How to make a default folder have custom options, such as sort

[harishnkr]

I want my Downloads folder to be sorted by time. Only a particular folder. How to implement that?

[CatsDeservePets]

Hello @harishnkr!

I personally like to sort my Downloads folder after "Date added".

To do this, put the following into your lfrc:

setlocal ~/Downloads sortby btime

[harishnkr]

Thanks, but it aint working once i copied the same into my lfrc. Thanks for the response, but I dont understand where i went wrong.

[CatsDeservePets]

Hello again. This should have definitely worked. btime (i.g. birth time) is just what I am using. Maybe you were expecting mtime or something like that.

Please show me your .lfrc.

[harishnkr]

Hi. The issue is that LF is responding with "command not found: setlocal"

[harishnkr]

Maybe my config may help in explaining?

#quit to current directory
push m-
map Q push '-q

map D trash
map zd calcdirsize

set shell zsh
set shellopts '-euy'
set ifs "\n"
set filesep "\n"  # default already

set icons

set hidden true
set drawbox true
set mouse true

set preview true
set previewer ctpv #Requires ctpv
set cleaner ctpvclear
&ctpv -s $id
&ctpvquit $id

#folder shortcuts
map gd cd ~/Downloads
map gc cd ~/.config
map gl cd ~/.local/
map gf cd ~/.dotfiles/
map gn cd ~/Sync/Notes/

set incsearch true 
set incfilter true 
set smartcase true
set ratios '1:2:3'

set scrolloff 10

setlocal ~/Downloads/ sortby time; set reverse; set info time

[CatsDeservePets]

Your config works fine for me. Which version of lf are you using? If it is not r39, please consider upgrading.
Also, could you provide me with a log file (lf -log <name>). This should log the error message.

[harishnkr]

Thr output of log file is as follows:

2025/12/10 18:41:28 hi!
2025/12/10 18:41:28 unknown ansi code: 23
2025/12/10 18:41:28 unknown ansi code: 23
2025/12/10 18:41:28 unknown ansi code: 23
2025/12/10 18:41:28 unknown ansi code: 23
2025/12/10 18:41:28 unknown ansi code: 23
2025/12/10 18:41:28 unknown ansi code: 23
2025/12/10 18:41:28 unknown ansi code: 23
2025/12/10 18:41:28 unknown ansi code: 23
2025/12/10 18:41:28 unknown ansi code: 23
2025/12/10 18:41:28 unknown ansi code: 23
2025/12/10 18:41:28 unknown ansi code: 23
2025/12/10 18:41:28 reading file: /home/harishnkr/.config/lf/icons
2025/12/10 18:41:28 loading files: []
2025/12/10 18:41:28 reading file: /home/harishnkr/.config/lf/lfrc
2025/12/10 18:41:28 pushing keys m-
2025/12/10 18:41:28 shell-async: &{{ ctpv -s $id }} -- []
2025/12/10 18:41:28 shell-async: &{{ ctpvquit $id }} -- []
2025/12/10 18:41:28 error: command not found: setlocal
2025/12/10 18:41:28 recv: sync
2025/12/10 18:41:28 loading files: []
2025/12/10 18:41:28 loading files: []
2025/12/10 18:41:30 shell: ${{ case "$PWD" in ... }} -- []
2025/12/10 18:41:34 bye!

LF version 30.r84

[CatsDeservePets]

It is obvious then. The feature was added in r31. Please update lf.

[harishnkr]

Thanks. I just figured I was using the lf-sixel version from AUR, which was outdated. There are issues with file previews when using on X as well as wayland so that is another issue to solve.

Thanks again

[CatsDeservePets]

As this is a separate issue, please create a new discussion with a detailed explanation of the problems you are facing. Otherwise, this might get too convoluted and hard to follow in here.