Help me be convert from DirectoryOpus

Post by **serendipity** » 16 Dec 2007 06:36

Jeff Bellune wrote:(Sidebar: is there a satisfactory workaround for not having DP? Tab-dropping is OK, but it's not quite there for me. I still have to open the target tab after I drop just to make sure the files/folders went where they were supposed to.)

Its easy to check if you dropped files/folders correctly. Just use "Go to last target" from menu>go or simply ctrl+alt+F7

Edit: Also, you can use F7 to quickly swap between last two paths in history.

Gandolf · Post by **Gandolf** » 16 Dec 2007 07:00

Jeff Bellune wrote:... I just don't know how much I'll miss being able to see both the source and target file lists at the same time (no Dual Pane in XY).

(Sidebar: is there a satisfactory workaround for not having DP? Tab-dropping is OK, but it's not quite there for me. I still have to open the target tab after I drop just to make sure the files/folders went where they were supposed to.) ...

If you haven't already seen:
http://www.xyplorer.com/xyfc/viewtopic. ... 6985#16985

or the neater solution by TheQwerty:
http://www.xyplorer.com/xyfc/viewtopic. ... 7058#17058

Have a look at them. I would imagine that they work best for mouse users, I'm a keyboard user so I haven't used them in anger.

Post by **admin** » 16 Dec 2007 09:40

Jeff Bellune wrote:(Sidebar: is there a satisfactory workaround for not having DP? Tab-dropping is OK, but it's not quite there for me. I still have to open the target tab after I drop just to make sure the files/folders went where they were supposed to.)

Ah, then you don't know about the open-tab-on-hover functionality!

Drag your load over a tab header and wait 800 ms (this time is configurable!): the target tab will open and you see your load dropping in place.

From your screenshot I see that you still have to "learn" (at least) two nice things: locking tabs and making one tab the default tab. I personally find this indispensible.
Also, you have not many buttons on the toolbar. A nice thing about those buttons is that most of them have interesting context menus...

Jeff Bellune · Post by **Jeff Bellune** » 16 Dec 2007 17:46

open-tab-on-hover

Verrrrry nice! I like that the delay time is customizable.

1. Okay, how can you tell from the screenshot that my tabs aren't locked?

(Just kidding - I discovered the underlined tab caption when a tab is locked) I thought I was doing good to get Homes assigned to each of them!

2. I read the Help file on a "default" tab, but I'm not sure how best to use it. Can you (or anyone) shed some light on using default tabs?

3. Would you mind listing some of your favorite toolbar buttons, please? I mean the ones that you use almost constantly? I've only added the Preview button (and made a request for an Info Panel/Properties Tab toggle button).

Thanks in advance. I'm sure more ideas will come as I spend more time with XY.

-Jeff

Post by **serendipity** » 16 Dec 2007 17:54

Hi Jeff,
I have run somewhere now, but regarding the third point, try reading the XYWIKI's pages that have comprehensive help and tips about XYplorer. And ofcourse there is a lot about toolbar:
http://88.191.26.34/XYwiki/index.php/Toolbar

Jeff Bellune · Post by **Jeff Bellune** » 16 Dec 2007 18:01

Hi serendipity,

Thanks for that. The wiki is my friend - that's how I found out what "Home Zones" were.

(It's not in the Help)

The wiki toolbar button info is very in-depth. Unfortunately, it makes me want to put *all* of the buttons on the toolbar.

I was just trying to get an idea of what other people (and especially Don) thought were the most important buttons to have up there.

My assumption is that the default buttons are set up to reflect only the most basic file management commands so as not to overwhelm new users like me.

-Jeff

EDIT: Twenty-seven posts in 3 days???? What the heck is wrong with me?

Post by **admin** » 16 Dec 2007 18:08

Jeff Bellune wrote:My assumption is that the default buttons are set up to reflect only the most basic file management commands so as not to overwhelm new users like me.

Exactly.

I'm not such a total toolbar freak myself, but my most used buttons are these: back, fore, up, hotlist, list management, toggle thumbs view, show/hide hidden files, autorefresh, suspend autorefresh. I also have Manage UDCs, and Customzie keyboard shortcuts, but only because I always mix up their KS

jacky · Post by **jacky** » 16 Dec 2007 18:20

Jeff Bellune wrote:2. I read the Help file on a "default" tab, but I'm not sure how best to use it. Can you (or anyone) shed some light on using default tabs?

You can only have one default tab. The idea is that whenever XY will be in a situation where a new tab should be open - not because you asked for it specifically, but because for example you're on a locked tab and trying to go away - then the default tab will be activated/used instead.

I find it very useful, especially for example when you have a dedicated tab to search results. I see you don't, but I do. I find that locking a tab called "Search results" and using the option to have all Find operations to use that one tab really nice, and because it's locked when I click on Tree or example while being there, instead of opening a new tab it will use the default tab.

admin wrote:you have not many buttons on the toolbar.

hmm.. I count about 14 of them, and you say that's not many uh ? What happen to our great Zen Master

Jeff Bellune wrote:3. Would you mind listing some of your favorite toolbar buttons, please? I mean the ones that you use almost constantly? I've only added the Preview button (and made a request for an Info Panel/Properties Tab toggle button).

I think it really depends on the way you use XY. AFAIC I use those all the times :
- Save Settings (cause I often change Tree Highlights that I want remembered)
- Hide Folders (turns out to be quite useful when working)
- Visual Filters (a must, with great features on ctxt menu)
- Suspend Auto-Refresh (another must for me)
- Show Panel (for when I'm too lazy to go click on the Statusbar

)

I also kinda have those :
- Calculate Folder Sizes
- Open Command Prompt
- Hotlist
- Back / History
- Up
- Move To
- Config

And as Don said, check out the ctxt menu of the buttons. For instance, when buttons go by "groups", like Move/Copy/Backup To or Cut/Copy/Paste for the clipboard, each buttons will have all commands on their context menu, so maybe you can have enough with only the one you use most of the times, given that other commands are still available simply through the right-click

Just like the Hotlist gives you access to Breadcrumb, Drives, etc (Also, Breadcrumb is available by right-clicking on the tab's icon)

Ohh.. new posts!

admin wrote:I'm not such a total toolbar freak myself

Oh, that might be why you don't see how awesome it'd be to have it on the menubar (with custom buttons)

(In fact, I wanted that so much I tried to do it myself... I failed

but I still add my own items upthere. Not as good/small/efficient but I couldn't live without it now!)

Jeff Bellune · Post by **Jeff Bellune** » 16 Dec 2007 18:24

Thanks, Don.

That helps a lot! I've also locked each of the custom tabs in my screenshot to their Home Zone, and made my "Working Tab" the default. I'll play with that setup for a while to see if I can get my head around the best way to use tabs.

I just made a visit to PayPal to buy a license for XY. Now, that doesn't mean I've given up completely on DOpus. It just means that I really like XY and that I'm grateful for all the help you've given to me over the last few days. What better way to say, "thanks" than by purchasing a license?

-Jeff

Post by **admin** » 16 Dec 2007 18:27

Jeff Bellune wrote:What better way to say, "thanks" than by purchasing a license?

I don't know any better way! Thanks!

Jeff Bellune · Post by **Jeff Bellune** » 16 Dec 2007 18:34

More new posts!

Thanks, jacky. The command prompt and visual filters buttons sound interesting. I will have to try them.

Also, the locked Search tab sounds like a great idea! I never would have thought of that on my own.

Question: How does clicking on the Statusbar (the one at the bottom of the List panel) do what the Show Panel button does? And which Show Panel - Info or Nav?

-Jeff

jacky · Post by **jacky** » 16 Dec 2007 18:48

Jeff Bellune wrote:Question: How does clicking on the Statusbar (the one at the bottom of the List panel) do what the Show Panel button does? And which Show Panel - Info or Nav?

Info Panel, sorry. And right, there's an opion for this now : Configuration - Advanced : "Click on status bar toggles info panel" (bottom right)

When enabled, a left-click does the same as that button, show/hide the panel. A right-click switches between min/last-used size. Very useful IMO.

BTW Don : why does those none of those buttons has a context menu ? It'd be nice to see for each of them the list of all possibilities : Show/Hide, Last/Min, Max/Min I think.

Post by **serendipity** » 16 Dec 2007 20:23

jacky wrote:why does those none of those buttons has a context menu ? It'd be nice to see for each of them the list of all possibilities : Show/Hide, Last/Min, Max/Min I think.

+1 for that. I am a reductionist guy. This option will help me remove atleast one more button.

Post by **j_c_hallgren** » 16 Dec 2007 23:58

Jeff Bellune wrote:EDIT: Twenty-seven posts in 3 days???? What the heck is wrong with me?

I just made a visit to PayPal to buy a license for XY. Now, that doesn't mean I've given up completely on DOpus. It just means that I really like XY and that I'm grateful for all the help you've given to me over the last few days. What better way to say, "thanks" than by purchasing a license?

You're just getting the XY forum addiction! And becoming a good XY user who contibutes to the process of making it even better...Look at my post totals...I was just planning to post once or twice and now I'm SO hooked that I'm almost posting more than I probably should...

And as a fellow user, I also thank you for buying a license...as as you've seen, we try to be as helpful as we can here...especially when a new user asks good questions and doesn't demand that XY be changed immediately as a couple of people did...

Jeff Bellune · Post by **Jeff Bellune** » 19 Dec 2007 00:19

I just uninstalled the DOpus trial from my "work" computer. I will be buying a second XY license just for that computer.

I run a one-man video-editing business on the side (my day job is unrelated to video). If I read the XY license agreement correctly, then I need one XY license as an "individual person" that administers the family computers, and one XY license as the (only) employee/owner of my business for the computer that is used part-time to generate income. All the computers are in my home, and I will most likely be the only one that ever uses XY on any of the computers. But I think 2 licenses are technically required, and even if not, it's still the right thing to do.

Plus, I want to get the lifetime license while it's still an exceptionally good deal.

I found that I don't miss Dual Pane as much as thought now that I know about open-tab-on-hover. I use 7-zip for my ZIP handling and FireFTP in Firefox for my FTP needs. The difference in cost vs. function between XY and DOpus tilted heavily in favor of XY.

The only thing about DOpus that I can't seem to duplicate in XY is their filtering system. It's used throughout the program, and is especially useful in file searching. Their example (and how I used it the most) is a search on metadata in image files. I could find all pictures taken by a particular camera or all files where the flash fired. I haven't figured out how to do that in XY yet.

-Jeff