New User Question and Feedback

BeeCee · Post by **BeeCee** » 12 Feb 2007 17:10

Hello,

I am a long-time user of Directory Opus but came across XYExplorer in my hunt for a totally portable yet powerful explorer replacement.

My first impressions of XYExplorer are very positive - clean, tidy interface, portable, with a great deal of customization possibilities.

I am wondering whether XY has a simple 'lauch program' feature (that maybe I am missing) similar to that found in certain other Explorer programs. I know there is a favourite file menu, but this does not by itself launch the identified program and simply navigates to the specific folder.

I love the colour-coded catalog possibilities and the fact that I can set these up for 'other' PCs or computers I might work on.

This is my first post, and I am still testing XY alongside a couple of other portable 'explorers' but first impression is very good!

Beth

surrender · Post by **surrender** » 12 Feb 2007 17:35

Hi Beth,

Welcome to XYplorer fan club!!

XYplorer has a very easy way to launch programs. Simply add the programs (exes) to the catalog and you can drag&drop any file onto these exes and boom they launch. Is this what you were looking for?? I made a dummy image for you.

I am sure you will love XYplorer and its creator Don. Enjoy!!

jacky · Post by **jacky** » 12 Feb 2007 17:55

Welcome to XY!

To add to what surrender said, yes the Catalog will allow you to launch applications in one click very easilly, all you need to do is to use the prefix file:/// in front of the Item's destination.
You'll also even be able to drop items on this Catalog item to open them with the app.

You can find more about this, and all of XYplorer, on the XYwiki.

Quick tip: Basically, everything supported on Catalog Items works the same on Go to feature, Address bar or Favorite Folders.
Therefore, you could use List Management to add to your Favorite Folders something like file:///C:\WINDOWS\notepad.exe then, and when using the Favorite Folders menu (available on right-click on a blank area on Tree) clicking it could also launch the app, eg notepad.

BeeCee · Post by **BeeCee** » 12 Feb 2007 18:16

Hello Surrender and Jacky,

Thank you both for a quick and useful reply! Have now set up programs to launch.

Beth

Post by **admin** » 13 Feb 2007 08:42

Hi BeeCee,

since you are new to XY but experienced in a complex file manager like DOpus, and since I promote XY as "keeping it simple" (while it is growing daily since years...

) I'd like to ask you: is it simple? is it easy? or is it already turning into a heap of bloat?

We currently have a variety of documenting resources:
- the help file
- the XY wiki at http://88.191.26.34/XYwiki/index.php/Main_Page
- the XY website at http://www.xyplorer.com/
- the XY forum ("Beta Club") at http://www.xyplorer.com/xyfc/index.php
- extensive reviews like http://www.donationcoder.com/Forums/bb/ ... 1#msg34081
- ongoing blogs like http://es.wordpress.com/tag/xyplorer/

I wonder if it is time to publish an XYplorer Crash Course on the website. Probably based on http://www.xyplorer.com/product.htm but less promo blurb and more advice.

Comments anybody?

Post by **j_c_hallgren** » 13 Feb 2007 09:49

As someone who uses some features always, but other features only rarely, the problem I run into sometimes is: What was that feature I'm looking for called? Because it's hard to find it when you don't remember the name! Or...in some cases, a feature is mentioned here and I say to myself: Which one is that? It does that too??

The wiki has really become quite handy, as we all can help improve it based on our knowledge of a particular feature, plus it doesn't rely on just one person to create/maintain it, so it tends to stay reasonably current (thanks mainly to jacky!!!).

But I think the wiki could use a few more screenshots or partials with some balloons/pointers as done in top part of "product.htm" so users could find things by graphical images instead of text...the problem is: the overhead work to create and maintain those, and keep them current...plus in some cases, scrubbing the data so personal info doesn't end up on web...

Maybe also we'd need more entries in FAQ section on wiki...which could just point back to other items in wiki where it's documented...and use some of the queries in posts/threads made here as basis for 'missing' FAQ's?

Post by **admin** » 15 Feb 2007 00:55

j_c_hallgren wrote:The wiki has really become quite handy...

Yes, but for a newbie it might look overwhelming, even intimidating.

stitches · Post by **stitches** » 16 Feb 2007 08:57

The wiki is a blessing,no doubt.
Maybe look into screencasts for a visual walkthrough.