Author Topic: What's your preferred File Manager (Read 486988 times)

Darwin · « **Reply #100 on:** October 15, 2007, 06:51 PM »

Hmm...

At tinjaw's urging, I'm creating this poll to try to get a sense of what File Management solution(s) DCer's are using. So, cast a vote and let the numbers tell their tale!
-Darwin (September 12, 2007, 12:25 AM)

Links? Or are they in the other thread?
-wraith808 (September 13, 2007, 04:07 PM)

I'm not following you on this one, wraith. Are you requesting links to the various File Managers posted here?
-Darwin (September 13, 2007, 04:12 PM)

Yes, that's what I was requesting. Sorry it took so long to reply; for some reason I wasn't notified of updates on this thread.
-wraith808 (October 15, 2007, 03:06 PM)

No worries, wraith. Here are links to the FM's mentioned in the poll (anyone know if I can hyperlink the poll questions? Only one way to find out...):

Directory Opus
Total Commander
XYPlorer
xplorer2
Altap/Servant Salamander
Frigate
Speed Commander
AB Commander

Fedorov · « **Reply #101 on:** October 16, 2007, 07:36 AM »

As voted already... Total Commander, so fast and stable - maybe what a lot of people don't realise is that it bypasses the standard Explorer way of copying/moving files so it's much faster, believe me I've tried doing the same things in Explorer and it's painful to watch.

I also recently took up the offer of a lifetime license for XYPlorer, purely on the basis that I appreciate Don's commitment to the product, support and almost daily new versions with very nice features.

kalos · « **Reply #102 on:** October 16, 2007, 07:53 AM »

why total commander doesnt have 'filter bars'? (where you put text and it shows only the matching files)

if it doesnt have this, I dont like it

tell me only file managers that have this

thanks

Fedorov · « **Reply #103 on:** October 16, 2007, 08:33 AM »

In the Show menu - CTRL-F12 gives you a dialog to type any filters in, CTRL-F10 returns to showing you all files.

Darwin · « **Reply #104 on:** October 16, 2007, 08:37 AM »

You don't need to go to the Show menu in Total Commander to use the keyboard shortcuts Federov mentions, Kalos. Just thought I'd throw that into the mix...

kalos · « **Reply #105 on:** October 16, 2007, 08:47 AM »

ok, but I insist a 'filter bar' would be so convenient

I saw this in a screenshot, but cant remember which file manager is

wales · « **Reply #106 on:** October 16, 2007, 09:22 AM »

For all those who prefer windows explorer, I have just received this from Gizmo Richards.
"The lack of tabs in Windows Explorer is a real liability. Indeed, it's one of the main reasons why many users install an Explorer replacement such as XYPlorer and UltraExplorer.

However, not all users are comfortable straying from the standard Microsoft setup. For these folks there is some good news: It's quite possible to add tabs to Windows Explorer itself by using a free utility called QT TabBar. As a bonus, you'll not only get tabs but a few additional features, such as instant file viewing, thrown in as well.

I've been using QT TabBar on one of my PCs for a week now and have seen enough to be able to say that many PC users are going to view this as a great productivity tool. However, if you are already using an Explorer replacement like XYPlorer, then it's unlikely QT TabBar is for you."

There is more to the article, here is the link to the Utility

http://quizo.at.info...e/indexEn.html#qttab

Josh · « **Reply #107 on:** October 16, 2007, 09:26 AM »

I am one of those users who doesnt really see a need for a third party utility. Its not that I am afraid to stray, but more that I am used to explorer, it works well, and the advantage and extras gained from said third party tools doesnt really justify the added expense or reconfiguration I have to go through. Tabs are nice, but I dont find them to be a necessity when it comes to managing files on my pc.

kalos · « **Reply #108 on:** October 16, 2007, 03:40 PM »

For all those who prefer windows explorer, I have just received this from Gizmo Richards.
"The lack of tabs in Windows Explorer is a real liability. Indeed, it's one of the main reasons why many users install an Explorer replacement such as XYPlorer and UltraExplorer.

However, not all users are comfortable straying from the standard Microsoft setup. For these folks there is some good news: It's quite possible to add tabs to Windows Explorer itself by using a free utility called QT TabBar. As a bonus, you'll not only get tabs but a few additional features, such as instant file viewing, thrown in as well.

I've been using QT TabBar on one of my PCs for a week now and have seen enough to be able to say that many PC users are going to view this as a great productivity tool. However, if you are already using an Explorer replacement like XYPlorer, then it's unlikely QT TabBar is for you."

There is more to the article, here is the link to the Utility

http://quizo.at.info...e/indexEn.html#qttab

-wales (October 16, 2007, 09:22 AM)

the problem is that we dont need just to add features to the feature-lacking windows explorer, but we need to totaly REPLACE the windows explorer, because its buggy, system resources consuming and slow

tomos · « **Reply #109 on:** October 16, 2007, 03:55 PM »

hey Kalos,
I replaced Explorer, but not actually for any of the reasons you list
so I guess you could say each of us can do whatever we want to do...

sri · « **Reply #110 on:** October 16, 2007, 11:15 PM »

kalos: I thought all find managers like x2, xy, DO are just like shells on top of windows explorer? If am not mistaken, they will stop working if windows explorer is removed from the system.

Fedorov · « **Reply #111 on:** October 17, 2007, 03:58 AM »

If Explorer crashes you normally have to reboot your PC, if Total Commander crashes (very very rarely) you just kill the process and load it again.

I recently licensed Total Commander on 3 work colleagues PCs - I suggest to people to force themselves to use it for 2 weeks and then try going back to Explorer, they can't go back to Explorer and everyone loves Total Commander once they get used to the keyboard shortcuts, dual-pane etc...

SirSmiley · « **Reply #112 on:** October 17, 2007, 09:32 AM »

the problem is that we dont need just to add features to the feature-lacking windows explorer, but we need to totaly REPLACE the windows explorer, because its buggy, system resources consuming and slow
-kalos (October 16, 2007, 03:40 PM)

Have to disagree with the System Resources comment. Most file manager's I've tried are not always easier on resources. As for buggy it's a matter of opinion. I've never had any issues with the standard out-of-the-box Win Explorer. Most problems/crashes have been a result of poorly coded plugins, etc.

If Explorer crashes you normally have to reboot your PC
-Fedorov (October 17, 2007, 03:58 AM)

Maybe for older Windows OS' but, not with XP.

mitzevo · « **Reply #113 on:** October 17, 2007, 11:34 AM »

Windows explorer (with out any add-ons, such as qt*, etc.) on XP (or < XP) is no good. Not even a match to any of the good file managers (such as the ones being constantly talked about). But with an add-on such as the qttabbar, it really makes a difference (in a good way).

and the advantage and extras gained from said third party tools doesnt really justify the added expense or reconfiguration I have to go through

It doesn't justify 30mins - 1 hour of your life to configure/learn about a new program that could potentially/exponentially increase your productivity (such as managing files)? C'mon

iphigenie · « **Reply #114 on:** October 17, 2007, 11:51 AM »

It doesn't justify 30mins - 1 hour of your life to configure/learn about a new program that could potentially/exponentially increase your productivity (such as managing files)? C'mon
-mitzevo (October 17, 2007, 11:34 AM)

It really depends how much time you spend doing complex file manipulations where said work could make a difference... and how likely am I to indentify which ones will help me...

Yes, somewhere in the options and features of any of these other tools there are probably 1 or 2 functions, or maybe 10! that if I read about them and thought about them in the right way, would save me 30 minutes at some point in the next year. Or maybe 4 hours one day... Problem is, I have to wade through 100 features that won't help me, and by the time I read about the option that would help me, I might not even recognise its potential.

I have a zillion productivity enhancements which all have the potential to simplify and automate some tasks, but the time it takes to figure out which bits really could help me in stuff that I actually do... I had autohotkey installed for a while and did not do anything with it. I have wirekeys and use about 15% of the features, if that. Same goes for some of the stardock enhancements and the filemanager I own etc.

So yes there are treasure features in the stuff I have that if I only learned about it I might use. But there are several traps in there:

Trap 1: Spending more time reading about a task than it takes doing it. I could spend hours reading feature lists and manuals of utilities to learn things that could come in handy one day. And indeed since I am a bit of a software junkie, sometimes I have done just that. I have lwa collections of annotated webpages to prove it...

Trap 2: Inventing new tasks just because the tool can do it. And sometimes we fall in the trap of embarking on a task which we didnt really need to do and could have happily continued without doing (eg: rearrange and tag hundreds of files one didnt really have a problem managing the boring old way), just cause the tool can do it.

Trap 3: feature envy

So nowadays I tend to go at it the other way around, I wait until there is something that turns out to be a "faff" to do with the tools I own and then I
1) skim through the docs of the stuff I own to see if I might spot a function or option that can help
2) skim through my list of past software notes to see if I spot something there
3) then i go and search the web, starting here and at a few choice sites

Especially with file management - I spend maybe 2-3 hours on such tasks during a week, and most of them are 4 minute jobbies. Even if I could shave 1 minute by having some super clever keyboard system, how long would it take me to come up with the right one?

mitzevo · « **Reply #115 on:** October 17, 2007, 11:59 AM »

productivity tools are good, just don't go looking for every thing that could help you.. you'll never get any thing done, sure.. you'll find all the tools and things but you won't get your original thing done - if that makes sense. But if you are a software junkie, it's fun finding the best of the best, finding the tools that can ease [computer] life, and etc. I'm trying to remember a quote about perfection or some thing.. some thing along the lines of "a programmer doesn't code perfect from the start" ... really I can't remember.. any one know?

I think the traps are mainly with software junkies, people who try a lot of software.. if you were just joe black, who done some kind of work, and found one software to help with his work.. that's all there is to it.. but if you have a ton of software, and like (well in the beginning

) playing with it, having the best of the best, etc., then things start getting tricky.. etc., I hope you know what I'm meaning

iphigenie · « **Reply #116 on:** October 17, 2007, 12:07 PM »

Just for the record, I have total commander, wirekeys (which offers quick folders, windows tools, file operation shortcuts), peazip, stardock's extensions for the open/save and keyboad shortcuts and right menu as well as objectbar and windowsblinds, a diff tool, backup tools, a version control system, a rename tool, farr, several image/media managers, some command line smalltools, and a few more tools added recently from this very thread...

and yes, i have tried 10 times this number, easily, i have the lwa records to prove it. so yes i know what you mean $:-\$

That is only for file related tasks and only what is installed, not what i have bought or installed in the past and dont use. I think that is it. Until tomorrow.

-- on the traps--
I think the trap also works for non software "organising" systems, everything from "task management" and productivity books/systems/tools to filing supplies. Especially trap #2

jdmarch · « **Reply #117 on:** October 17, 2007, 02:15 PM »

I've been using Total Commander for (and its predecessor Windows Commander) for about 5 years; took me less than a day to be won over to its clean, powerful interface, which just keeps getting better every year.

There's one desirable feature which it's still missing, though, and I'm wondering which of the the other FMs support it -- namely, virtual folders, i.e. the ability to create a persistent folder "containing" arbitrary files which actually are located anywhere, and to operate on them just as if one had opened each one's home folders (view, edit, rename, copy, change properties...)

Lashiec · « **Reply #118 on:** October 17, 2007, 03:22 PM »

Darwin, the link for Directory Opus in the poll have some extra fluff

tomos · « **Reply #119 on:** October 17, 2007, 04:17 PM »

I've been using Total Commander for (and its predecessor Windows Commander) for about 5 years; took me less than a day to be won over to its clean, powerful interface, which just keeps getting better every year.

There's one desirable feature which it's still missing, though, and I'm wondering which of the the other FMs support it -- namely, virtual folders, i.e. the ability to create a persistent folder "containing" arbitrary files which actually are located anywhere, and to operate on them just as if one had opened each one's home folders (view, edit, rename, copy, change properties...)
-jdmarch (October 17, 2007, 02:15 PM)

DOpus does support virtual folders

Dirhael · « **Reply #120 on:** October 17, 2007, 04:29 PM »

I've been using Total Commander for (and its predecessor Windows Commander) for about 5 years; took me less than a day to be won over to its clean, powerful interface, which just keeps getting better every year.

There's one desirable feature which it's still missing, though, and I'm wondering which of the the other FMs support it -- namely, virtual folders, i.e. the ability to create a persistent folder "containing" arbitrary files which actually are located anywhere, and to operate on them just as if one had opened each one's home folders (view, edit, rename, copy, change properties...)
-jdmarch (October 17, 2007, 02:15 PM)

Well, you can find that feature on Directory Opus. SpeedCommander and Xplorer2 has something resembling this a bit, but not quite as you can't really manage the files and folders exactly like you would in a real filesystem. Total Commander has a WFX plugin called "Temporary Panel" that gives you something very close to what you're asking for as well, even if it's not quite as transparent as the Dopus "Collections" system.

Darwin · « **Reply #121 on:** October 17, 2007, 05:53 PM »

Darwin, the link for Directory Opus in the poll have some extra fluff
-Lashiec (October 17, 2007, 03:22 PM)

Thanks, Lashiec - I've corrected it (all that was missing was a forward slash. Bizarre that it had such a profound effect!

SirSmiley · « **Reply #122 on:** October 17, 2007, 06:54 PM »

Correct me if I'm wrong but, your definition of a virtual folder sounds like a folder filled with hard-links?

Or did you mean something more like Smart Folders on Mac?

Armando · « **Reply #123 on:** October 19, 2007, 11:57 PM »

Correct me if I'm wrong but, your definition of a virtual folder sounds like a folder filled with hard-links?
-SirSmiley (October 17, 2007, 06:54 PM)

Must be. I wonder how it can work otherwise... unless it's using the NTFS Alternate data Streams + a database, or something similar, like the tag2find software.

tomos · « **Reply #124 on:** October 20, 2007, 04:46 AM »

Correct me if I'm wrong but, your definition of a virtual folder sounds like a folder filled with hard-links?
-SirSmiley (October 17, 2007, 06:54 PM)

Must be. I wonder how it can work otherwise... unless it's using the NTFS Alternate data Streams + a database, or something similar, like the tag2find software.
-Armando (October 19, 2007, 11:57 PM)

In DOpus:

It's definitely not hardlinks - cause the folder doesnt actually exist anywhere -
you cant create subfolders -
e.g.
say you have a virtual folder "ABC", containing folders 1, 2, & 3:
you cant make a new folder in ABC & drag 1 2 & 3 into it. Cant make the subfolder atall.

It's more comparable to a tagging system really

Also you cant add files to the root collection(virtual) folder

it's just a virtual containing folder

Poll

Which File Manager do you rely on in Windows?

Author Topic: What's your preferred File Manager (Read 486988 times)