The Catalog


The Catalog is a powerful mouse-oriented interface. By default, it is located just below the folder tree. It can be toggled using the Window | Show Catalog menu, and repositioned using the Window | Arrangement menu.

The Catalog, here positioned on the right.

The Catalog is organized into user-defined sections called "Categories", which can be collapsed like tree nodes. You add new items, such as a folder, to a category by dragging it onto the category header. Clicking on such a folder item will browse that folder in the current tab and pane.

In conventional file management parlance, the Catalog would be called a Favorites Panel. But it is much more than that...

It's not just your average favorites panel

The catalog can group distributed locations and items (local, LAN, Web) under one heading. With a single click, you can go to, copy, open, or launch them.
You can also drop items on the catalog to move or copy them to folders or add them to zip archives.
You can backup distributed items together in a catalog category in one go. Just select a category and use the normal editing commands (Copy, Copy To..., Backup To...); they will be applied to all file system items within that category.
You can apply Visual Filters to the current file listing with a single click on a catalog item defined as a Visual Filter.
Or you can start a one-click file search directly from the catalog.
The catalog can serve as a script library because you can also execute scripts directly from the catalog.
You can move catalog items by dragging them to a new location, even to a new category.
The catalog also serves as a launch panel for applications and files. A single click will open the application or file with its default application.
Even better, you can simply drag and drop a file onto an application listed in the catalog, and the file will be opened with that application.
The catalog can also work as a Open-With Panel. Add an application to the catalog, then open its properties via the context menu of the item and specify the application to open all selected list items with (see image on the right). Of course, command line parameters can also be defined in the properties.

Properties dialog of a catalog item. (Click to enlarge)

The catalog provides a flat hierarchy that is only one level deep. This "limitation" is there for a reason: it's relaxing, because it limits chaos.
Catalog management is easy: add and move items with drag'n'drop, rename them with F2, color them for better visual cues. All catalog data is stored in a small file called catalog.dat, ready to use and take with you on a USB flash drive.
You can even go so far as to turn off the tree completely with a quick Shift+F8. Now you browse by catalog only.

Working with many Catalogs

Switch Catalogs. You can switch Catalogs on the fly and manage any number of Catalog resources directly from the user interface. You can find the usual commands in the right-click menu of any catalog category and of an empty catalog:

Context menu of a Catalog item. (Click to enlarge)

Recently Used Catalogs. At the bottom of the above submenu, you will find the most recently used catalogs. Recent Catalogs are also available in the context menu of the Catalog toolbar button. They can be managed via the menu Tools | List Management | Recent Catalogs.
Import/Export functionality. The commands "Import Catalog..." and "Export Category..." can be found in the Catalog context menu under the submenu "Catalog".

Import Catalog: Here you can import other catalogs into the current catalog at the position right before the currently selected category.

Export Category: Here you can export the current category as a standalone catalog. This one-category catalog can be imported later, or loaded as a stand-alone catalog.

This feature allows you to easily move data between catalogs, and it provides a new elegant way to share advanced functionality (scripts, filters...) between users. However, see Including Catalogs below for an even more elegant solution depending on your workflow.

Including Catalogs

There is also support for including multiple external catalogs. This is an enterprise feature that allows teams to include multiple external sources for sharing items and allows management or executives to control who can modify those items. Items include locations, drop targets, scripts, filters, searches, and applications.

A catalog with items from an included catalog at the bottom (marked with a green square). (Click to enlarge)

Note that there is no limit to the number or size of catalogs included.

Included catalogs are not simply appended or inserted, but merged into the master catalog, so that items from different catalogs are combined within the same categories. Once included, these external items work just like normal items, with one important difference: They are read-only. The included source files are never modified.

See Including Catalogs in the Help for more information.

This page was last updated on 2024-01-10. Screenshots do not necessarily reflect the current look and feel of the application. Some of the functionality may have been changed or enhanced in the current version.