Cloning Explorer-style layout with TotalCMD ...

[chekmarx]

Hello:

I just downloaded and installed TC version 6.51 and am liking it *very* much. I've been searching for a fast, solid file manager for seemingly forever. So far I've burned thru DirOPUS, Powerdesk, ExplorerPlus, and a few lesser known ones. All were IMO slow, bloated, with funky UI elements that I just didn't like.

But Total Commander fits the bill very nicely. Since I'm running Windows XP on my secondary box and it's only a AMD K6III performance is crucial. All the above noted apps assume a much more modern hardware setup.

Anyway, I have what might be a stupid question:

Is there any way to setup TC to resemble Explorer as far as the drives, and folder arrangements go ? Having to click on either a button or select a different drive via the combo-box slows me down and I'd like to be able to see all my drives (including network shares, if possible) from one manageable tree view in the left-side pane, and then be able to single-click on a directory and have its contents fill-up the right-side pane.

I'm sorry if this has been answered previously but trying to go down all the 50+ pages of postings is extremely slow going.

TIA
checkmarx

[Hacker]

Welcome aboard!

Try Ctrl-F8.

Having to click on [...] a button [...] slows me down

What is the speed difference in clicking a button or clicking an entry in a tree...?

These threads might be of help:
http://www.ghisler.ch/board/viewtopic.php?t=6134
http://www.ghisler.ch/board/viewtopic.php?t=5998

Try using the keyboard, if possible for you, it's much faster. You can define your favorite dirs in the Directory Hotlist (Ctrl-D), switch drives by using the Alt-F1 (or -F2), <drive letter>, or you can directly assign a shortcut for a drive in Configuration - Options - Misc, the command is cm_GoToDriveX.

TC is not an Explorer clone, it rather uses the old-style "OFM" approach of Norton Commander, whose main advantage is the two-window interface, where you have a clear source - target relationship, source being the panel with the cursor.

I'm sorry if this has been answered previously but trying to go down all the 50+ pages of postings is extremely slow going.

But it's definitely worthwile.
No, seriously, you can use the search function instead. But make sure you enclose the terms you search for in asterisks, for instance *tree*, otherwise the search will only look for exact matching terms and you won't get "treeview" as a result.

HTH
Roman

[icfu]

@chekmarx:
Make sure that you set autotreechange=1 under [Configuration] in wincmd.ini so moving in folder tree automatically opens directory in opposite panel, otherwise you have to press Enter or double click.

I agree that a complete treeview is a musthave feature for a file manager but till now all 581 requests to implement it were not successful so I am afraid that you will have to live with it till TC author decides to implement that Explorer goodie as well.

Maybe in 7.0, who knows...

Icfu

[JohnFredC]

"Dual trees" is the ticket in my book.

[Sir_SiLvA]

"Dual trees" is the ticket in my book.

whats the use of two trees showing 0 files

[chekmarx]

I finally find a file-manager that performance-wise operates great, but I need to completely change how I work within the standard Windows Explorer "context" to use it properly.

Hmmm ...

I made the few INI file changes that were mentioned and it does help, but having 5 drives/partitions native to Windows and 4 additional via network shares to my primary box it's going to be a real *itch to get used to always having to change to whatever drive/partition I want to navigate/explore rather than simply clicking on its letter designation and expanding it like it's done in Explorer.

But, if that's what it's going to take, then so be it.

Thanks for the help and info guys. It's very much appreciated !

chekmarx

[chekmarx]

@chekmarx:
Make sure that you set autotreechange=1 under [Configuration] in wincmd.ini so moving in folder tree automatically opens directory in opposite panel, otherwise you have to press Enter or double click.
Icfu

One issue with setting this INI value seems to be this:

I configured TC with a row of my drive buttons above the Tree-View panel, figuring I'd simply click on a drive, then click on the TREE button to have the drive display as a tree, sort of like what Explorer does.

But what happens when I click on the TREE button is instead of the new drive being scanned and the left panel showing this drive as a tree, all of a sudden the left panel reverts back to drive C: and displays as a tree.

And I think this is because of the INI setting tying to the two panels together, sort of. The right panel is defaulting to whatever directory I have high-lighted in the left panel. Which is drive C: since that's the first drive I set this way. So when I then click on a new drive button and then the tree button, TC sees the right panel reflecting C:\whatever and then automatically changes the left panel to show a tree view of *that* drive - ie C:

Am I explaining this properly ?
If I'm correct then I can't do what I want. I instead would have to change the INI setting, re-open TC, pick a drive and click on the tree button. Then re-change the INI file again and reload TC so I could see the drive I wanted in the left panel in tree-mode.

This isn't going to work at all.
I see what you guys mean now about TC being designed as a two-separate-panel file manager, period.

*sigh*

chekmarx

[Hacker]

http://www.ghisler.ch/board/viewtopic.php?p=41488&highlight=tree%2A#41488

The author also said he is thinking about an update to the treeview, for example adding all drives to the tree view.
http://www.ghisler.ch/board/viewtopic.php?p=41472&highlight=tree%2A#41472 (German)

HTH
Roman

[chekmarx]

Thanks Hacker for the reference ! I see I was correct about its behavior, only just for the wrong reason

Not being able to read German I didn't bother with the second pointer. Can you sum it up for me ?

*whew*

I'm glad to see there's a logic behind the paradigm of how TC works with regarding Tree-View. I can use it again !

Lastly, I apologize for asking questions that have obviously been asked and answered previously. I'm going to need to slow down and do the research necessary rather than jumping the gun and firing off a quick post.

In my defense I've been playing with so many different file-managers lately (and have been pretty much sadly disappointed with all of them) I just want to get to the task of actually using one and finally mothball the usage of Windows Explorer under XP. What initially motivated me to find a substitute (other than the obvious reasons) was how Explorer changed between 2000 and XP in its default display of the directory tree control. Under 2000 there are the nice simple graphic lines connecting the sub-dir and all others beneath it. Whereas in XP now these lines were taken away and replaced with ... well NOTHING but whitespace ! IMO a real boneheaded decision. I checked with a few people who are into hacking/changing the windows shell bigtime, figuring there'd be a simple registry hack I could use to bring back the old look of the tree control. Which, combined with running Explorer in "classic" mode would give me the best of both worlds - ie the usage of the latest version of windows (since MS always kills the previous version of windows shortly after a new release) with what I consider to be a better UI look-n-feel.

Windows XP's default UI is just horrible, IMO, an opinion many others apparently share based on postings, arguments on other lists/forums. It's typically described as the AOL-ization of Windows

Thanks again for the help.

chekmarx

[Hacker]

Not being able to read German I didn't bother with the second pointer. Can you sum it up for me ?

Well, the request was to show a tree and a file window in both of the panels. And the author said the tree view needed a general overhaul and he'll see if he can implement it into the next release.

There are already many feature requests for TC 7.0, mainly about redesign and long awaited features, IMO only few regarding the new functions (added in 6.50), so cross your fingers. However, as there is only one programmer, this feature might not make it into 7.0.

HTH
Roman

[icfu]

@chekmarx:
I don't know which shell gurus you were talking to but getting back the lines is as simple as 1,2,3.

Control Panel -> Folder Options -> View
Uncheck "Display Simple Folder View..."

And of course you can change the colour of those lines by changing a registry value, too:

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Colors]
"GrayText"="0 0 0"

Color in RGB-format, so the above example would turn gray into black.

Not being able to read German I didn't bother with the second pointer. Can you sum it up for me ?

He explained that he was thinking about implementing the tree view with all drives after the next update which would be NOW...

Let's wait and see...

Icfu

[chekmarx]

DAMN ! Do I feel *stupid*

That was as simple as 1-2-3 and not to mention easily found. The only thing I can figure is the shell gurus I talked to simply didn't want to be bothered and just blew me off ...

Since you're on a roll. Do you know of a workaround/hack to allow changing the font and/or font-size used in the Explorer window panes separate from the changes you can make via the Display properties --> Appearance tab ?

Not that I'll go back to using Explorer. TC is still much faster on my old-dog of a system. But it would be nice to know for future reference.

Thanks again !
chekmarx

[icfu]

Do you know of a workaround/hack to allow changing the font and/or font-size used in the Explorer window panes separate from the changes you can make via the Display properties --> Appearance tab ?

What do you mean by "separate"? The font you can change there under "Icons" I think affects the Explorer and the desktop.
Do you want the changes only in Explorer and not on Desktop? That's not possible afaik, you have to drop Explorer shell and use a better alternative like LiteStep then.

Icfu

[chekmarx]

That's what I was talking about. Font type/size changes in Explorer ONLY and not as the changes are currently done - ie the size of the Icon/Shortcut font dictates the size for Explorer as well.

That's one of the things I like about using a separate file manager, among many different reasons.

chekmarx

[sgp]

2 chekmarx
maybe this can help you navigate through all your disks from a single folder view. You need an NTFS file system for this to work.
1. create a "DISKS" folder where you like in your NTFS file system
2. for each disk/folder that you want to navigate, create a corresponding junction inside "DISKS". A number of free utilities can be used to create junctions on winXP - sysinternal's... there's even a TC file plugin
3. navigate the treeview of DISKS