FIle Managers

  • Thread starter Thread starter S Kalynuik
  • Start date Start date
Cosmo said:
This is *trialware* From their site "use of the software is limited
and expires after a set period of time."
Click to expand...


Note: The free version is called a "free trial," but it is fully
usable without any time limits.
 
Howard said:
Actually, every single windows based file manager lacks what I consider the
quickest and easiest way to go to any directory (folder): Dos had several
popular utilities that keep a database of all directories on all disks.
YOu type a few letters, say tm for tmp, and the utility responds with a
menu of all directories that start with `tm'. You select one by key or
mouse and, boom, you are there. If the letters define a directory uniquely,
you just go there without a menu.

So I wrote a batch file that uses the formerly popular DOS utility acd
(another change directory), to get the same results in windows. I hit a
key, type some letters at a prompt, and xplorer2 lite (the one I use)
goes right to the directory with my letters. The same technique can
probably be used with other windows file managers.

I believe I have a windows based utility (treesize or some such?) that
does something similar to acd.
Click to expand...


Sounds like a neat batch file you have there, Howard. Any chance you
would post it? I'm currently using xplorer2, as well.
 
On that special day, S Kalynuik, ([email protected]) said...


There is a German file commander program, that can be used in English,
too. A comment on another page, say, it is by no means as good as Total
Commander, but maybe it does what the OP asked for.

It is the older version of a commercial file commander, from
Rationalized.de, which seems to be a very small enterprise (only three
products so far)

A working link is
(one line)

Don't ask me, why the link on the Vollversion site itself is dead,
while Geizkragen still displays a live link to Vollversion.


Gabriele Neukam

(e-mail address removed)
Click to expand...

Wow nice program Commander Win 2003, good recommendation, is also a zip
program, ftp program, file comparer, and more, and yes the download link on
the page listed above works and yes can install in German, English and one
other language (sorry can not remember which one).

The download link on the page works as I stated imediately above but heres
the link also:
http://www.vollversion.de/files/cw2003.EXE

Thanks again
 
Well, I might not interest you anymore (because it's going unfree), but
XYplorer can do this since years (look for "Favorite Files").
Click to expand...

Hmmm...I've tried your program several times, but don't recall any icons
that you can put on a toolbar. It seems most file managers use bookmarks
in a menu instead. But I'll try again...I have one or two versions of your
program. :)
 
Hmmm...I've tried your program several times, but don't recall any
icons that you can put on a toolbar. It seems most file managers use
bookmarks in a menu instead. But I'll try again...I have one or two
versions of your program. :)
Click to expand...
Actually it was the predecessor to XYplorer... I don't think I've tried
XYplorer itself.
 
Elf said:
Just another free one to try: Necromancer's Navigator (DOS and Windows
versions available).
http://ndn.muxe.com/index.php
Click to expand...

It is available for linux too.
http://ndn.muxe.com/dwl.php

I just tried the latest beta of Necromancer's version of Dos Navigator,
the windows version. It works nicely in dos box under win98se.
It is freeware, and has even more extra features than before.

It's like PC-Tools, which started as a simple file manager, and grew
into a complete desktop tools collection. Text editor, outline editor,
word processor, spreadsheet, calendar, file manager, terminal, etc..

By the way, PC-Tools ver 9 is available on the web, in some dark
corner, but it is not freeware, and not legal, of course, because it
was bought up and killed off by a big competitor a long time ago,
before the release of the first MS office package.

PC-Tools was much better than Norton Commander. Windows is constructed
in such a way that PC-Tools crashes under windows, the only dos program
that does that, because they use the same mechanism for multitasking or
task switching, or something like that, or simply because microsoft and
symantec wanted to make shure that PC-Tools was definitely dead and
would never be heard of again.

I think I used PC-Tools under the Desqview multitasking system, so it
could run in a multitasking system, unless it was made by microsoft.

If I used Dos today I would use PC-Tools as the best file manager and
office suite, and Dos Navigator if I wanted long file names and other
more modern stuff.
 
Hmmm...I've tried your program several times, but don't recall any icons
that you can put on a toolbar. It seems most file managers use bookmarks
in a menu instead.
Click to expand...

Ok, misunderstanding. No icon-for-fav-file in XYplorer, but
icon-for-menu-of-fav-files. Saves space.

Don
 
PC-Tools was much better than Norton Commander. Windows is constructed
in such a way that PC-Tools crashes under windows, the only dos program
that does that, because they use the same mechanism for multitasking or
task switching, or something like that, or simply because microsoft and
symantec wanted to make shure that PC-Tools was definitely dead and
would never be heard of again.

I think I used PC-Tools under the Desqview multitasking system, so it
could run in a multitasking system, unless it was made by microsoft.
Click to expand...

Hm. Starts to get a bit OT, but still (as it carries some general truths,
also taking place with freeware programs, IMHO):

Quite a few DOS utilities using direct hardware access or other in-depth
system function calls crash inside Windows. Neither Central Point PC-Cache
nor Norton/Symantec NCache ever worked okay with Windows. Some other
parts of both utility suites explicitly issued a warning when started
inside *any* multitasking system (including Desqview!). This is also
the case with PC-Tools DiskFix and Norton/Symantec NDD. Both depend on
no-changing disk content, which isn't guaranteed (or better: which is
guaranteed to *not* be fulfilled) inside Windows and such.

The competition between both utility suites and the continuing evolvement
of some more specialized programs (Sidekick and Checkit coming to mind)
had good and bad effects. While the ongoing improvement of the tools
was very beneficial, the massive downturn of quality was not. Neither
suite could be used with a full version number, at last. You had to
wait for at least one major update to avoid constant crashes and maybe
even data loss. :-(
If I used Dos today I would use PC-Tools as the best file manager and
office suite, and Dos Navigator if I wanted long file names and other
more modern stuff.
Click to expand...

Although still in (probably never-ending) Beta state I'd go for the
Volkov Commander program as file manager, combined with some useful
tools.

Besides, I always bought NU updates because of the Disk Editor. That
one was better than any competition around, IMHO.

BeAr
 
Ok, misunderstanding. No icon-for-fav-file in XYplorer, but
icon-for-menu-of-fav-files. Saves space.
Click to expand...

Hiding frequently-used files under a menu is useless IMO. It's way too
much work to go to the files. That's why having a toolbar is far superior
IMO.

Another cool thing about Power Desk is that it displays *custom* icons.
I've changed the icons on my most-used files and folders...color coding
them or otherwise making them distinct. Power Desk shows those icons on
it's toolbar. So I don't have to use a tooltip or anything to figure out
what the icon is. I definitely couldn't live without this feature...a HUGE
time-saver.
 
Tim said:
S Kalynuik wrote:




They're side-by-side for me.
Click to expand...
You want a double pane manager rather than a single pane with tabs.
I think best of those are listed on the pricelessware site. I never
thought I would like a single pane manager but I'm finding xyplorer is
easier than many of the dual pane ones I've tried.
 
jacaranda said:
Hiding frequently-used files under a menu is useless IMO. It's way too
much work to go to the files. That's why having a toolbar is far superior
IMO.
Click to expand...

"way too much work"... the way is not too long: the coming version of
XYplorer will have a toolbar icon for favorite files. You mousedown that
icon, a menu with all your favorite files pops up, you move the mouse to
select one, you mouseup, and voila XYplorer browses to the location of that
file and selects it in the file list. So that's mousedown, mousemove,
mouseup. When you click on your PW toolbar icon you do mousedown, mouseup.
Almost the same work. And, I have about 12 favorite files, and I don't want
to waste space with 12 icons and always have to look at them.

But, after all, we all have different jobs and different habits, so we need
different file managers ;)

Don
 
"way too much work"... the way is not too long: the coming version of
XYplorer will have a toolbar icon for favorite files.
Click to expand...

that's the version the will cost us, right ;~) ......*tsk*...
shouldn't really be promoting that here. I imagine many of us will take
at look at it anyway.....and I'm sure that after several years of
happily discussing and helping with the (still great) older versions, it
will be hard to adjust to a different set of habits and keep the line
clear between freeware and sharware..etc.
But, after all, we all have different jobs and different habits, so we need
different file managers ;)
Click to expand...

indeed, we do- sometimes several different ones ;>).... I only have
seven.
 
But, after all, we all have different jobs and different habits, so we
need different file managers ;)
Click to expand...

Right. :) I'd already determined I'd never use XYPlorer or it's
predecessor when I read that you wouldn't consider adding a vertical
preview pane. You seemed not to care about the needs of laptop users, so I
immediately wrote off your program, though continued to follow development
in vein hope. ;-)
 
A43 is very good too.

A43 is a freeware file management utility for Windows 2000/XP.

* Integrated text editor with unlimited size. Dynamic highlighting
for the web.

* Integrated zip/unzip features. Simply drag-n-drop files or click
a button. You can also turn your zip archives into self-extracting
archives the same way.

* Integrated file search to quickly locate and jump to those lost
files.

* Integrated quick launch area for fast access to the programs you
use the most.

* Favorite buttons to quickly open those often used folders.

* Dual-pane view for those that demand speed in file management.

* Requires no installation, no data is written to the system
registry. A43's configuration information is saved in a local .ini file.

* Keep it on your pen/jump drive and take it where ever you go.

Download from http://www.shawneelink.net/~bgmiller/

Laurie
 
I think Total Commander is the best among all the dual-pane file
managers. The purists will yell and say - it's not a freeware! But it's
listed on ACF.
Click to expand...
I still use Windows Commander 4.51...:)
For those who are interested, the dual-pane managers are also called
(OFM) orthodox file managers. There is an exhausted listing and
description about OMF at http://www.softpanorama.org/OFM/index.shtml

/Why Tea
Click to expand...

Interesting reading...

They forgot a simple one, that I occasionally use:
Volkov Commander (DOS). Size 52000 bytes... a little tricky in Win XP,
but all other Windows versions it 's great. Don't know of long
filenames, though..

On other computers I use Servant Salamander, that not need
installation... just copy the 1 file over and run...
I use a lot to find filenames (10-12 times a day...), and SS is a little
tricky in that matter. The function of WinCommander's alt-F7 (from the
original Norton Comm) is great...)
 
I believe if you use Windows, you really need a Windows file manager -
freeware or not. A DOS file manager can never accept drag-and-drop and
that's a severe handicap.
Click to expand...

Not so, unless you have an unusual idea of what drag and drop is: Quite a
few dos file managers include drag and drop for copying and moving files. I
do not recall if you can also drop a file on an executable. One of my
favorites, which I had a hand in the drag and drop thing, is File wizard.
 
Note that the free version of PowerDesk has image thumbnails disabled.
I confirmed this with their support group. Instead of seeing the
image, you see the PowerDesk icon. This makes it useless for
organizing photo files. The paid version is probably a very nice
program but for me the free version was a waste of time.

Wayne
 
(e-mail address removed) wrote in @t31g2000cwb.googlegroups.com:
Note that the free version of PowerDesk has image thumbnails disabled.
I confirmed this with their support group. Instead of seeing the
image, you see the PowerDesk icon. This makes it useless for
organizing photo files. The paid version is probably a very nice
program but for me the free version was a waste of time.
Click to expand...

Depends on whether you view thumbnails as a primary requirement for a FM.
I don't, but I guess some people might. That probably seriously affects
your choices for a FM.
 
jacaranda said:
Depends on whether you view thumbnails as a primary requirement for a FM.
I don't, but I guess some people might. That probably seriously affects
your choices for a FM.
Click to expand...

Use Faststone Image viewer and you have little need for a thumbnail
viewer in the file manager. Click on any image file, it opens in full
screen.

(set all image file formats to open in Faststone in its settings)

Bump the upper border, there are the thumbnails of all image files in
that folder.

Close the viewer and you are back in the file manager, or doubleclick
the picture to get into the main part of Faststone Image viewer.
 
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