Dual Pane Resurrected

[dsingleton]

Hi!

New to this and I saw the Dual Pane discussion which ended some time ago. Didn’t want to reply to anyone (wasn’t really appropriate), so I selected “New Topic” – I’m new to this. I hope I’m not breaching any protocols here! I also hope I’m not asking a stupid question, but I just can’t find the answer.

Just downloaded the demo (I’m looking to buy a file manager) and after searching Help and FAQs came here looking for a way to enable me to have two tabs open simultaneously (I do lots of directory re-arranging and copying) – I assume this is dual pane? Let me explain it another way, I assume dual pane means being able to simultaneously view two sets of directories and files (four columns).

I am someone who EVU day carries ALWAYS three, and sometimes 10 USB storage devices between home and office (I know, why not get 3 huge drives, but I carry a huge USB with all files, two small drives with current files, a small one with downloaded emails, a small drive with utilities, etc.).

I search for files, and open them through the file manager. I compare directories side by side (I admit, I am not as organized as I should be, and when I get in a hurry I save files where ever). The reason I am looking beyond Explorer is that while I can “get by” in a single pane or I can start two instances and arrange them vertically, it seems much more efficient to single click and have two views open simultaneously.

I see “j_c_hallgren” commented:

Given that a single pane user will readily buy a SP/DP product,
But a dedicated dual pane user likely will never try/buy a SP only product,
It makes financial sense to open up that portion of the market.

If I want just one pane, why pay when I have Explorer? Sure, I can pay for a program to “compare” two directories (I have in fact) or synchronize directories (I have a commercial program to do this as well), but usually I just want to see the directories side by side and I can instantly see which file I need, which directory needs to be updated, etc. Furthermore, I am constantly reorganizing my directory structures, and seeing the structures side by side facilitates that; switching between tabs just isn’t the same.

Maybe I’m totally off base about what “dual pane” means. If so, I’m sorry.

Maybe, I’m missing something – I always welcome any suggestions!

I admit, after the briefest exposure, this program looks like it has a lot to offer! In fact, if Dual Pane means what I think, and if I know it will be added some day, I will buy it. But if dual pane means what I assume it means, and it is not and will not be available, I cant see myself using this.
I previously downloaded Power Desk which does what I need, but before buying I decided to check out the other options. XYplorer seems to offer many more options! I am about to check out Directory Opus.

ONE MORE QUESTION. Text searches are pretty important to me, and I would love to have a program that searches well. How does XYplorer stack up?

Thanks for enduring a long message which I hope I have posted correctly – If not I apologize in advance, and if I’m just stupid and missing something, please let me know.

Thanks again,

David

[j_c_hallgren]

Hi, and welcome to XY forums!

First, there are no stupid questions here, IMO, but there have been some less than intelligent answers, (including some of my posts)!
And on reflection, some of my questions maybe haven't been that brilliant either.

Anyway, to your query: Yes, we know dual-pane as a three or four column display, with two lists of files and one/two tree displays...
And as I recall, it's now somewhere on the development roadmap, as shown in http://www.xyplorer.com/xyfc/viewtopic.php?t=830.

After working with XY a while, and using tabs, I find that I don't really need dual pane that often, but on those rare occasions that I just have to, I use the "lite" (free) vers of xplorer2 as a auxilliary file manager...I think some others here do also.

Dir Opus? I looked at it and found that while it could do a lot of stuff, the learning curve for it was just too great, while the friendly-ness of this forum and the speed of response from Don far outweighed any lack of features in XY.

Also, given you use USB drives, you'll find that XY is very usable running from one of those, so that may help in your decision, as you can have XY where ever you go that way.

And about your posting techniques, the only thing I'd say is that the quoted comments should have had a 'quote' tag around them to make it obvious...

[admin]

Hi David,

welcome to the forum!

To be frank: the only thing that thrills me about DP (dual pane) is that adding it would finally save me from having to receive wishes for it.

It is on the roadmap ( http://www.xyplorer.com/xyfc/viewtopic.php?t=830 ), but way down...

Okay, I learned to understand that a lot of people find DP is an important feature for their productivity and good moods in daily file management. But I never understood the unflexible fixation on DP that is often expressed in a quite dogmatic manner. Your post was very different in that aspect which is why I answer it at all.

I understand you do a lot of directory comparing -- but you don't do this all day long, right? So, why don't you just open 2 windows of XY side by side?? Dual Instance -- this is more dual than dual pane can ever get.

I would even support this strategy: I would add a command "Open 2nd instance side by side to current" (or so), which would do all the window sizing and arranging for you in a blink. Or a command in each folder's context menu saying "Open this folder in 2nd instance".

ONE MORE QUESTION. Text searches are pretty important to me, and I would love to have a program that searches well. How does XYplorer stack up?

XY can find files that do (or do not) contain a given string. It will also find it in UNICODE files. And you can enter binary strings in hexdecimal format.

What kind of text search do you need?


Oh, and what is EVU???

[j_c_hallgren]

So, why don't you just open 2 windows of XY side by side?? Dual Instance -- this is more dual than dual pane can ever get.

Not sure about David or others, but having only one XY means that I have less stuff on my taskbar, which is pretty important, as I often have 5-6 tasks going at one time, and because my screen size is such that taskbar only has half of total screen width, as Systray and QuickLaunch take up right half...so minimizing nbr of tasks is valuable to me.

Plus, having more than one XY session affects my Alt+Tab task switching, (as I'm doing that quite often), while having DP would not.

[bergfex]

I would even support this strategy: I would add a command "Open 2nd instance side by side to current" (or so), which would do all the window sizing and arranging for you in a blink. Or a command in each folder's context menu saying "Open this folder in 2nd instance".

I just tried it and I'm really surprised how well it works. I would not use it that much but there are that very rare occasions where it would be handy.

Such a command in the folder's and tab's context menu maybe would really be a nice solution. It could close the Navigation Panel/Catalog and open a second instance on the right side or under the first window.

Not sure about David or others, but having only one XY means that I have less stuff on my taskbar, which is pretty important, as I often have 5-6 tasks going at one time, and because my screen size is such that taskbar only has half of total screen width, as Systray and QuickLaunch take up right half...so minimizing nbr of tasks is valuable to me.

Plus, having more than one XY session affects my Alt+Tab task switching, (as I'm doing that quite often), while having DP would not.

I know that it would only be a workaround and maybe isn't a real option for all this die-hard DP fans. But personally I wouldn't need it more than once or twice a month and it would be more than adequate.

[Gandolf]

The killer of having two instances of XY (or any application) running is when you close them and then realise that you closed them in the wrong order, and all your settings have just been destroyed.
Also, two side by side is by no means an alternative to dual pane. How would I copy, or move, files from one pane to the other with a single keystroke?

[admin]

The killer of having two instances of XY (or any application) running is when you close them and then realise that you closed them in the wrong order, and all your settings have just been destroyed.

A solvable problem...

Also, two side by side is by no means an alternative to dual pane. How would I copy, or move, files from one pane to the other with a single keystroke?

Yeah, but how do you preview 2 images or videos at the same time with DP? With DI no problem... How do you have three panes at the same time with DP? With an instance-based approach there are no limits...

[j_c_hallgren]

Yeah, but how do you preview 2 images or videos at the same time with DP? With DI no problem... How do you have three panes at the same time with DP? With an instance-based approach there are no limits...

Well, having used x2 as my alternate, I'm satisfied with one common preview for both panes...if I want two previews, then I'll either use two tasks, or another product more designed for that particular function.

That's why having dual lists with a common tree and preview would likely suffice quite well for me....

[Gandolf]

Yeah, but how do you preview 2 images or videos at the same time with DP? With DI no problem... How do you have three panes at the same time with DP? With an instance-based approach there are no limits...

Look at Altap Salamander - I can preview as many images as I want and switch between then for comparison or I can open multiple instances of any image viewers from any file manager.

Three panes is not Dual pane and serves no use for keyboard file management. It's almost impossible to move files with a keyboard using multiple instances. I wrote a script to open more than one instance of XY when this discussion occurred some months ago, but abandoned it as a waste of time.

I know we won't convince you to Dual Pane any more than you will convince me to Tree and Single Pane. It's nothing to do with the features of the file manager, is simply a way of working. I've tried using single pane and tabs, it just doesn't work for me with the keyboard.

[graham]

Admin wrote;

I would even support this strategy: I would add a command "Open 2nd instance side by side to current" (or so), which would do all the window sizing and arranging for you in a blink. Or a command in each folder's context menu saying "Open this folder in 2nd instance".

Ok here goes with a probably stupid idea.

If it could be called up to open a second instance of XY then why not slightly change this to call up a 'special second instance'. By this I mean just a cut back instance which has just only a list view for a selected tab on the main.

[Gandolf]

...I wrote a script to open more than one instance of XY when this discussion occurred some months ago, but abandoned it as a waste of time....

Decided to dig up the old scripts and try again, AutoHotkey can be found at http://www.autohotkey.com/


Horizontal split.ahk

Code: Select all

SysGet, MonitorWorkArea, MonitorWorkArea, 1
Run, C:\Program Files\XYplorer\XYplorer.exe
WinWaitActive, ahk_class ThunderRT6FormDC
WinGetTitle, LeftTitle
WinMove, A,, 0, 0, (MonitorWorkAreaRight), (MonitorWorkAreaBottom/2)
WinSetTitle, Temporary
Winhide, Temporary
Run, C:\Program Files\XYplorer\XYplorer.exe
WinWaitActive, ahk_class ThunderRT6FormDC
WinMove, A,, 0, (MonitorWorkAreaBottom/2), (MonitorWorkAreaRight), (MonitorWorkAreaBottom/2)
WinShow, Temporary
WinActivate, Temporary
WinWaitActive, Temporary
WinSetTitle, %LeftTitle%
return

Vertical split.ahk

Code: Select all

SysGet, MonitorWorkArea, MonitorWorkArea, 1
Run, C:\Program Files\XYplorer\XYplorer.exe
WinWaitActive, ahk_class ThunderRT6FormDC
WinGetTitle, LeftTitle
WinMove, A,, 0, 0, (MonitorWorkAreaRight/2), (MonitorWorkAreaBottom)
WinSetTitle, Temporary
Winhide, Temporary
Run, C:\Program Files\XYplorer\XYplorer.exe
WinWaitActive, ahk_class ThunderRT6FormDC
WinMove, A,, (MonitorWorkAreaRight/2), 0, (MonitorWorkAreaRight/2), (MonitorWorkAreaBottom)
WinShow, Temporary
WinActivate, Temporary
WinWaitActive, Temporary
WinSetTitle, %LeftTitle%
return

The flashing annoys me but I haven't found a way to avoid it so far.

[bergfex]

Decided to dig up the old scripts and try again, AutoHotkey can be found at http://www.autohotkey.com/

Thank you, Gandolf.
With these scripts it is much easier than to do all the work manually. All I have to do is to close the Navigation Panel/Catalog.

AHK seems to be a great tool. The problem is that I am - as always - too lazy to learn the scripting language...

[Riki]

Id like to jump in and say Im still eagerly waiting for XY to incorporate DP. I have been trying opus for a while now and DP for me is very fast and inuative, I love it!

Riki

[admin]

...I wrote a script to open more than one instance of XY when this discussion occurred some months ago, but abandoned it as a waste of time....

Decided to dig up the old scripts and try again, AutoHotkey can be found at http://www.autohotkey.com/

Hey, thanks!!

[admin]

Id like to jump in and say Im still eagerly waiting for XY to incorporate DP. I have been trying opus for a while now and DP for me is very fast and inuative, I love it!

You are no alone apparently. And there are 200 DP file managers out there eager to please you. What's your problem?