How to use Direct Folders with XYplorer

[Jerry]

Hi,
I'm using XYplorer 9.00.0200 on Win 7 Pro 64bit. I have always used a tool that manages my favorite folders so I can quickly access them in Explorer or in file/save boxes, etc. Currently, I use Direct Folders Pro 3.6 (http://www.codesector.com/directfolders.php) and access the menu from anywhere by simply clicking the scroll button on my mouse.

But this doesn't work from within the tree or file list in XYplorer. Is there anyway to get the scroll wheel click event passed through to Direct Folders or is this something that the Direct Folders developers would have to implement and supply as some handler to XYplorer?

I see there is a Favorites feature in XYplorer but I don't see that it supports the custom organizational capabilities of Direct Folders. And in any case, I still want one set of favorite folders accessible from regular Explorer and file/save dialogs.

Curiously, the Direct Folders access does work within XYplorer's MoveTo/Copyto Browse dialog but not from within the corresponding dialog in Explorer.

Jerry

[Jerry]

Ok, after looking through the help PDF, I see now that XYplorer has a Catalog feature which is basically what I want (plus does other nifty things). But I guess I'll have to maintain 2 sets of entries, one in the Catalog and another in Direct Folders Pro, in order to access the entries outside of XYplorer (as in File Save/Open dialogs). Plus ideally, I really want to have the catalog alternatively popup in the tree of file list as a menu with the categories appearing as pull-right menus.

I'll post that request as a separate topic. In the meantime, I still would like to know if there is anyway that XYplorer can interact with Direct Folders Pro. Thanks

Jerry

[admin]

Hi,
I'm using XYplorer 9.00.0200 on Win 7 Pro 64bit. I have always used a tool that manages my favorite folders so I can quickly access them in Explorer or in file/save boxes, etc. Currently, I use Direct Folders Pro 3.6 (http://www.codesector.com/directfolders.php) and access the menu from anywhere by simply clicking the scroll button on my mouse.

I'm surprised that it does not work. Is it maybe a 64 bit app?

Or test this: open XY's about box (menu help / about...), and click your scroll button: does this work?

[Jerry]

Oh yeah, it is 64-bit. I guess that means XYplorer needs to be 64-bit for it to work? Is there a 64-bit version of XYplorer available or in the works?

Jerry

[zer0]

Is there a 64-bit version of XYplorer available or in the works?

Discussion aplenty is in this thread: http://www.xyplorer.com/xyfc/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=4855

[admin]

Oh yeah, it is 64-bit. I guess that means XYplorer needs to be 64-bit for it to work? Is there a 64-bit version of XYplorer available or in the works?

Jerry

It was just a guess that this might be causing it. I have no prove for this. Not even a rumour.

XY64 is planned for 2011.

[nas8e9]

If I get the gist of Direct Folders, it's an app that hooks into Windows' standard file dialogs. Those are used sparingly in XYplorer with the bulk being custom code. I guess that's why Direct Folders isn't terribly useful in XYplorer.

According to its website, special, custom support is available for other file managers but not XYplorer. It does seem to work somewhat from its tray icon when XYplorer is set as the default file manager:

Select a favorite or recent folder from this menu and the file dialog immediately jumps to that folder. If you activate this menu from the Desktop or tray icon, this folder will be opened in Windows Explorer or another file manager.

[admin]

Plus it's a little strange to use such a thing within a file manager.

[Jerry]

Direct Folders hooks into Explorer generally, not just the standard file dialogs but Explorer itself. I'm always moving between dozens of different locations across 10 drives encompassing nearly 4 terabytes.

It's really no more strange than XY's Catalog feature (which admittedly gives you quick access to more than just folders and files). Although, as mentioned in another thread, I'd love to see the Catalog feature available as a popup menu with categories as pull-right menus. Then it's basically doing for me what Direct Folders does.

But there is still the issue of integration of the Catalog with the standard dialogs. As I work with XY more, I realize if offers different ways of doing the things that I have been doing laboriously with Explorer itself so to some extent, it's just a matter of doing things differently. But I can't get around the standard dialogs, which forces me to deal with Explorer. If I could also access a popup XY Catalog from within those standard dialogs, then I'm happy.

Jerry

[nas8e9]

Direct Folders hooks into Explorer generally, not just the standard file dialogs but Explorer itself. I'm always moving between dozens of different locations across 10 drives encompassing nearly 4 terabytes.

It's really no more strange than XY's Catalog feature (which admittedly gives you quick access to more than just folders and files). Although, as mentioned in another thread, I'd love to see the Catalog feature available as a popup menu with categories as pull-right menus. Then it's basically doing for me what Direct Folders does.

But there is still the issue of integration of the Catalog with the standard dialogs. As I work with XY more, I realize if offers different ways of doing the things that I have been doing laboriously with Explorer itself so to some extent, it's just a matter of doing things differently. But I can't get around the standard dialogs, which forces me to deal with Explorer. If I could also access a popup XY Catalog from within those standard dialogs, then I'm happy.

Jerry

Trying to think slightly laterally, the Move/Copy/Backup To dialogue box can be prepopulated with your Favorite Folders in XYplorer. All it takes is defining you Favorite Folders in the Tree or List (Ctrl+B or Favorites > Toggle Favorite Folder) until you have the list complete. You'd then have to copy the Favorite Folders list to the Move/Copy/Backup To-list using the following procedure:
1. Tools > List Management > Favorite Folders;
2. click Editor Mode;
3. press Ctrl+A to select all text followed by Ctrl+C to copy all text;
4. press Esc to close the dialogue box;
5. Tools > List Management > Move/Copy/Backup To...
6. click Editor Mode;
7. press Ctrl+V to paste the text;
8. click OK to close the dialogue box.

Would that work at all?

Edited to add: After defining your Favorite Folders, you can add the Favorite Folders toolbar button to the toolbar, allowing quick access to your Favorite Folders without having to use the Catalog (although the Catalog can contain more than just folders, of course).

[Jerry]

No, I'm afraid that won't do. First of all, my locations are hierarchically organized, not just one flat list, and I don't see that capability in the List Management for Favorites, etc. But Catalog has that capability. Second, I want to maintain the list of folders in one place and not have to update multiple places when I make changes to them. Third, it's not just the Move/Copy/Backup To dialogs in XY where I want access but also the standard file dialogs from any Windows application. For example, I'm constantly saving web page frames from Firefox to various locations.

BUT NOTE: I currently CAN access my Direct Folders Pro popup from the Browse dialog in XY's Move/Copy/Backup To dialog. I guess because that browse dialog is a standard Windows dialog and not custom XY code?

Jerry

[nas8e9]

No, I'm afraid that won't do. First of all, my locations are hierarchically organized, not just one flat list, and I don't see that capability in the List Management for Favorites, etc. But Catalog has that capability. Second, I want to maintain the list of folders in one place and not have to update multiple places when I make changes to them. Third, it's not just the Move/Copy/Backup To dialogs in XY where I want access but also the standard file dialogs from any Windows application. For example, I'm constantly saving web page frames from Firefox to various locations.

I was afraid you'd say that. Your best bet seems to be to make a feature request to TeraCopy.

BUT NOTE: I currently CAN access my Direct Folders Pro popup from the Browse dialog in XY's Move/Copy/Backup To dialog. I guess because that browse dialog is a standard Windows dialog and not custom XY code?

I'd say so.

[Jerry]

Ok, I'll talk to the company that makes Direct Folders Pro - CodeSector.com. But what would they need to integrate with XYplorer and is there an an API that you provide? Specifically, the following features would have to be enabled:

1) Clicking with the middle button or scroll-wheel button on the mouse inside XYplorer's File List of Tree View (and custom file dialogs) brings up the Direct Folders menu

2) Selecting a folder on the Direct Folders menu tells XYplorer to switch to that directory.

Jerry

[nas8e9]

Ok, I'll talk to the company that makes Direct Folders Pro - CodeSector.com. But what would they need to integrate with XYplorer and is there an an API that you provide? Specifically, the following features would have to be enabled:

1) Clicking with the middle button or scroll-wheel button on the mouse inside XYplorer's File List of Tree View (and custom file dialogs) brings up the Direct Folders menu

2) Selecting a folder on the Direct Folders menu tells XYplorer to switch to that directory.

Jerry

I was not at my best when calling Code Sector TeraCopy (it's just one of their products).

Regarding the necessary hooks, you or they will need to talk to Don. One way to get XYplorer to change location from outside the program is described in the help file:

Keeping a Single Instance

If XYplorer is opened with a startpath command line parameter and no /ini switch, this path is opened in a new foreground tab of the previous instance instead of loading the new instance. So, of these command line setups...

XYplorer.exe

XYplorer.exe mystartpath

XYplorer.exe /ini=myini mystartpath

... only the second will trigger the above behavior (open path in new tab). The others will load a second instance.

[admin]

I hope you (all and jerry) can understand that I'm not that keen on spending time on the integration of a tool that does things that XYplorer does better in many different ways. Integrating a little jump-to thing into a full blown file manager is pretty ironic, isn't it.

No, I don't want to open a discussion on this. (insider joke)