns shown (in details and power mode)
* The [sort and grouping options](https://github.com/Chaoses-Ib/DirectoryOpus/blob/main/Manual/basic_concepts/folder_options/sorting_and_grouping/README.md)
* Filters that can hide or show files and folders based on wildcard patterns

The [Folder Format Dialog](folder_options/folder_options_dialog) dialog lets you see and modify the folder format for a file display.

There are other ways to modify parts of the folder format; for example, clicking the column headers to change the sort order or dragging the columns left and right to reorder them modifies the folder format.

When you make a change to the file display with the Folder Format dialog, the changes you make will persist in that file display until something else changes them.

The [folder formats system](folder_options/folder_formats) lets you configure different formats for specific folders, which Opus will activate automatically when you navigate to that folder. For example, you could set your downloads folder to always sort by date so the most recent files are at the top.

More:\
[Folder Format Dialog](folder_options/folder_options_dialog)\
[Folder Formats](folder_options/folder_formats)\
[Content Types](folder_options/content_types)\
[Locking the Format](folder_options/locking_the_format)\
[Identifying the current format](folder_options/identifying_the_current_format)
