diff -ur nethack-3.4.3/include/flag.h nethack-3.4.3-pile/include/flag.h
--- nethack-3.4.3/include/flag.h	2006-04-09 19:49:53.000000000 +0100
+++ nethack-3.4.3-pile/include/flag.h	2006-04-10 20:03:35.000000000 +0100
@@ -271,6 +271,7 @@
 	boolean  showrace;	/* show hero glyph by race rather than by role */
 	boolean  travelcmd;	/* allow travel command */
 	int	 runmode;	/* update screen display during run moves */
+	int  pilesize; /* how many items to list automatically */
 #ifdef AUTOPICKUP_EXCEPTIONS
 	struct autopickup_exception *autopickup_exceptions[2];
 #define AP_LEAVE 0
diff -ur nethack-3.4.3/src/invent.c nethack-3.4.3-pile/src/invent.c
--- nethack-3.4.3/src/invent.c	2006-04-09 19:49:53.000000000 +0100
+++ nethack-3.4.3-pile/src/invent.c	2006-04-10 20:03:45.000000000 +0100
@@ -2160,7 +2160,7 @@
 	const char *dfeature = (char *)0;
 	char fbuf[BUFSZ], fbuf2[BUFSZ];
 	winid tmpwin;
-	boolean skip_objects = (obj_cnt >= 5), felt_cockatrice = FALSE;
+	boolean skip_objects = (obj_cnt > iflags.pilesize), felt_cockatrice = FALSE;
 
 	if (u.uswallow && u.ustuck) {
 	    struct monst *mtmp = u.ustuck;
diff -ur nethack-3.4.3/src/options.c nethack-3.4.3-pile/src/options.c
--- nethack-3.4.3/src/options.c	2006-04-09 19:49:53.000000000 +0100
+++ nethack-3.4.3-pile/src/options.c	2006-04-10 20:10:00.000000000 +0100
@@ -293,6 +293,8 @@
 						20, SET_IN_GAME },
 	{ "pickup_types", "types of objects to pick up automatically",
 						MAXOCLASSES, SET_IN_GAME },
+	{ "pilesize", "maximum number of items on floor to list automatically",
+						20, SET_IN_GAME },
 	{ "player_selection", "choose character via dialog or prompts",
 						12, DISP_IN_GAME },
 	{ "race",     "your starting race (e.g., Human, Elf)",
@@ -512,6 +514,7 @@
 	iflags.prevmsg_window = 's';
 #endif
 	iflags.menu_headings = ATR_INVERSE;
+	iflags.pilesize = 5;
 
 	/* Use negative indices to indicate not yet selected */
 	flags.initrole = -1;
@@ -1705,6 +1708,18 @@
 		}
 		return;
 	}
+
+	fullname = "pilesize";
+	if (match_optname(opts, fullname, sizeof("pilesize")-1, TRUE)) {
+		if (negated) {
+			bad_negation(fullname, FALSE);
+			return;
+		} else if (!(op = string_for_opt(opts, FALSE))) return;
+		iflags.pilesize = atoi(op);
+		if (iflags.pilesize < 1) iflags.pilesize = 1;
+		return;
+	}
+
 	/* WINCAP
 	 * player_selection: dialog | prompts */
 	fullname = "player_selection";
@@ -3054,6 +3069,9 @@
 		oc_to_str(flags.pickup_types, ocl);
 		Sprintf(buf, "%s", ocl[0] ? ocl : "all" );
 	     }
+	else if (!strcmp(optname, "pilesize")) {
+		Sprintf(buf, "%u", iflags.pilesize);
+	     }
 	else if (!strcmp(optname, "race"))
 		Sprintf(buf, "%s", rolestring(flags.initrace, races, noun));
 	else if (!strcmp(optname, "role"))