What's your preferred File Manager

[J-Mac]

hello

can anyone tell me IF any of the mentioned or other file managers are independent of explorer.exe?

I am not sure how file managers work

do they uses explorer.exe to get access to the folders and files and then displays the information with their own style?

do they use explorer.exe to perform its tasks? (eg copy, paste, etc)

or are they totaly independent of explorer.exe?

I am asking this, because I see very little or maybe zero difference between file managers and explorer.exe, when I compare the speed, system resources consumption, stability, etc

I love the interface of file managers, but I really need a more optimized, stable and fast file manager than explorer.exe, that will be able for example to open fast a dir with many subfolders, etc and not just to offer customized buttons and menus

thanks

-kalos (March 20, 2008, 05:37 AM)

kalos,

Though I can't say with certainty, I believe that all I have tried do run on the back of explorer.exe and subsequently use Explorer's feature set as well as add several features of their own. And I must take exception and say that some - if not most - of the third party file explorers do add more than just "…customized buttons and menus…".

The only two I have experience with are Directory Opus and Total Commander, and both offer a number of additional features that you cannot use with explorer.exe on its own.  I'm not sure whether or not you've read through this thread - I realize that it's a long one - but if you want to know what specifically these utilities can do above and beyond what explorer.exe does you can find a lot of it here in this thread.

You'll find better and faster searches, the ability to unpack/extract various types of compressed archives, multiple panes and tabbed interfaces in which you can drag and drop files to move and/or copy them, access ftp servers directly from the file explorer replacements, color-code files and folders that you want highlighted for whatever reasons, and more that I am not taking the time to list here.

The easiest way to find out just what they can do besides look different is to read through the posts to help you decide which you might like to look at more closely, and then download trial versions and give those that interest you a try. Can't hurt anything, and you may find out that there is something you can use.

Jim

[Zero3K]

Well, I've stopped using WazTree III until its worked on some more. Now I'm using a file manager called FileMatrix (http://www.gardenero...filematrix/index.htm).

[kalos]

I need an independent-of-explorer file manager

it may use cmd.exe or any other way to read the hard disk and make file operation (file rename, file move, etc)

it will be more fast

when I try to open my D:\, explorer freezes for some seconds (trying to read the many dirs and files maybe?)
the same happens with Directory Opus
but NOT with cmd.exe

[tomos]

Kalos
have you tried XYPlorer - it's easy to try because you can get a portable trial version

far as I know all filemanagers use explorer - it is the shell, you can replace it with another shell - maybe someone else can comment there..

EDIT/  just saw Jim's post covering some same ground
It sounds like there is a problem soomewhere - have you also considered it might not be actually todo with explorer or your file manager?
Trying out a different shell can be very easy but - me- I cant recommend any

[nosh]

when I try to open my D:\, explorer freezes for some seconds (trying to read the many dirs and files maybe?)

-kalos (March 21, 2008, 05:11 AM)

With a file manager there would also be a lot of overhead processing the drive. I'm not a DOpus user but things like the view you use, field(s) on which the files are sorted, color coding, would all have an impact on the load times for any file manager.

If you want a really fast file manager try Servant Salamander.

[kalos]

no

the same with Opus, the same with Salamander
it takes ages to open the tree view of D:

almost I admit Opus was extremely faster, but it maybe a coincidence

there must be either my hardware (laptop) or some other software or the OS

but as for the hardware, I consider it more than enough to open D:\ with few dirs in it

it wasn't this way from the begining of WinXP installation

[Curt]

An even better New Kid on the Block!

Nomad has been replaced by:

Nomad.NET

- version 2.0.0.0 BETA 1 © 2006-2008 Eugene Sichkar (innerlimit7[at]gmail[dot]com)

Read more: http://innerlimit.googlepages.com/home
Download: http://fileforum.bet.../detail/1205541909/1

Nomad.NET is the successor of Nomad, a powerful file manager written by me a couple of years ago. It is completely rewritten (no single line of code was taken from previous Nomad) using best ideas and algorithms and implementing everything in a completely new way.

Current project state is Beta 1, with almost all features from original Nomad implemented in a new way, more powerful and simple. Many new features were introduced too. Some features that I had not used in previous Nomad were dropped (for example custom toolbars support, and toolbars at all).

New Nomad was developed with multi threading in mind, so almost all long operations can take advantage of multi-core cpu (comparing, copying, searching, detecting archive format and so on - too many to list them all here).

I do not want to create all-in-one mega monster that plays mp3, shows movies, etc, as many other file managers do. My goal is to build only good file manager functionality. For other purposes there are dedicated programs that always do things better than such jack-of-all-trades programs.


Features:
As for features of original Nomad, you can take a look at them on appropriate page. Here I describe the features that are significantly changed or just are new:

One of the most powerful search engines on market (if I can say market, project is freeware). You can create very complex search rules, with ability to search in different encoding (complete encodings auto detect), use IFilter filters, apply custom text search rules (including regular expressions), search in hex, duplicates search and so on... For novices there is a simplified search that is not so scary at first sight.

Powerful filtering system, based on the same core as search. You can use dedicated advanced filter dialog, or use simple toolstrip for quick filtering.

Folder shortcuts were implemented in much more simple way than its predecessor.

Much simpler, elegant and polished UI (program must look nice, right?) with support of themes, different toolstrip renderers and so on...

Program layout was changed, too. You can use single panel or dual panel mode (horizontal or vertical). Each panel can have its own tree view that can be hidden or displayed horizontally or vertically.
UI can simple scale according to your current system DPI settings, or manually (through Options).

New breadcrumb folder toolstrip on every panel is much more powerful than simple folder name.
Internal support for more archive types (using 7-Zip libraries). Program can also handle WCX Total Commander plug-in, even in more powerful way than Total Commander did. Currently only extracting is supported, no ability to create or modify them.

FTP folders support added (with limitations yet, for example, only one http proxy allowed with no UI to configure).

Many things were done more correctly - drag'n'drop from explorer, clipboard handling, shell file menus and so on.

Support for shell shortcuts, url shortcuts (ftp only) and even shell folder shortcuts (rarely supported in other file managers).

As you can see, the main idea of new Nomad.NET is to do the same things in more correct and beautiful way.

Roadmap:
I have no accurate roadmap as soon as the project is being made at my free time (and takes practically all this time). Current version is Beta 1 and right now it is very stable and have almost all planed features for the first version.

Features planned for future versions (you can email me if you have any good ideas):

Ability to create new archives for primary formats 7-Zip, Zip, Tar. Wcx packing plug-ins support.
Better FTP folders handling (support for more server types and proxies). Maybe secure FTP support.
Support for custom item properties (EXIF, IDv2, meta tags, etc). Display such properties and search in them.

Basic image preview and maybe thumbnail mode.

Help (very low priority, I have neither time, nor desire to do this). It is not a big deal for advanced users. As for novice ones, the application has a lot of hints and infotips with feature descriptions.
Features already implemented:

External tools feature (ability to call other programs from Nomad.NET with various command line arguments).

Language translation (at this moment Russian and Belarusian translations exist)

My copy was installed two hours ago and is yet without any plugins:

What's your preferred File Manager

What's your preferred File Manager

Read more: http://innerlimit.googlepages.com/home
Download: http://fileforum.bet.../detail/1205541909/1

[urlwolf]

ok, here is a left choice pick: vifm

http://vifm.sourceforge.net/


This is by far the fastest way to move around files.
It's linux only...

But the concepts can be easily ported to windows filemanagers.

Basically, The basic vi key bindings are used to move through the files and popup
   windows.

         k is up
         j is down

   h is updir
   l is handle file and is the same as Return.
etc.
same for arrow keys (up goes up in the dir hierarchy, etc)
I'm going to configure  TC with those shortcuts now.

[Nxqd3051990]

I really want a simple file manager with 3 column : tree view | column view | quick view like Finder@MAC OSX
http://www.mactipper...ate-column-view.html

[Nxqd3051990]

I've found ULtraExplorer but It works crashly with Column Mode 

[fenixproductions]

2Nxqd3051990

Maybe try this one:
http://www.mustangpe...aexplorer/index.html

[zridling]

Btw, XYplorer 7 just came out last week and has broad scripting abilities. You can roll your own commands, routines, and do all kinds of other wonderful crap. I wrote a very simple command script that combines the work of four keyboard shortcuts all in one keystroke — awesome, baby!

[J-Mac]

Btw, XYplorer 7 just came out last week and has broad scripting abilities. You can roll your own commands, routines, and do all kinds of other wonderful crap. I wrote a very simple command script that combines the work of four keyboard shortcuts all in one keystroke — awesome, baby!

-zridling (April 03, 2008, 09:32 AM)

Yeah, I've been looking hard at it. Too bad we no longer have a discount there -- I'm going to have to pay full price for it!

Jim

[ad-min]

Too bad we no longer have a discount there -- I'm going to have to pay full price for it!

Jim

-J-Mac (April 04, 2008, 01:01 AM)

Yes, but <b>XY</b> is really worth the price. Lifetime license, no additional costs for dual install, no additional costs for portable versions. And the program itself...awesome.

[J-Mac]

Oh, I'm not disputing that, ad-min! I'm making the purchase.

But I do so love my apps with a discount even more!   

Jim

[Curt]

I've found ULtraExplorer but It works crashly ...

-Nxqd3051990 (March 22, 2008, 07:19 PM)

Will you tell which version it was: 1.5.0.3 or 2.0.0.0 Beta 1a (scroll to second post) ? Did you try to change the settings? -because:

Yes, I had some crashes the first day, but they left for good when I changed the settings. You may have to look into the Options and try your way around, because Ultra is not that clever and will not tell you if you have made a bad setting.

-Curt (June 29, 2007, 12:38 PM)

- the default settings are not ALL stable.

Also remember that UltraExplorer is not a common file manager, because the authors are (so far) concentrating on various components, listview and stuff:

UltraExplorer is the testbed for Mustangpeak Delphi and CBuilder Components.

[Rover]

I've been using Total Commander since it was WinCommander!  It has a wealth of plug-ins available that let you SFTP, read ISO files, and just about anything else you'd want.  I keep finding things I like about it. Most recently, I noticed that I can include a description for files.  Total Commander creates and maintains a decsript.ion file to keep track of file comments in each directory.

Pack or Unpack files with a variety of tools:  .zip, .tar, .gzip, .rar, .lha, .arj and more.  Filename search, text search, file compare.....  the list never ends!!!   

  

[J-Mac]

Not sure, but I believe that the descript.ion comment area is present in files on any NTFS drive.  Nice that you can access them using TC, but you can also access those in the native Windows Explorer.

Jim

[mwb1100]

I believe that the descript.ion comment area is present in files on any NTFS drive.

-J-Mac (April 06, 2008, 12:36 AM)

descript.ion files are not standard Windows things - they were invented (I think) by JPSoft for their 4DOS product and have become a sort of third-party file manager standard of sorts:

http://www.jpsoft.com/ascii/descfile.txt

[J-Mac]

I believe that the descript.ion comment area is present in files on any NTFS drive.

-J-Mac (April 06, 2008, 12:36 AM)

descript.ion files are not standard Windows things - they were invented (I think) by JPSoft for their 4DOS product and have become a sort of third-party file manager standard of sorts:

http://www.jpsoft.com/ascii/descfile.txt

-mwb1100 (April 06, 2008, 01:37 AM)

Thanks for that tidbit!

I thought I had read somewhere (Here?) that they were part of NTFS - guess not! But I do know I can use them also in Directory Opus and Windows Explorer.

Jim

[J-Mac]

Oh, I'm not disputing that, ad-min! I'm making the purchase.

But I do so love my apps with a discount even more!   

Jim

-J-Mac (April 04, 2008, 11:19 AM)

Proud new XYPlorer Lifetime License holder! 

Now to spend some time figuring it out and configure, configure, configure.

Jim

[ad-min]

Proud new XYPlorer Lifetime License holder! 

-J-Mac (April 08, 2008, 10:58 AM)

Congratulations!

Now to spend some time figuring it out and configure, configure, configure.

-J-Mac (April 08, 2008, 10:58 AM)

And many new features every few days. <b>XY</b> and boredom just don't fit together.

[kartal]

If you need a very fast commander try this one. Small and fast 2 pane commander

Commander
http://meesoft.logicnet.dk/

[J-Mac]

If you need a very fast commander try this one. Small and fast 2 pane commander

Commander
http://meesoft.logicnet.dk/

-kartal (April 10, 2008, 01:04 AM)

Well, with licenses for Directory Opus, Total Commander, and now XYplorer, I think my file manager toolbox is pretty well stocked for now!!

Thanks!

Jim

Edit:  PS, trying to keep up with the "Darwin" in the Nuclear Software Proliferation Arms war...   (Most likely a losing proposition!!    )

[Nxqd3051990]

I've gone back with Total CMD  The most powerfull file management . Xyplorer is simple and cool but it doesn't have dual pane and great plugins :p