best Windows Explorer replacement

[kalos]

hello

can you tell me please whats the best Windows Explorer replacement?
the fastest (very important) and most customizable

PS:
I want to fully integrate it (replace explorer.exe, replace keyboard shortcuts etc) can I do it with a Windows Explorer replacement or I need a shell?

thanks

[TucknDar]

hello

can you tell me please whats the best Windows Explorer replacement?
the fastest (very important) and most customizable

PS:
I want to fully integrate it (replace explorer.exe, replace keyboard shortcuts etc) can I do it with a Windows Explorer replacement or I need a shell?

thanks

First of all, I don't think there is one "best" Explorer replacement. Everyone has different needs, and while some prefer Directory Opus, others prefer Total Commander or any other file manager.

As for "full integration" you need a shell. It is possible to use a file manager, AFAIK, but it requires some extra tools and utilities (systray and hotkeys, for instance), while a decent shell does all the important shell-work.

I think the topic has been discussed before, so try a search and you'll probably find some good explanations

[mitzevo]

I think kalos is talking about a Windows Shell replacement, not just a file manager, although the 2 go hand in hand right..

bb4win, windowblinds, etc.

and if you are meaning file managers, then DOpus, TC, XY and x2 are some good ones to take a look at - every ones definition of best is very different

[TucknDar]

I think kalos is talking about a Windows Shell replacement, not just a file manager, although the 2 go hand in hand right..

bb4win, windowblinds, etc.

and if you are meaning file managers, then DOpus, TC, XY and x2 are some good ones to take a look at - every ones definition of best is very different

Yes, and I did talk about shells . Btw, Windowblinds is not a shell, it just skins the windows. My personal favourite shell is LiteStep, while bblean (i.e. bb4win) is also an excellent shell. I suggest kalos take a look at these and a good file manager along with it.

[f0dder]

I personally have replace the explorer.exe shell with blackbox for windows, and explorer.exe file management with explorer². There's a few things that x^2 doesn't handle, like "my network connections", but everything else works perfectly.

(and the netcon issue might be because of the way I did integration, perhaps I need to pass commandline in a different way - x^2 does have shell namespace support etc.!)

[Armando]

f0dder, just out of curiosity, why do you use blackbox -- any technical reasons or is it purely... and aesthetical caprice ?

[f0dder]

I believe it's somewhat lighter than explorer.exe - but the main reason is really that I can easily remap global hotkeys like Win+E and Win+F to explorer² and locate32, respectively.

I don't use the window skinning or multiple desktops, but I do use my own "run" bar  (probably why I'm not using FARR (yet?)) and a couple of iconboxes.

[Armando]

I see... Thanks!