TrackerV3 ver 3.60.0030, released 08-Sep-2004

[Bjorn Simonsen]

Trackerv3, ver 3.60.0030, released 08-Sep-2004

"TrackerV3 is an Advanced File System Explorer targeting
everybody who is looking for a real alternative to the Windows
Explorer ..."

Info: <http://www.trackerv3.com/overview.htm>
More: <http://www.trackerv3.com/product.htm>
Down: <http://www.trackerv3.com/download.htm>

Pricelessware
<http://www.pricelesswarehome.org/2004/PL2004FILEUTILITIES.php#0778-PW>
(Susan may want to update ver. info)

All the best,
Bjorn Simonsen

 

[BillR]

Trackerv3, ver 3.60.0030, released 08-Sep-2004

Substantially revised and reorganized screenshots to go with the new
release. No site is all things to all people but this one comes as close as
any I've seen. For those who haven't tried TrackerV3, even more care has
been lavished on it than on the site.
http://www.trackerv3.com/shots.htm (and for a bit of whimsy, see the last
one)

Info: <http://www.trackerv3.com/overview.htm>
More: <http://www.trackerv3.com/product.htm>
Down: <http://www.trackerv3.com/download.htm>

The front page has a download button but anyone considering TrackerV3 should
visit the download page itself. Even an install manifest is included. BTW
pre-XP users, while GDIplus.dll is part of .NET, installing the former does
not install the latter. For those looking for (optional) no-install and
tiny applications, TrackerV3 still fits on a floppy (.zip) and can be run
from TEMP.

For those who haven't looked in the last year or two, Donald Lessau has
grown TrackerV3 from a programmers tool with a few nice features (OK,
several nice features) to a real replacement for Explorer while still
emphasizing simple utility. If flash is most important, this isn't for you.
Everyone else should take a close look. It has something for just about
everyone from column, folder, and branch highlighting; to Boolean, RegEx and
time-based searching; to icon viewing and extraction; to audio and video
previewing -- even MP3 tag editing whilst playing. I'm still discovering
subtle little nuances to the UI (when I can restrain myself from continuing
to do it the hard way from sheer habit).

I'll stop now. I didn't intend to write an advertisement (although
commercial users might want to look at the summer sale.) It has been
Pricelessware from a few months after the nags were removed.

Now if Donald could just be persuaded to integrate basic zip support for the
tree, view, and search functions, I'd retire PowerDesk.

 

[Bjorn Simonsen]

If flash is most important, this isn't for you.
Everyone else should take a close look.

Yes it is nice, very nice indeed. But...I am a dual pane addict my
self (an option in TrackerV3?). And in that departement nothing
compares to Total Commander (shareware) - yet. Tcmd is a Norton
Commander clone, and there are many NC-clones in the DOS/WIN/Linux
world,.The following makes a good read for the curios
<http://www.softpanorama.org/OFM/index.shtml>

As for freeware dual pane File-Managers (some with
dual pane as an option, others fixed), here are some
some alternative to look at:

PabloCommander <http://www.pablovandermeer.nl/commander.html>

Gyula's Navigator
<http://www.wanari.com/products/gynav/>

TurboNavigator
<http://www.321download.com/LastFreeware/page6.html#Turbo Navigator>

DualExplorer:
<http://delphi.icm.edu.pl/authors/a0004178.htm>

2xExplorer
<http://www.pricelesswarehome.org/2004/PL2004FILEUTILITIES.php#FileManager>

PowerDesk
<http://www.pricelesswarehome.org/2004/PL2004FILEUTILITIES.php#FileManager>

A43 <http://www.shawneelink.net/~bgmiller/>

FMEdit98 (on the LastFreeware site):
<http://www.321download.com/LastFreeware/page5.html#FmEdit98>

AB Commander LITE for Windows XP/2000/NT/Me/98/95
<http://www.winability.com/abcommander/lite.htm>

(did I forget any; Susan?, Roger?

All the best,
Bjorn Simonsen

 

[Antoine]

A43 <http://www.shawneelink.net/~bgmiller/>

A43 has just been updated : v2.34 dated 2004/09/10

(did I forget any; Susan?, Roger?

Maybe this one is worth being tried :
http://www.explorerxp.com/

Thanks for this list, Bjorn.

 

[Bjorn Simonsen]

Maybe this one is worth being tried :
http://www.explorerxp.com/

Thanks, but is it is dual pane (which all those I listed are or can
be)? Doesn't look that way.

"Tabbed interface - all your windows (open folders) will appear
inside a single ExplorerXP application. The tab bar provides a
quick access to all open windows"

Tabbed, is nice, but not quite the same.

All the best,
Bjorn Simonsen

 

[Antoine]

Thanks, but is it is dual pane (which all those I listed are or
can be)? Doesn't look that way.

"Tabbed interface - all your windows (open folders) will
appear inside a single ExplorerXP application. The tab bar
provides a quick access to all open windows"

Tabbed, is nice, but not quite the same.

I dared to post ExplorerXP since TrackerV3 was not a dual pane
explorer either. This said, you are right, tabs enable quick access
to folders but aren't as handy as panes when it comes to file
comparisons or even drag/drop operations.

Regards.

 

[Bjorn Simonsen]

I dared to post ExplorerXP since TrackerV3 was not a dual pane
explorer either.

My bad, "hijacking" the thread

All the best,
Bjorn Simonse

 

[Rod]

SNIP

As for freeware dual pane File-Managers (some with
dual pane as an option, others fixed), here are some
some alternative to look at:

PabloCommander <http://www.pablovandermeer.nl/commander.html>

Gyula's Navigator
<http://www.wanari.com/products/gynav/>

TurboNavigator
<http://www.321download.com/LastFreeware/page6.html#Turbo Navigator>

DualExplorer:
<http://delphi.icm.edu.pl/authors/a0004178.htm>

2xExplorer
<http://www.pricelesswarehome.org/2004/PL2004FILEUTILITIES.php#FileMana
ger>

PowerDesk
<http://www.pricelesswarehome.org/2004/PL2004FILEUTILITIES.php#FileMana
ger>

A43 <http://www.shawneelink.net/~bgmiller/>

FMEdit98 (on the LastFreeware site):
<http://www.321download.com/LastFreeware/page5.html#FmEdit98>

AB Commander LITE for Windows XP/2000/NT/Me/98/95
<http://www.winability.com/abcommander/lite.htm>

(did I forget any; Susan?, Roger?

Salamander 1.52
http://www.altap.cz/download.html#salrel

xplorer²-lite (the successor to 2xexplorer)
http://www.netez.com/xplorer2/x2lite.htm

 

[Bjorn Simonsen]

Rod wrote in <[email protected]>:

Thanks for adding:

Salamander 1.52
http://www.altap.cz/download.html#salrel

Yes, forgot that one obviously, the last freeware version
(from 1998 according my copy)

xplorer²-lite (the successor to 2xexplorer)
http://www.netez.com/xplorer2/x2lite.htm

Havent tried xplorer²-lite as far as I can recall. Dual pane option,
more like a hybrid, like a mix of Explorer and NC style it seems.

All the best,
Bjorn Simonsen

 

[Rod]

Rod wrote in <[email protected]>:

Thanks for adding:


Yes, forgot that one obviously, the last freeware version
(from 1998 according my copy)


Havent tried xplorer²-lite as far as I can recall. Dual pane option,
more like a hybrid, like a mix of Explorer and NC style it seems.

After my issue with the 'show hidden files' (see other thread) I can highly
recommend it again. I tried all the programs from your list and xplorer²-
lite is what I ended up with.

 

[Donald Lessau]

Sorry about the subject, but i couldn't stop myself from re-hijacking

So, what's so great about dual pane? I'm really curious because I never ever
missed it myself.

Donald

 

[Rod]

Sorry about the subject, but i couldn't stop myself from re-hijacking


So, what's so great about dual pane? I'm really curious because I
never ever missed it myself.

Donald

I like dualpane for a better view when I'm working in multiple folders
(which I do frequently). Also drag-and-drop files between folders is very
easy. You could try it, I did once, and I got hooked.

 

[Bjorn Simonsen]

So, what's so great about dual pane? I'm really curious because I never ever
missed it myself.

You can read about this at
<http://www.softpanorama.org/OFM/index.shtml>
<clip>
"There are numerous advantages of Orthodox File Manager (OFM)
paradigm, which refines the functionality of the original Norton
Commander for DOS and incorporates almost 20 years of development
of this category of filemanager. All OFMs have a main window that
is divided into three sub-windows. Two of them are called
"panels" that are identical in structure (but can have different
sizes), and are positioned side by side. The third screen-wide
window contains just a command line, and is positioned at the
bottom of the screen.

The author argues that this approach offers the most efficient
way to perform complex file operations, and both users and
open/closes source developers deserve some help in the form of
the standard and some kind of commentary about "the state of the
art". That's why I spend considerable time writing my online book
The Orthodox File Manager(OFM) Paradigm that contains such a
standard and commentary."
</clip>

In my own words: Have a look at TCMD (shareware)
<http://www.ghisler.com/picture.htm>. IMO it is both faster and
simpler to copy/move between two fixed windows side by side (or
above/below), than it is to switch from one drive/folder window to
another, or from one tabbed window to another, or from one open
Explorer to another, and then past or whatever. Another thing is you
can always see the results in both the source and target directories
during a copy/move operation. With Explorer like interfaces I
sometimes wonder, did I copy or did I cut? Btw: The shareware TCMD on
the picture above also have tabbed interface option (does hot show on
picture). Now the command line, well that is another story about
efficiency - if you are/get used to it.(not all dual pane managers
comes with commandline interface, the best of them do though

All the best,
Bjorn Simonsen

 

[Donald Lessau]

I like dualpane for a better view when I'm working in multiple folders
(which I do frequently). Also drag-and-drop files between folders is very
easy. You could try it, I did once, and I got hooked.

I have tried it, and found it confusing (tree-list relation) but that's
surely a matter of getting used to it. The price I'm not willing to pay,
however, is screen space. I rather see everything about my current location
than half about my current and half about some other location (I have a
1024x768 monitor).

I can assure you that since roughly a decade I'm a high-frequent, satisfied
and successful single pane user. So, most probably we are just talking about
habits here.

Donald

 

[Rod]

I have tried it, and found it confusing (tree-list relation) but
that's surely a matter of getting used to it. The price I'm not
willing to pay, however, is screen space. I rather see everything
about my current location than half about my current and half about
some other location (I have a 1024x768 monitor).

I can assure you that since roughly a decade I'm a high-frequent,
satisfied and successful single pane user. So, most probably we are
just talking about habits here.

Donald

Confuion was my first impression to. Screenspace is not really an issue for
me, I can see all the information I want
(name/extension/size/attribute/modified) in both panes on the same
resolution you're on. And you're right about habits, after my recent re-
install of my OS however the first thing I missed was a dual-pane
filemanager.
But I can understand why somebody wants just a single pane. And if it ain't
broke, don't fix it. There's no use in changing something you're completely
happy with.

 

[Bjorn Simonsen]

I rather see everything about my current location
than half about my current and half about some other location (I have a
1024x768 monitor).

Then use a FM the lets you arrange the panes vertically (one above the
other) instead of default horizontal (side by side) arrangement. Also
pick one that in addition shows the full path to each windows above
the windows, if that suits you.

All the best,
Bjorn Simonsen

 

[Donald Lessau]

In my own words: Have a look at TCMD (shareware)
<http://www.ghisler.com/picture.htm>. IMO it is both faster and
simpler to copy/move between two fixed windows side by side (or
above/below), than it is to switch from one drive/folder window to
another, or from one tabbed window to another, or from one open
Explorer to another, and then past or whatever. Another thing is you
can always see the results in both the source and target directories
during a copy/move operation. With Explorer like interfaces I
sometimes wonder, did I copy or did I cut? Btw: The shareware TCMD on
the picture above also have tabbed interface option (does hot show on
picture). Now the command line, well that is another story about
efficiency - if you are/get used to it.(not all dual pane managers
comes with commandline interface, the best of them do though

As I said in my other post, I still think it's a matter of habit, of what
you've grown up with. For me, the look of TCMD is a example of a disastrous
interface (spare me a long list of reasons). Still I have to acknowledge
that many users are really into TCMD. It's like tea and coffee, very few
people are crazy for both.

What I find interesting is that dual pane users tend to preach a lot,
whereas single pane users just don't care enough to talk about their single
pane using. Why is that?

Donald

 

[Donald Lessau]

Then use a FM the lets you arrange the panes vertically (one above the
other) instead of default horizontal (side by side) arrangement. Also
pick one that in addition shows the full path to each windows above
the windows, if that suits you.

Well, it took me 5 years to write my own one, so it's really too late now
for me to just pick another one And my own (TrackerV3) makes me very
happy, if only single-pane-happy

Donald

 

[Bjorn Simonsen]

What I find interesting is that dual pane users tend to preach a lot,
whereas single pane users just don't care enough to talk about their single
pane using. Why is that?

I think maybe because if you experience the difference, you wonder why
you didn't switched before, and you feel an urge to "enlighten" the
"misguided". <g> Hmm, yes - good questions. Well I think one part
reason is that MS/Windows and Exploder has taken over everything, and
as a result now - more and more developers and designers try to copy
the XP interface in everything they do, including the Exploder
interface. Thus why you see sites like the
<http://www.softpanorama.org/OFM/index.shtml>,
trying to remind everyone that not everything old and well tested is
"bad" or that everything "new" is necessary good or better.

All the best
Bjorn Simonsen

 

[Bjorn Simonsen]

Well, it took me 5 years to write my own one, so it's really too late now
for me to just pick another one And my own (TrackerV3) makes me very
happy, if only single-pane-happy

Ah the author, and mistook you for a new users just wanting to know...
Hi there, nice work!! But why single pane only?? (just kidding,
don't bother

All the best,
Bjorn Simonsen