Total Commander

We currently have 2 options:

1. Use righ mouse button (as in NC)
2. Left mouse button (Windows standard)


I would like to suggest third:
3. Use both

How it should work:
When the one wants to select multiple files (by draging the mouse while rmb is down) it will work as 1.
When the one clicks and releases RMB on single file, it will not become selected but it will work as 2.


The purpose
Both methods have its good and bad behaviors. I use 1. as in NC but that makes inpractical accessing windows menu (by holding the RMB longer).
Draging the RMB to select more files does nothing in mode 2 - mouse is changed to (/) symbol - and selecting single file doesn't make any sense, as everything behaves the same without selection (as placing the cursor is the same as selection).

So, If I click and release RMB on file without draging, Windows menu should appear. If I click and drag and relese RMB, files should be selected as in 1. If I want to select only single file, I will just click it and set cursor to it.

Side effect is that this will be more familiar to new TC users as it will be visible among the options. Current click and hold principle to get Windows menu is not only anoying to wait, but ppl constanly ask on forum how to do that.

The bad side
The only thing not possible with 3thd option would be to iteratively select files one by one (for instance when filtering some list). This is why it should be an option not the defult way. This can be solved by ALT Clicking the file in this mode (or by using Middle click for instance)

So:

3. Multiple select like in NC, single select like in Windows, Iterative select by Middle click

IMHO dragging and selecting should remain on two different mouse buttons in the Norton mode. The Windows mode should work like in Explorer. I have no reservations about a custom mode though. That also includes a free mouse key assignment.

During the alpha test I suggested to allow the user to call the context menu using the middle mouse button in Norton mode.

I remember there was a implementaton issue. It seems it isn't so easy to add your own subclassing routines to the already existing subclassing in the VCL. That doesn't mean it's not feasible but it requires some work. I hope to see this implemented one day.

It seems it isn't so easy to add your own subclassing routines to the already existing subclassing in the VCL

Hm... while I was browsing the Delphi code I remember to see subclasing quite frequently. Might be true for Delphi. No such problem using Win SDK, thats for sure.

Anyway, why subclssing ? The control should just add monitoring of middle click in this case if I didn't take it wrong somehow

2majkinetor !

Anyway, why subclssing ?

Windows already handles the middle mouse button. You to have prevent Windows doing this - otherwise the scroll helper cursor is displayed when pressing the middle mouse button.