VMS Help DIRECTORY, Qualifiers, /COLUMNS  *Conan The Librarian (sorry for the slow response - running on an old VAX)

       /COLUMNS=n

    Specifies the number of columns in a brief display. The default
    is four; however, you can request as many columns as you like,
    restricted by the value of the /WIDTH qualifier. The /COLUMNS
    qualifier is incompatible with the /ACL, /FULL, and /SECURITY
    qualifiers.

    The number of columns actually displayed depends on the amount
    of information requested for each column and the display value of
    the /WIDTH qualifier. The system displays only as many columns as
    can fit within the default or specified display width, regardless
    of how many columns you specify with the /COLUMNS qualifier.

    The DIRECTORY command truncates long file names only when you
    specify more than one column and you have asked for additional
    information to be included in each column. The default file
    name size is 19 characters. Use the /WIDTH qualifier to change
    the default. When a file name is truncated, the system displays
    one less character than the file name field size and inserts a
    vertical bar in the last position. For example, if the file name
    is SHOW_QUEUE_CHARACTERISTICS, and if you requested DIRECTORY to
    display both file name and size in each column, the display for
    that file would be SHOW_QUEUE_CHARACT| 120.