Select files by mask without numerical keyboard

[stridder]

Hi guys,
I use a Thinkpad T430 notebook that does not have a numerical keyboard, not even possible to enable it with Fn key and thus I cannot press NUM+ e.g.
Is it possisble to select group of files by mask (e.g. *.sh) without special numerical keys?
Keyboard shortcut is preferable, though even a menu option will do if there is no other way.

[MVV]

You can find some selection commands in Mark menu, also you can assign shortcuts for any selection commands using Configuration - Misc. dialog.

[nsp]

You can find some selection commands in Mark menu, also you can assign shortcuts for any selection commands using Configuration - Misc. dialog.

as said by MVV, You can assign another key to cm_selectFiles or make a button or create an alias ...

[MVV]

nsp,
There are much more useful selection commands, not only cm_SelectFiles.

These commands process both files/folders without Shift and only files with Shift by default (Shift behaviour may be reversed using INI option MarkDirectories=0 to be more consistent with Norton Commander):
cm_SpreadSelection ([Shift+]Num +)
cm_ShrinkSelection ([Shift+]Num -)
cm_ExchangeSelection ([Shift+]Num *)

Also in numeric block:
cm_SelectCurrentExtension (Alt+Num +)
cm_UnselectCurrentExtension (Alt+Num -)
cm_RestoreSelection (Num /)

So at least 9 commands are lost if no numeric block available.

[stridder]

Is there a configuration file I could load that assigns another keys to select (and possibly other shortcuts requiring Num keys)?
Lots of people use notebooks so this issue should be common.
What is an alias and how is it configured?

[MVV]

stridder,
You can try searching forum but I can't remember any topic with such ideas - you can share your ideas with other users. You should just try different combinations (e.g. Alt+Backspace and Alt+Delete for selecting and deselecting files) and find out which one is better for you.
However different people configure TC in a very different ways so one's shortcuts may conflict with another's shortcuts (e.g. you do some thing with a key but another user does completely another thing with same key).

Aliases are short names for commands - for people who like executing commands from TC command line.

[ts4242]

2stridder

Use Hotkeys Editor
to assign different hotkey for those commands.

[Stefan2]

 

Me think using ALIAS in command line is a good idea.

Configuration > Options... > Layout [X]Command line

Define Alias in gui "Configuration > Options... > Misc." or directly in TC folder\wincmd.ini

Code: Select all

[Alias]
sel=cm_SpreadSelection                 ;([Shift+]Num +) ;Select group
selsh=cm_ShrinkSelection               ;([Shift+]Num -) ;Unselect group
selex=cm_ExchangeSelection             ;([Shift+]Num *)
selcurex=cm_SelectCurrentExtension     ;(Alt+Num +)
selcurselu=cm_UnselectCurrentExtension ;(Alt+Num -)
selrest=cm_RestoreSelection            ;(Num /) ;Selection before last operation
selun=cm_ClearAll                      ;=524;Unselect all
showall=cm_SrcAllFiles                 ;=312;Source: All files
showexe=cm_SrcExecs                    ;=311;Source: Only programs
showtxt=em_ShowTXT

For more CM_ commands see TC folder\TOTALCMD.INC

EM_ command create in TC folder\usercmd.ini
[em_ShowTXT]
cmd=cd *.txt *.ini *.log *.reg


That commands also can be integrated into the TC menu. For a ready made one see:
Extended English Menus for Total Commander (by petermad)
DOWNLOAD from: http://www.totalcmd.net/authors/1223914.html
(Also you can learn many tricks from that download like that "cd *.txt" one)

- - -

Command line

All letters you type are redirected to the command line.
(Depends on "Configuration > Options... > Quick Search" setting)

By pressing ENTER you can execute the command line. Old command lines are saved in a history list. By pressing CTRL+Cursor down you can open this history list.

Choose an entry using the cursor keys up or down, then press the left or right cursor key to close the history list. You can press Shift+Del to remove a no longer wanted item from the history list.

In Configuration - Options - Misc., you can define alias commands to start often used programs and internal commands, e.g. np to open notepad.exe.

The "cd" command is handled internally to change the current directory in the active panel. If you give the name of a file, TC will place the cursor on that file

If the command line is turned off, it will be enabled automatically when typing in some characters.

The maximum length of the command line is limited to 2047 characters on Windows 2000, and 8191 characters on Windows XP (the maximum supported by these operating systems).

For a list of all function keys see Command line: keys

 

[MVV]

Stefan2,
I would start aliases with some specific character or something similar to make sure that no tool or batch file with such name exists in my folders. But using aliases may be not too comfortable because of no suggestions. It would be nicer to have a filter with hints, e.g. when you type sel, list shows all commands starting with sel, so you can type more characters or just use cursor for selecting a command.

[nsp]

you can even use ":" or ">" ... as prefix for such aliases !

2MVV - 2Ghisler brothers
Unfortunately aliases, cm_zzz em_xxx completion/(dynamic listing) is not implemented in command bar that could be great to have it for next version !

[Stefan2]

Stefan2,
I would start aliases with some specific character

Yes, me too. I just wanted to show different possibilities and leave that to the user to modify.

- - -

In the mean time I have crafted a TC-Command-Executor.exe
which reads commands from a list (like TCfolder\TOTALCMD.INC)
and provide them as GUI to select and execute.


I just don't know how useful this is (for the issue mentioned in this thread it may work well)
and if it works in all conditions:


TC-Command-Executor.ini

[From file TCfolder\usercmd.ini

[em_ShowTXT]
em_ShowTXT;Usercmd.ini: cd *.txt *.ini


[From file TCfolder\TOTALCMD.INC
[________________Source________________]=0
cm_SpreadSelection=521;Select group
cm_ShrinkSelection=522;Unselect group
cm_ExchangeSelection=525
cm_SelectCurrentExtension=527

TC-Command-Executor.EXE

Select one and double click or press enter to execute:
em_ShowTXT | Usercmd.ini: cd *.txt *.ini
cm_SpreadSelection | 521 | Select group
cm_ShrinkSelection | 522 | Unselect group
cm_ExchangeSelection | 525
cm_SelectCurrentExtension | 527

-
I was even able to host a image  
Image: http://forentmp.lima-city.de/TC-Command-Executor.png


 

[stridder]

 

Me think using ALIAS in command line is a good idea.

Configuration > Options... > Layout [X]Command line

Define Alias in gui "Configuration > Options... > Misc." or directly in TC folder\wincmd.ini

Code: Select all

[Alias]
sel=cm_SpreadSelection                 ;([Shift+]Num +) ;Select group
selsh=cm_ShrinkSelection               ;([Shift+]Num -) ;Unselect group
selex=cm_ExchangeSelection             ;([Shift+]Num *)
selcurex=cm_SelectCurrentExtension     ;(Alt+Num +)
selcurselu=cm_UnselectCurrentExtension ;(Alt+Num -)
selrest=cm_RestoreSelection            ;(Num /) ;Selection before last operation
selun=cm_ClearAll                      ;=524;Unselect all
showall=cm_SrcAllFiles                 ;=312;Source: All files
showexe=cm_SrcExecs                    ;=311;Source: Only programs
showtxt=em_ShowTXT

 

I created in TC folder\wincmd.ini with above text, but when I type "sel" and press Enter in TC command line it gives "File not found" error.
How can I check if TC found these aliases?
I never used aliases before, am I using it correctly?

[nsp]

.....
I created in TC folder\wincmd.ini with above text, but when I type "sel" and press Enter in TC command line it gives "File not found" error.
How can I check if TC found these aliases?
I never used aliases before, am I using it correctly?

To verify if an Alias is defined, you can go To Preferences -> Configuration -> Misc
select Alias Radio Buton and in the text field type your alias ex: sel
normally you should see the registerd command in the command field !


When you edit your wincmd.ini, the best way is to use %commander_ini% directly in the command bar !

[stridder]

.....
%commander_ini%[/color] directly in the command bar !

seems that I edited wrong file. used this advise and aliases work now, thank you.