--- a/libgui/default-qt-settings.in	Sat Sep 01 13:11:25 2018 -0700
+++ b/libgui/default-qt-settings.in	Sun Sep 02 08:16:40 2018 +0200
@@ -58,18 +58,6 @@
 persistent_collapsed=false
 column_state=@ByteArray(\0\0\0\xff\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\x1\0\0\0\x1\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\x2\x12\0\0\0\x5\x1\0\0\x1\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\x64\xff\xff\xff\xff\0\0\0\x81\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\x2\0\0\x1\x90\0\0\0\x4\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\x82\0\0\0\x1\0\0\0\0)
 
-[filesdockwidget]
-sort_files_by_column=0
-sort_files_by_order=0
-column_state=@ByteArray(\0\0\0\xff\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\x1\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\x1\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\x4\xe\0\0\0\x3\0\0\0\x3\0\0\0\x64\0\0\0\x2\0\0\0\x64\0\0\0\x1\0\0\0\x64\0\0\x2\v\0\0\0\x4\x1\x1\0\x1\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\x64\xff\xff\xff\xff\0\0\0\x81\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\x2\0\0\x2\v\0\0\0\x1\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\x3\0\0\0\0)
-showFilenames=true
-showFileSize=false
-showFileType=false
-showLastModified=false
-showHiddenFiles=false
-sync_octave_directory=true
-useAlternatingRowColors=true
-
 [Scintilla]
 Octave\style0\color=0
 Octave\style0\eolfill=false

--- a/libgui/src/files-dock-widget.cc	Sat Sep 01 13:11:25 2018 -0700
+++ b/libgui/src/files-dock-widget.cc	Sun Sep 02 08:16:40 2018 +0200
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@
 #  include "config.h"
 #endif
 
+#include "gui-preferences.h"
 #include "resource-manager.h"
 #include "files-dock-widget.h"
 
@@ -82,11 +83,18 @@
     m_columns_shown.append (tr ("Alternating row colors"));
 
     m_columns_shown_keys = QStringList ();
-    m_columns_shown_keys.append ("filesdockwidget/showFileSize");
-    m_columns_shown_keys.append ("filesdockwidget/showFileType");
-    m_columns_shown_keys.append ("filesdockwidget/showLastModified");
-    m_columns_shown_keys.append ("filesdockwidget/showHiddenFiles");
-    m_columns_shown_keys.append ("filesdockwidget/useAlternatingRowColors");
+    m_columns_shown_keys.append (fb_show_size.key);
+    m_columns_shown_keys.append (fb_show_type.key);
+    m_columns_shown_keys.append (fb_show_date.key);
+    m_columns_shown_keys.append (fb_show_hidden.key);
+    m_columns_shown_keys.append (fb_show_altcol.key);
+
+    m_columns_shown_defs = QList <QVariant> ();
+    m_columns_shown_defs.append (fb_show_size.def);
+    m_columns_shown_defs.append (fb_show_type.def);
+    m_columns_shown_defs.append (fb_show_date.def);
+    m_columns_shown_defs.append (fb_show_hidden.def);
+    m_columns_shown_defs.append (fb_show_altcol.def);
 
     QWidget *container = new QWidget (this);
 
@@ -179,19 +187,21 @@
     // Create the QFileSystemModel starting in the desired directory
     QDir startup_dir;  // take current dir
 
-    if (settings->value ("filesdockwidget/restore_last_dir",false).toBool ())
+    if (settings->value (fb_restore_last_dir.key,
+                         fb_restore_last_dir.def).toBool ())
       {
         // restore last dir from previous session
         QStringList last_dirs
-          = settings->value ("filesdockwidget/mru_dir_list").toStringList ();
+          = settings->value (fb_mru_list.key).toStringList ();
         if (last_dirs.length () > 0)
           startup_dir = QDir (last_dirs.at (0));  // last dir in previous session
       }
-    else if (! settings->value ("filesdockwidget/startup_dir").toString ().isEmpty ())
+    else if (! settings->value (fb_startup_dir.key, fb_startup_dir.def)
+               .toString ().isEmpty ())
       {
         // do not restore but there is a startup dir configured
         startup_dir
-          = QDir (settings->value ("filesdockwidget/startup_dir").toString ());
+          = QDir (settings->value (fb_startup_dir.key).toString ());
       }
 
     if (! startup_dir.exists ())
@@ -217,16 +227,29 @@
     // get sort column and order as well as cloumn state (order and width)
 
     m_file_tree_view->sortByColumn (
-                                    settings->value ("filesdockwidget/sort_files_by_column",0).toInt (),
-                                    static_cast<Qt::SortOrder>
-                                    (settings->value ("filesdockwidget/sort_files_by_order",
-                                                      Qt::AscendingOrder).toUInt ())
-                                    );
-    m_file_tree_view->header ()->restoreState (
-                                               settings->value ("filesdockwidget/column_state").toByteArray ());
+          settings->value (fb_sort_column.key, fb_sort_column.def).toInt (),
+          static_cast<Qt::SortOrder> (
+            settings->value (fb_sort_order.key, fb_sort_order.def).toUInt ()));
+
+    if (settings->contains (fb_column_state.key))
+      m_file_tree_view->header ()->restoreState (
+                          settings->value (fb_column_state.key).toByteArray ());
+
+    // Set header properties for sorting
+#if defined (HAVE_QHEADERVIEW_SETSECTIONSCLICKABLE)
+    m_file_tree_view->header ()->setSectionsClickable (true);
+#else
+    m_file_tree_view->header ()->setClickable (true);
+#endif
+#if defined (HAVE_QHEADERVIEW_SETSECTIONSMOVABLE)
+    m_file_tree_view->header ()->setSectionsMovable (true);
+#else
+    m_file_tree_view->header ()->setMovable (true);
+#endif
+    m_file_tree_view->header ()->setSortIndicatorShown (true);
 
     QStringList mru_dirs =
-      settings->value ("filesdockwidget/mru_dir_list").toStringList ();
+      settings->value (fb_mru_list.key).toStringList ();
     m_current_directory->addItems (mru_dirs);
 
     m_current_directory->setEditText (
@@ -285,17 +308,16 @@
 
     int sort_column = m_file_tree_view->header ()->sortIndicatorSection ();
     Qt::SortOrder sort_order = m_file_tree_view->header ()->sortIndicatorOrder ();
-    settings->setValue ("filesdockwidget/sort_files_by_column", sort_column);
-    settings->setValue ("filesdockwidget/sort_files_by_order", sort_order);
-    settings->setValue ("filesdockwidget/column_state",
-                        m_file_tree_view->header ()->saveState ());
+    settings->setValue (fb_sort_column.key, sort_column);
+    settings->setValue (fb_sort_order.key, sort_order);
+    settings->setValue (fb_column_state.key, m_file_tree_view->header ()->saveState ());
 
     QStringList dirs;
     for (int i=0; i< m_current_directory->count (); i++)
       {
         dirs.append (m_current_directory->itemText (i));
       }
-    settings->setValue ("filesdockwidget/mru_dir_list", dirs);
+    settings->setValue (fb_mru_list.key, dirs);
 
     settings->sync ();
 
@@ -381,8 +403,8 @@
 
             QString suffix = fileInfo.suffix ().toLower ();
             QSettings *settings = resource_manager::get_settings ();
-            QString ext = settings->value ("filesdockwidget/txt_file_extensions",
-                                           "m;c;cc;cpp;h;txt").toString ();
+            QString ext = settings->value (fb_txt_file_ext.key,
+                                           fb_txt_file_ext.def).toString ();
             QStringList extensions = ext.split (";", QString::SkipEmptyParts);
 
             if (QFile::exists (abs_fname))
@@ -447,8 +469,8 @@
                                           m_sig_mapper, SLOT (map ()));
         m_sig_mapper->setMapping (action, i);
         action->setCheckable (true);
-        action->setChecked (
-                            settings->value (m_columns_shown_keys.at (i),true).toBool ());
+        action->setChecked (settings->value (
+          m_columns_shown_keys.at (i), m_columns_shown_defs.at (i)).toBool ());
       }
 
     connect (m_sig_mapper, SIGNAL (mapped (int)),
@@ -807,7 +829,7 @@
     // enable the buttons to sync octave/browser dir
     // only if this is not done by default
     m_sync_octave_dir
-      = settings->value ("filesdockwidget/sync_octave_directory",true).toBool ();
+      = settings->value (fb_sync_octdir.key, fb_sync_octdir.def).toBool ();
     m_sync_octave_directory_action->setEnabled (! m_sync_octave_dir);
     m_sync_browser_directory_action->setEnabled (! m_sync_octave_dir);
 

--- a/libgui/src/files-dock-widget.h	Sat Sep 01 13:11:25 2018 -0700
+++ b/libgui/src/files-dock-widget.h	Sun Sep 02 08:16:40 2018 +0200
@@ -206,6 +206,7 @@
 
     QStringList m_columns_shown;
     QStringList m_columns_shown_keys;
+    QList <QVariant> m_columns_shown_defs;
     QSignalMapper *m_sig_mapper;
   };
 }

--- a/libgui/src/gui-preferences.h	Sat Sep 01 13:11:25 2018 -0700
+++ b/libgui/src/gui-preferences.h	Sun Sep 02 08:16:40 2018 +0200
@@ -70,5 +70,22 @@
 #endif
 
 
+// Files dock widget
+
+const gui_pref fb_column_state ("filesdockwidget/column_state", QVariant ());
+const gui_pref fb_show_ ("filesdockwidget/column_state", QVariant ());
+const gui_pref fb_mru_list ("filesdockwidget/mru_dir_list", QVariant (QStringList ()));
+const gui_pref fb_show_size ("filesdockwidget/showFileSize", QVariant (false));
+const gui_pref fb_show_type ("filesdockwidget/showFileType", QVariant (false));
+const gui_pref fb_show_date ("filesdockwidget/showLastModified", QVariant (false));
+const gui_pref fb_show_hidden ("filesdockwidget/showHiddenFiles", QVariant (false));
+const gui_pref fb_show_altcol ("filesdockwidget/useAlternatingRowColors", QVariant (true));
+const gui_pref fb_sort_column ("filesdockwidget/sort_files_by_column", QVariant (0));
+const gui_pref fb_sort_order ("filesdockwidget/sort_files_by_order", QVariant (Qt::AscendingOrder));
+const gui_pref fb_sync_octdir ("filesdockwidget/sync_octave_directory", QVariant (true));
+const gui_pref fb_restore_last_dir ("filesdockwidget/restore_last_dir", QVariant (false));
+const gui_pref fb_startup_dir ("filesdockwidget/startup_dir", QVariant (QString ()));
+const gui_pref fb_txt_file_ext ("filesdockwidget/txt_file_extensions",
+                                QVariant ("m;c;cc;cpp;h;txt"));
 
 #endif