Where are the file actions

[Jim22]

Greetings,
I am a new TC user (20 mins). I basically came here since I understood this is a cool prog to compare 2 files. People also claim this prog is much better than Windows Explorer. Being new with this program, I am hitting one brick wall after another:

1. All my right mouse actions for each file type are gone (and I have heavy edits for those).
2. Used to be able to View/Sort the display on the run with the right mouse button, without needing to hunt for some button on the top screen.

Any ideas how to get these 2 items? Where should I read more about the file compare functionality?
Thanks, Jim

[Hacker]

I basically came here since I understood this is a cool prog to compare 2 files.

Actually, this is a cool prog to manage files. There are much better compare-type utilities out there.

Concerning your other questions, hopefully other users can help.

Roman

[szlori]

Greetings,
I am a new TC user (20 mins). I basically came here since I understood this is a cool prog to compare 2 files. People also claim this prog is much better than Windows Explorer. Being new with this program, I am hitting one brick wall after another:

Welcom on board!
Don't worry, everybody is like that in the beginning.
TC is kind of famous to be a bit less friendly to new users.

1. All my right mouse actions for each file type are gone (and I have heavy edits for those).

You have to press and hold the right mouse button for a while -> you will get your context menu.
This is the default behaviour of TC, but it can be changed: go to Configuration->Options->Operation "Mouse selection mode" and select "Left mouse button (Windows standard)". This way you will have the context menu popping up normally on short right-click.

2. Used to be able to View/Sort the display on the run with the right mouse button, without needing to hunt for some button on the top screen.

You can sort easily by clicking on the column headers, or check the lower part of the Show menu.
TC has a very powerful viewing function, F3 is the usual key for viewing a file.
Later, you can also install separate plug-ins for viewing different types of files.

Where should I read more about the file compare functionality?

Select 2 files and Files->Compare By Content...
For more info check the Help (far right of the menu). Click on Search button and type in "Compare by content".
You can also synchronize whole directories, check "Synchronize dirs".

Hope this helps!

[Jim22]

Thanks Lori for your reply. Now I can almost use TC as well as Windows Explorer. 2 other critical issues, for me, are:

1. Actually this is one from my initial post, but probably I didn't phrase it right. How can I change the "View " option on the fly between Thumbnail, Icon, List, Detail ......... same way as I can do with right mouse click in Windows Explorer?

2. The 2 panes, side by side are precious, but sorta useless as far as my needs go. Can I default TC to open in single pane, say in C:\

Tkx Jim.

[JP]

1. Actually this is one from my initial post, but probably I didn't phrase it right. How can I change the "View " option on the fly between Thumbnail, Icon, List, Detail ......... same way as I can do with right mouse click in Windows Explorer?

You must right-click the column's headers (Name, Ext, Size, Date) and choose what you want. Or you can use keyboard's shorcuts:

Ctrl+F1=Brief mode
Ctrl+F2=Full mode
Ctrl+Shift+F1=Thumbnail view mode
Ctrl+Q=Preview file/directory (Quick View Panel)
Ctrl+F8=Tree View mode

[JP]

2. The 2 panes, side by side are precious, but sorta useless as far as my needs go. Can I default TC to open in single pane, say in C:\

1. Ctrl+F8=Tree view
2.Right-click on the middle of the two panes and chose 20/80 or 30/70, for instance
3. In the menu, choose Configuration/Save Position to save your settings.

Is that what you want?

To always start in a specific directory (or C:\) you need to open it in your tab, right-click the tab title and choose: Locked, but directory changes allowed.

[JohnFredC]

The 2 panes, side by side are precious, but sorta useless as far as my needs go

Well... the purpose of dual pane file managers is having the source and destination file lists simultaneously visible. The efficiency gains from that approach are incredibly huge over explorer's default tree-window view and all its scrolling around and being careful not to change focus and lose your file selections.

Of course you can always have two explorer windows when you need them, but window arranging with the mouse or the preparation for tiling usually required (by getting other windows minimized so that they don't participate) is so inefficient I don't know how the Microsoft guys stand it.

Explorer has some good ideas, but honestly, what were they thinking?

Sorry about the rant.

[Jim22]

First let me thank all who've helped me with advice. For a while longer, I will keep on using both progs, till I can settle comfortably on 1 alone.

The 2 panels are nice if you need them, but I've gotten used to moving my stuff around using a single panel. I just decided on a 0/100 ratio, saved that, and I can work with that.

Some things which I find nicer with Windows Explorer so far are:

1. File name labels under Thumbnails are 2 lines long there, 1 line long here.
2. One can have a Folders view there, which I am not sure if it's here. This way one can open folders quickly, VERY QUICKLY, in the Folders panel without waiting for any thumbnails to build up, and only at the end go into the target folder and blow it up fully.
3. Here we have the equivalent of list, details, thumbnails views, but NOT the icons view. At times that icons view is preferred depending on the task at hand.
4. There they have a slide option for picture folders. That is sweet at times, when thumbnails are too small, and you wanna cruise fast through 100 pics.

I mean it's not like I am trying to pick on TC, just a few ideas that came to mind while I'm warmng up to the TC idea.

Jim.

[Sir_SiLvA]

4. There they have a slide option for picture folders. That is sweet at times, when thumbnails are too small, and you wanna cruise fast through 100 pics.

In TC you can change the size of the Thumbnails -> Options -> Thumbs

[icfu]

The 2 panels are nice if you need them, but I've gotten used to moving my stuff around using a single panel. I just decided on a 0/100 ratio, saved that, and I can work with that.

Using one panel is a disease from people coming from Explorer only. As time goes by you won't miss it anymore and then can be called cured.
If you really don't need two panels after you have tried it a little longer TC is the wrong app for you, for sure. You should better try out some Explorer clone then, there are much of them out there. The most professional one is Directory Opus but also free ones like http://www.explorerxp.com/ are quite useful for basic needs.

1. File name labels under Thumbnails are 2 lines long there, 1 line long here.

Just use "\n" to insert new lines in config-thumbnails-Add. You can choose which information to display using Content plugins. Explorer is rather limited here...

2. One can have a Folders view there, which I am not sure if it's here. This way one can open folders quickly, VERY QUICKLY, in the Folders panel without waiting for any thumbnails to build up, and only at the end go into the target folder and blow it up fully.

Ctrl-F8

3. Here we have the equivalent of list, details, thumbnails views, but NOT the icons view. At times that icons view is preferred depending on the task at hand.

You can use IEView plugin for that. Pressing Ctrl-Q on folders integrates the Explorer view.

4. There they have a slide option for picture folders. That is sweet at times, when thumbnails are too small, and you wanna cruise fast through 100 pics.

Use IEView, too:
http://www.totalcmd.net/plugring/ieview.html

I mean it's not like I am trying to pick on TC, just a few ideas that came to mind while I'm warmng up to the TC idea.

That's ok, but keep in mind that you are not the first one using TC. This forum is quite well visited therefore you should presume that most of the proposals have already been made. Most of the times workarounds are available.

@Sir_Silva:

In TC you can change the size of the Thumbnails -> Options -> Thumbs

That's possible in Explorer, too, either using Powertoys TweakUI or editing a simple registry value.

Icfu

[Sir_SiLvA]

@Sir_Silva:

In TC you can change the size of the Thumbnails -> Options -> Thumbs

That's possible in Explorer, too, either using Powertoys TweakUI or editing a simple registry value.[/quote]

Sorry didnt knew that - only use this prg when i have to update the tc.exe-file

[icfu]

only use this prg when i have to update the tc.exe-file

I am using a batch for that including killing TC and restarting.

Icfu

[Sir_SiLvA]

only use this prg when i have to update the tc.exe-file

I am using a batch for that including killing TC and restarting.

Than why didnt you post that batch ?

[icfu]

Because I like to know if I will waste my time and post something for the bin or if there really is someone who is interested...

Save as TCinstall.cmd, drag it to the button bar, enter parameter %P%N in button:

Code: Select all

taskkill /im totalcmd.exe
%1
start /d"X:\Path\To\Installation Folder" TOTALCMD.EXE

Navigate to the installation file and press the button or drag&drop it on the button.

If you don't use XP/2003 you need a replacement taskkiller.

Icfu

[Jim22]

Tkx guys. Have instlalled the IEView plugin, and it works fine.
About the double line label under Thumbs ....... it depends: I have read the "\n" bit, and it can be used as a field separator when choosing to display a few values in the label under a thumbnail ....... but my original comment of a longfile name being displayed over 2 lines in Explorer label, as opposed to 1 line in TC still stands correct. And YES, the TC labeling facility is indeed more complex, but alas ..... each value spans 1 line only. (But he, he, IEView plugin has the 2 lines labels too, LOL).
Jim.