# Remember columns widths corruption?

**URL:** <https://gramps.discourse.group/t/remember-columns-widths-corruption/8521>\
**Category:** Beta Testing\
**Created:** [September 6, 2025, 6:13pm UTC](https://gramps.discourse.group/t/remember-columns-widths-corruption/8521 "2025-09-06T18:13:46Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![emyoulation](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/gramps.discourse.group/emyoulation/32/67_2.png) [@emyoulation](https://gramps.discourse.group/u/emyoulation)\
**Post date:** [September 6, 2025, 6:13pm UTC](https://gramps.discourse.group/t/remember-columns-widths-corruption/8521/1 "2025-09-06T18:13:46Z")

</div>

It looks like my preferences cache for remembering a dialog’s column widths may have suffered a corruption. _**(added in 5.2 with PR [1302](https://github.com/gramps-project/gramps/pull/1302))**_ All the columns are collapsed to a minimum in a single Select Object dialog: the one for People. All the other Object Selectors behave normally. Restarted Gramps with no change.

What file contains these column width preferences? I would like to inspect it.

Posted a report to the Recent Items addon Issues… just in case. But I do not think that it is the cause.

 ![image](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/free1/uploads/gramps/original/2X/9/9b5e01494cf516caddbcd517cc9001726ae4a5a6.png)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Nick-Hall](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/gramps.discourse.group/nick-hall/32/95_2.png) [@Nick-Hall](https://gramps.discourse.group/u/Nick-Hall)\
**Post date:** [September 6, 2025, 6:26pm UTC](https://gramps.discourse.group/t/remember-columns-widths-corruption/8521/2 "2025-09-06T18:26:32Z")

</div>

> [@emyoulation](#):
>
> What file contains these column width preferences? I would like to inspect it.

Have a look at the [`get_column_titles`](https://github.com/gramps-project/gramps/blob/master/gramps/gui/selectors/selectperson.py#L104) method in the `gramps/gui/selectors/selectperson.py` file.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![DaveSch](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/gramps.discourse.group/davesch/32/40_2.png) [@DaveSch](https://gramps.discourse.group/u/DaveSch)\
**Post date:** [September 6, 2025, 6:29pm UTC](https://gramps.discourse.group/t/remember-columns-widths-corruption/8521/3 "2025-09-06T18:29:08Z")

</div>

They are stored in the gramps.ini file, towards the bottom under [spacing]. You can erase all entries or just the ones with just the integer 2. As you navigate through windows the settings will return their defaults and Gramps will repopulate the entries.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![emyoulation](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/gramps.discourse.group/emyoulation/32/67_2.png) [@emyoulation](https://gramps.discourse.group/u/emyoulation)\
**Post date:** [September 6, 2025, 6:44pm UTC](https://gramps.discourse.group/t/remember-columns-widths-corruption/8521/4 "2025-09-06T18:44:23Z")

</div>

> [@DaveSch](#):
>
> They are stored in the gramps.ini file, towards the bottom under [spacing].

Thanks. There’s definitely something wrong. The recurring value of “2” seems to be a minimum… and probably always wrong.

The `selectperson` and `mediaref_editor_shared` are the only ones that are ALL `2`s

`selectperson=[2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2]`

Do you see repeated `2`s in your `gramps.ini` `[spacing]`?

```python
[spacing]
address_editor_citations=[2, 25.893702651515156, 14.796401515151517, 7.398200757575759, 13.316761363636365, 14.796401515151517, 5.918560606060607]
address_editor_notes=[2, 7.398200757575759]
attribute_editor_citations=[2, 25.893702651515156, 14.796401515151517, 7.398200757575759, 13.316761363636365, 14.796401515151517, 5.918560606060607]
attribute_editor_notes=[2, 7.398200757575759]
bookmarks=[14.796401515151517]
childref_editor_citations=[2, 25.893702651515156, 14.796401515151517, 7.398200757575759, 13.316761363636365, 14.796401515151517, 5.918560606060607]
childref_editor_notes=[2, 7.398200757575759]
children=[18.495501893939398, 7.398200757575759]
citation_editor_attributes=[2, 18.495501893939398]
citation_editor_notes=[2, 9.987571022727273]
citation_editor_references=[7.398200757575759, 12.502959280303031]
citationlistview=[38.174715909090914, 4.438920454545455, 6.73236268939394, 7.398200757575759, 13.982599431818183, 24.414062500000004, 5.548650568181819, 5.548650568181819]
citations=[25.893702651515156, 11.097301136363638, 11.097301136363638, 14.796401515151517]
citationtreeview=[48.3102509469697, 10.209517045454547, 11.393229166666668, 5.548650568181819, 2, 5.178740530303031, 10.135535037878789, 11.393229166666668, 7.398200757575759]
clipboard=[6.954308712121213, 6.2884706439393945, 27.521306818181824]
dbman=[22.786458333333336, 7.102272727272728, 13.390743371212123]
event_editor_attributes=[2, 2, 18.495501893939398]
event_editor_citations=[2, 25.893702651515156, 14.796401515151517, 7.398200757575759, 13.316761363636365, 14.796401515151517, 5.918560606060607]
event_editor_notes=[2, 7.398200757575759]
event_editor_references=[7.398200757575759, 5.548650568181819]
eventref_editor_ref_attributes=[2, 2, 18.495501893939398]
eventref_editor_ref_citations=[2, 17.23780776515152, 11.02331912878788, 13.16879734848485, 8.87784090909091, 14.796401515151517, 5.918560606060607]
eventref_editor_ref_notes=[2, 7.398200757575759]
eventref_editor_references=[7.398200757575759, 10.357481060606062]
eventref_editor_shared_attributes=[2, 2, 18.495501893939398]
eventref_editor_shared_citations=[2, 31.442353219696972, 11.097301136363638, 13.686671401515154, 8.58191287878788, 47.940340909090914, 5.918560606060607]
eventref_editor_shared_notes=[2, 7.398200757575759]
events=[7.398200757575759, 11.097301136363638, 7.398200757575759, 7.398200757575759, 29.592803030303035, 14.796401515151517]
eventview=[6.43643465909091, 2, 10.135535037878789, 21.898674242424246, 9.617660984848486, 12.650923295454547, 22.342566287878793, 41.281960227272734]
family_editor_attributes=[2, 2, 18.495501893939398]
family_editor_childrefs=[2, 2, 2, 8.951822916666668, 44.75911458333334, 5.548650568181819, 7.398200757575759, 7.398200757575759]
family_editor_citations=[2, 25.893702651515156, 14.796401515151517, 7.398200757575759, 13.316761363636365, 14.796401515151517, 5.918560606060607]
family_editor_events=[8.87784090909091, 48.236268939393945, 17.23780776515152, 17.75568181818182, 17.75568181818182, 2, 2, 5.918560606060607, 13.242779356060607]
family_editor_ldsord=[2, 2, 11.097301136363638, 11.097301136363638, 5.548650568181819, 14.796401515151517]
family_editor_notes=[2, 7.398200757575759]
familyview=[7.620146780303031, 11.541193181818183, 24.56202651515152, 27.225378787878793, 6.214488636363638]
familyview-2=[5.548650568181819, 23.082386363636367, 23.526278409090914, 7.398200757575759, 7.398200757575759, 15.092329545454547, 4.29095643939394]
filt_edit=[52.52722537878788]
filt_list=[22.860440340909093]
filt_rule=[29.000946969696972]
media_editor_attributes=[2, 2, 18.495501893939398]
media_editor_citations=[2, 25.893702651515156, 14.796401515151517, 7.398200757575759, 13.316761363636365, 14.796401515151517, 5.918560606060607]
media_editor_notes=[2, 10.801373106060607]
media_editor_references=[7.398200757575759, 5.548650568181819]
mediaref_editor_ref_attributes=[2, 2, 18.495501893939398]
mediaref_editor_ref_citations=[2, 25.893702651515156, 14.796401515151517, 7.398200757575759, 13.316761363636365, 14.796401515151517, 5.918560606060607]
mediaref_editor_ref_notes=[2, 7.398200757575759]
mediaref_editor_shared_attributes=[2, 2, 2]
mediaref_editor_shared_citations=[2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2]
mediaref_editor_shared_notes=[2, 2]
mediaref_editor_shared_references=[2, 2]
mediaview=[41.873816287878796, 10.801373106060607, 13.612689393939396, 77.31119791666667, 13.538707386363638]
name_editor_citations=[2, 25.893702651515156, 14.796401515151517, 7.398200757575759, 13.316761363636365, 14.796401515151517, 5.918560606060607]
name_editor_notes=[2, 7.398200757575759]
name_editor_surnames=[11.097301136363638, 83.59966856060608, 7.398200757575759, 11.097301136363638]
note_editor_references=[7.398200757575759, 11.097301136363638]
noteview=[20.788944128787882, 56.00437973484849, 11.689157196969699]
person_editor_addresses=[2, 2, 19.457267992424246, 16.645951704545457, 7.398200757575759, 7.398200757575759, 7.398200757575759, 5.548650568181819, 5.548650568181819]
person_editor_associations=[2, 2, 18.495501893939398, 7.398200757575759]
person_editor_attributes=[2, 2, 18.495501893939398]
person_editor_citations=[2, 38.5446259469697, 14.796401515151517, 28.705018939393945, 13.316761363636365, 14.796401515151517, 5.918560606060607]
person_editor_events=[11.837121212121215, 25.597774621212125, 20.49301609848485, 17.75568181818182, 12.28101325757576, 2, 2, 6.880326704545456, 9.543678977272728]
person_editor_internet=[2, 14.944365530303033, 53.93288352272728]
person_editor_ldsord=[2, 2, 11.097301136363638, 11.097301136363638, 5.548650568181819, 14.796401515151517]
person_editor_names=[39.58037405303031, 2, 2, 7.398200757575759, 7.398200757575759]
person_editor_notes=[2, 11.467211174242426]
person_editor_references=[7.398200757575759, 8.58191287878788]
person_editor_surnames=[2, 78.56889204545456, 2, 11.097301136363638]
personlistview=[11.31924715909091, 9.247750946969699, 30.92447916666667, 6.806344696969698, 19.827178030303035, 11.31924715909091, 18.569483901515156, 2, 2]
personref_editor_ref_citations=[2, 25.893702651515156, 14.796401515151517, 7.398200757575759, 13.316761363636365, 14.796401515151517, 5.918560606060607]
personref_editor_ref_notes=[2, 7.398200757575759]
persontreeview=[38.91453598484849, 11.393229166666668, 10.357481060606062, 6.43643465909091, 14.204545454545457, 14.204545454545457]
place_editor_altnames=[43.057528409090914, 18.495501893939398]
place_editor_citations=[2, 25.893702651515156, 8.58191287878788, 19.827178030303035, 13.316761363636365, 14.796401515151517, 5.918560606060607]
place_editor_internet=[2, 7.398200757575759, 50.45572916666667]
place_editor_notes=[2, 7.398200757575759]
place_editor_placerefs=[5.548650568181819, 18.495501893939398, 7.398200757575759]
place_editor_references=[7.398200757575759, 9.765625000000002]
placelistview=[9.83960700757576, 14.426491477272728, 30.850497159090914, 12.502959280303031, 12.502959280303031]
placeref_editor_altnames=[18.495501893939398, 24.56202651515152]
placeref_editor_citations=[2, 25.893702651515156, 14.796401515151517, 7.398200757575759, 13.316761363636365, 14.796401515151517, 5.918560606060607]
placeref_editor_internet=[2, 7.398200757575759, 14.796401515151517]
placeref_editor_notes=[2, 7.398200757575759]
placeref_editor_placerefs=[5.548650568181819, 18.495501893939398, 7.398200757575759]
placeref_editor_references=[7.398200757575759, 5.548650568181819]
placetreeview=[30.110677083333336, 9.025804924242426, 19.235321969696972, 31.664299242424246, 13.538707386363638, 13.538707386363638]
reporef_editor_ref_notes=[2, 7.398200757575759]
reporef_editor_shared_address=[2, 2, 11.097301136363638, 16.645951704545457, 7.398200757575759, 7.398200757575759, 7.398200757575759, 5.548650568181819, 5.548650568181819]
reporef_editor_shared_internet=[2, 7.398200757575759, 14.796401515151517]
reporef_editor_shared_notes=[2, 7.398200757575759]
reporef_editor_shared_references=[7.398200757575759, 5.548650568181819]
repository_editor_addresses=[2, 2, 11.097301136363638, 16.645951704545457, 7.398200757575759, 7.398200757575759, 7.398200757575759, 5.548650568181819, 5.548650568181819]
repository_editor_internet=[2, 7.398200757575759, 14.796401515151517]
repository_editor_notes=[2, 7.398200757575759]
repository_editor_references=[7.398200757575759, 5.548650568181819]
repoview=[23.60026041666667, 8.433948863636365, 11.615175189393941, 34.40163352272728]
selectcitation=[50.08581912878788, 7.398200757575759, 11.467211174242426]
selectcitation-recent-items=[25.893702651515156, 7.398200757575759, 5.548650568181819]
selectevent=[7.398200757575759, 18.495501893939398, 11.097301136363638, 18.495501893939398, 11.097301136363638, 5.548650568181819]
selectevent-recent-items=[7.398200757575759, 18.495501893939398, 11.097301136363638, 18.495501893939398, 11.097301136363638, 5.548650568181819]
selectfamily=[5.548650568181819, 22.63849431818182, 33.80977746212122]
selectfamily-recent-items=[5.548650568181819, 14.796401515151517, 14.796401515151517]
selectnote=[25.893702651515156, 5.548650568181819, 7.398200757575759, 7.398200757575759]
selectnote-recent-items=[25.893702651515156, 5.548650568181819, 7.398200757575759, 7.398200757575759]
selectobject=[25.893702651515156, 5.548650568181819, 5.548650568181819]
selectobject-recent-items=[25.893702651515156, 5.548650568181819, 5.548650568181819]
selectperson=[2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2]
selectperson-recent-items=[21.158854166666668, 6.14050662878788, 5.8445785984848495, 8.212002840909092, 7.768110795454547, 8.433948863636365, 7.8420928030303045, 9.173768939393941]
selectplace=[31.88624526515152, 5.548650568181819, 7.398200757575759, 45.05504261363637]
selectplace-recent-items=[14.796401515151517, 5.548650568181819, 7.398200757575759, 52.89713541666667]
selectrepository=[25.893702651515156, 5.548650568181819]
selectsource=[54.154829545454554, 7.398200757575759, 14.796401515151517, 12.28101325757576]
selectsource-recent-items=[25.893702651515156, 7.398200757575759, 14.796401515151517, 5.548650568181819]
source_editor_attributes=[2, 18.495501893939398]
source_editor_notes=[2, 7.398200757575759]
source_editor_references=[7.398200757575759, 13.242779356060607]
source_editor_repositories=[2, 5.548650568181819, 14.796401515151517, 9.247750946969699]
sourceview=[74.49988162878789, 8.58191287878788, 29.07492897727273]

```

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![DaveSch](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/gramps.discourse.group/davesch/32/40_2.png) [@DaveSch](https://gramps.discourse.group/u/DaveSch)\
**Post date:** [September 6, 2025, 6:58pm UTC](https://gramps.discourse.group/t/remember-columns-widths-corruption/8521/5 "2025-09-06T18:58:09Z")

</div>

Yes, there are settings with multiple 2, 2 entries. Not sure if some of the leading 2 enties are for the lock or source/citation icons. The settings for mediaref seem to have bad spacings.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Davesellers](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/gramps.discourse.group/davesellers/32/1457_2.png) [@Davesellers](https://gramps.discourse.group/u/Davesellers)\
**Post date:** [September 6, 2025, 8:25pm UTC](https://gramps.discourse.group/t/remember-columns-widths-corruption/8521/6 "2025-09-06T20:25:18Z")

</div>

I get that condition randomly. Not doing anything different. Maybe once in 500 times I open the window. I just resize the columns and continue on. It does bug me some, but it happens so few times and I can’t reproduce it, I haven’t reported it. It happened in 5.2.4 and 6.0.3.