Note: I'm aware of file comments, virtual panel, directory hotlist, start menu, buttons, lst, so I'm not looking for a work around but suggesting a new feature. It might even be doable using AutoHotkey.
You don't have to like this suggestion of course
There are plugins or other third party solutions (incl. twinkey)[1] but this is about making it a standard feature of TC, so no plugins/3rd party tools. I'm not interested in those.
What & How
Decent (in my view) text editors have the ability to "bookmark line(s)" - the better ones remember these for each file so when you open the file again later the bookmarks are still available and allow you to quick jump around in the document to the section you need.
I would like to see something similar in TC where you can bookmark multiple files or folders. When you return to that folder later, the bookmarks are still there and can be navigated to quickly via keyboard shortcuts and/or (user) commands.
This way you can "mark" files you need to find (more) quickly the next time as you may no longer remember the name, or the names are too similar, cryptic etc, and "find/go to" them quickly. Of course there always a practical limit, if you create a 1000 bookmarks in a folder you end up with the same problem
The bookmark data should ideally be stored in a separate file, like tcDirFrq.txt currently is for example.
That would make it very easy to remove all bookmarks for all folders, and should also allow for better external editing (via text editor, batch/scripting to be able to create a large(r) number of bookmarks for specific folders).
Bookmarked files/folders should be available for "Define colors by File type".
Just like file comments (descript.ion) it should work on a per folder basis, so this is not meant to jump to a favourite file across your system - for that purpose Directory hotlist or other methods would be more suitable.
Example
In the "file panel" list below there are 20 files, the names are probably not easy to remember or find again without relatively many steps (searching, quick view etc).
When entering the folder, the bookmarked files are potentially highlighted (setup by the user by using Define colors by File typ) - here in blue to illustrate - so you can already identify visually some of them (if they are visible in the panel of course).
The cursor is probably at the top and you want to quickly move to the first bookmark file.
By pressing your defined hotkey for "cm_BookmarkGotoNext" (see commands below) you would immediately jump to ProjectFile_JQMN.txt,
pressing the hotkey again to ProjectFile_TSLL.txt
and finally to ProjectFile_CEGE.txt.
It could either stop "moving" or cycle back to the first one: ProjectFile_JQMN.txt
So when you're working on something, and find the file you need to use later, you can quickly bookmark it, do other things, come back to folder and quickly go back to where you want.
When done you remove the bookmark if you no longer need it.
Using other methods (directory hotlist for example) is just too tedious for "many" of such operations, especially if you want to make heavy use of it. File comments have their place but are not suitable for "go to next" etc. By adding some cm_ commands it allows for greater flexibility for automation as well.
As nearly all information is already available in TC (file list in current panel, moving cursor) I suspect it wouldn't actually be too difficult to add. And it would be yet another feature to set it aside from other file managers
Example Folder content:
General comments..
ProjectFile_XCXY.txt
ProjectFile_TEBV.txt
ProjectFile_HFID.txt
ProjectFile_JQMN.txt
ProjectFile_QWWV.txt
ProjectFile_OPKL.txt
ProjectFile_NAIW.txt
ProjectFile_GLDM.txt
ProjectFile_VVFR.txt
ProjectFile_DAPO.txt
ProjectFile_OAME.txt
ProjectFile_TSLL.txt
ProjectFile_RIST.txt
ProjectFile_NFNT.txt
ProjectFile_UGUI.txt
ProjectFile_PEOP.txt
ProjectFile_MCXV.txt
ProjectFile_CEGE.txt
ProjectFile_PNBM.txt
ProjectFile_DAAQ.txt
- It should work on a per folder basis like file comments (e.g. not global bookmarks of favourites).
- When a bookmarked file is copied the bookmark is NOT transferred/copied.
- When a bookmarked file is deleted, moved or renamed, the bookmark is deleted (so you would have to create a new bookmark if you wish to retain it).
A number of commands should be added to TC to allow for (user) defined commands to be used in buttons etc and of course (re)define hotkeys.
- cm_BookmarkSet (current or selected files)
- cm_BookmarkUnSet (current or selected files)
- cm_BookmarkToggle (set when not set, unset when set)
- cm_BookmarkSelectAll (select all bookmarked files so you can copy or archive them for example)
- cm_BookmarkClearAll (clear/remove all bookmarks from current folder)
- cm_BookmarkGotoNext (or cm_BookmarkDown) incl +/- number e.g. cm_BookmarkGotoNext 3 go to third bookmarked file from current location
- cm_BookmarkGotoPrevious (or cm_BookmarkUp) incl +/- number
- cm_BookmarkViewOnly (only show bookmarked files/folders, similar to only show *.ext)
- and probably more can be introduced.
- tc.bookmark = yes/no
[1] One alternative would be the twinkey plugin that has a bookmark functionality, if you like that, great you can use it, but again this is about making it a standard feature of TC for those who don't want to use third party tools for this purpose.