Use TC to completely replace file open/save dialogs

[Channing]

Hello all,

If you’re addicted to TC (like me) it must be really painful to have to stay with the old primitive way of file browsing for more than ten hours a day. Yes, I’m talking about file dialogs: they are everywhere in almost all applications, very hard to use (even compared to Windows Explorer), with zero hot key support, and the browse for folder dialog is definitely one of the ugliest things on Windows…

Now the nightmare is over! Listary allows you to use TC to completely replace all file open/save and browse for folder dialogs with very simple steps:

1. After a file dialog pops up, first choose the file type filter you need as normal. Then press hot key Win + O.

Image: http://www.listary.com/images/features/tc-replace-filedlg1.png

2. Listary will open a new tab in TC (of your current folder in the file dialog) and apply the file type filter. Note that you need to have one TC instance running (I’m sure you do); Listary won’t open a new TC window. Now you can take all the benefits of TC.

Image: http://www.listary.com/images/features/tc-replace-filedlg2.png

3. After everything is done in TC, press Win + O again. The file dialog will open your selected file in TC. If no files are selected or it’s a browse for folder dialog, it will simply switch to the folder you’re viewing in TC.

Image: http://www.listary.com/images/features/tc-replace-filedlg3.png

In short words, Win + O & Win + O, bingo! You can change the hot key in Listary Options > Integration.

This feature supports multiple file selection if the application (the owner of the file dialog) allows you to open multiple files. Otherwise the first selected file will be opened. Note that file type filter is not supported by Microsoft Office open/save dialogs on Windows XP.


Other useful features for TC users

• After opening a file dialog, you can press Ctrl + G to let it switch to the folder you’re viewing in TC.
• After opening a file dialog, you can press Ctrl + O to let it open the focused file in TC directly (I’m feeling lucky)
• If you switch from a file dialog to TC and then switch back in whatever way, the file dialog will switch to the folder you’re viewing in TC.
• TC’s directory menu items are added to Listary favorite for quick access (from the Favorite menu on Listary toolbar or simply double-click on any part of the empty area in Explorer, desktop and file dialogs.

Requirements

Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP (32bit and 64bit supported)
Total Commander 7.50 (tested on all OS listed above with TC 7.56a)


About Listary

Listary is intended to provide a much better and united file browsing experience for Windows users. It adds favorite, recent documents feature and a bunch of useful commands to file dialogs, desktop, utilities (like 7-Zip and FileZilla) and the most famous file managers.
You can get an overview of some basic features from the video here.

Listary is freeware for personal use only.


Links

• Download EXE Installer
• Download Portable Version
• Homepage

Please help spread the word if you find it useful!

Don’t hesitate to reply here or contact me directly at support@listary.com if you have any questions or suggestions. I’m looking forward to your feedback!

[Channing]

I can finally post URLs, post edited

[solid]

Thanks for notifying for your tool.
There are other tools that helps with open/save dialogs, unfortunately not many of them still developed, so it is nice to have alternative.

After playing a little bit, i've noticed that environmental variables in TC directory menu and submenus don't get processed.
Also on my machine it takes a while to display the menu, i guess displaying icons are slowing it, because i have a lot of network drives stored in directory menu.
Otherwise, great utility.

[Channing]

2solid
Thanks for your feedback!

After playing a little bit, i've noticed that environmental variables in TC directory menu and submenus don't get processed.

Sorry that this version doesn't support environment variables. I'll add support in the next version.

Also on my machine it takes a while to display the menu, i guess displaying icons are slowing it, because i have a lot of network drives stored in directory menu.

I load icons in a background thread, so it’s possible caused by something else. I’ll check it.

You can use Win + O to open directory menu and select files you need to open in TC directly. This should work like a charm

[ehab]

This is a wonderful tool, it complements TC and i will now switch from FileBX to Listary.

Thanks for providing and best wishes.

[jjk]

Very good tool. It is the first which works with OpenOffice. Unfortunately, under OOo, when I tape Win+O I see TC filtered list. Then, when I double click on some file, OOo opens the choosed file, but in an other window, not in the initial window. Is it normal ?
Also, with MsOffice 2003, the choosed file is opened, but only after I have canceled the Open window.

Anyway, very good work indeed.

[jp_roth]

when you double click on the file, i think listary doesn't catch the action. That's why it's opening another instance of the program.

Wonderful tool indeed. Especially since i could no longer customise the file open dialogs in seven. (one can, but not like that in xp)

thanks for the program.

[DBH]

Just wanted to say thank you!

I was always looking to find a way around those open/save-dialogs. Now they are "history"! Thanks again!

[chromax]

Amazing stuff!

Great tool.

[dublinjames]

I really like this tool so far ... will prob upgrade to Pro after seeing if the extra features are usefull to me. Thanks

[speller2]

In such cases I am using Alt+Tab to go into TC, select required file/dir, press a tool button to copy current file/dir name, Alt+Tab back to file dialog and press Ctrl+V.

Tried this tool... Hm... Why it do not close opened tab in TC when I press Esc in file dialog? Why it do not close its tab after pressing Win+O in TC? Why it do not apply filter? Why it do not open file under cursor in TC (without selecting it)?