XYplorer Beta Club

Actually my first reaction was "Oh my god!" Literally.

Perfectly designed (saw the thread about various interface niggles but the core design is perfect for me, I can live with the rest).

I have a few questions, and a few wishlist items (which I'll post in the wish forum). Key questions:

1. Is there a way to ensure XY opens with the tree panel focused? I use "save settings on exit" and XY seems to open with the tree or list panel focused based on the last session. I almost always use cursor keys at first to navigate the tree so I'd like a way to ensure it starts with the tree focused regardless of last session.
2. Is there a way to ensure that when a folder is opened in XY via the context menu (eg a folder on the desktop), it always opens in a new window or tab?
3. Is there a full list of the .ini config settings? I'd like to customise but many are quite obscure and the wiki doesn't list all of them.
4. I know this isn't part of XYplorer, but do you know a way to add a shortcut to folders I use a lot (such as "Desktop" or "Archives" directly in the tree under "Computer", in the same place as "User" appears, above all the hard drives, rather than hidden inside favourites or anything?

That's my quick questions as a trialling noob who is dazzled by all the awesome

Welcome, Stilez!
Yes, we know the feeling... I know it almost each and every day, and still discovering how XY can make file management easier, almost a pleasure.
Can't properly answer your other questions, but regarding the 3rd, take a look at the New User's Reference Guide. You may want to have an eye wide open to Tricks_Hidden_UndocFeats.txt and Tweaks.txt, files you will find attached here (direct link).
I'm sure you'll get benefit of reading the other documents too. Part 1 contains excerpts regarding Scripts.
Also, on the same page there's the Quick Setup Guide that delivers useful hints on setting up XY, aiming the newcomers.
Hope this helps and - spread the world!

Stilez wrote:Actually my first reaction was "Oh my god!" Literally.

Hi and welcome to the XY forums! and thanks for the kind words on behalf of Don!

and a few wishlist items (which I'll post in the wish forum)

I would suggest you defer this until you've become more familar with XY as we often have new users who post either a long multi-item wish list or multiple threads without having used XY enough and/or without forum research...this behavior is highly discouraged here and just wanted to caution you, just in case you might do same and then wonder why we're a bit offended...ok?

Is there a full list of the .ini config settings? I'd like to customise but many are quite obscure and the wiki doesn't list all of them.

Not that I'm aware of...sorry...in this thread http://www.xyplorer.com/xyfc/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=5096, I asked for some help in this area but so far, I've not seen any significant changes...and I've not had much time to try and help update the wiki either...sorry.

Now user SkyFrontier has extracted items from change logs related to tweaks and put them into that "Tweaks.txt" file but it only goes up to v8.70.156 at end of 2009 and there have been a few this year...maybe he'll be able to add newer items to that at some point?

I know this isn't part of XYplorer, but do you know a way to add a shortcut to folders I use a lot (such as "Desktop" or "Archives" directly in the tree under "Computer", in the same place as "User" appears, above all the hard drives, rather than hidden inside favourites or anything?

Not that I'm aware of, but that's where using the Catalog in place of or in addition to tree can prove very handy.

That's my quick questions as a trialling noob who is dazzled by all the awesome

We hope you'll enjoy your trial enough so that you'll buy a lifetime license well before the end of the trial...if you have any questions, please do a quick forum search first and we'll help guide you as best we can if needed.

Stilez wrote:

1. Is there a way to ensure XY opens with the tree panel focused? I use "save settings on exit" and XY seems to open with the tree or list panel focused based on the last session. I almost always use cursor keys at first to navigate the tree so I'd like a way to ensure it starts with the tree focused regardless of last session.

By way of a workaround, I always set up XYplorer just as I want it initally, do a File > Settings > Save All Settings and have Configuration > Startup & Exit > Save settings on exit, disabled. Combined with several tabs to cover my file systems' "hot spots", it works rather well for me.

[*] I know this isn't part of XYplorer, but do you know a way to add a shortcut to folders I use a lot (such as "Desktop" or "Archives" directly in the tree under "Computer", in the same place as "User" appears, above all the hard drives, rather than hidden inside favourites or anything?[/list]

You could add the Favorite Folders button to the toolbar (Tools > Customize Toolbar). This button when clicked, will show a list of your Favorite Folders beneath it.

Hi and welcome, Stilez.
(In fact, that's why we're here: Discussing questions of any kind.)

Thanks for the welcome - active forum isn't it

With the tips above, I managed to solve all 4 items. 2 were options that a closer look revealed, one can be done by inline script, the last needs doing some day but the resources given are a good help.

• (1) - opening the "folder" ::focus "t"; goto c:\ (if scripting is enabled, or as the target for Win+E via autohotkey) makes the tree focused on startup (YAY! major one for me!)
• (2) is apparently somewhere in the options (probably "open new instance always"?). Anyhow, I seem to have fixed it. If not then I'll try a scripted solution.
• (3) is something the help file needs, should not be hard with the resources quoted above to fix a config help page. Important with a rich set of options like this.
• (4) turns out to be an option already (general -> show desktop etc). Impressed!!

The tips above really helped, especially with the scripted answer to #1.

j_c_hallgren wrote:

Stilez wrote:and a few wishlist items (which I'll post in the wish forum)

I would suggest you defer this until you've become more familar with XY as we often have new users who post either a long multi-item wish list or multiple threads without having used XY enough and/or without forum research...this behavior is highly discouraged here and just wanted to caution you, just in case you might do same and then wonder why we're a bit offended...ok?

Indeed. Familiar with the problem. One short set of bullets, once I've explored a bit more... and I won't be offended.
In fact thanks for taking the time to warn in case I wasn't aware - a courtesy I wish more forums would consider.

Stilez wrote: active forum isn't it

Actually, it's kinda slow lately! Given that Don's on vacation...I check in here multiple times per day and still can have numerous posts that I've not seen so yes...we ARE rather active! Some of us love XY and try to help out as much as possible, though I'll admit there are many areas of XY that I don't use so others fill in the gaps as well.

Indeed. Familiar with the problem. One short set of bullets, once I've explored a bit more... and I won't be offended.
In fact thanks for taking the time to warn in case I wasn't aware - a courtesy I wish more forums would consider.

And unlike some forums, we don't mind at all if you were to bump/reopen a thread that is old (even a year or more) IF it is closely related to your wish...it's better to do that than create another similar one as finding needed links later is easier with less threads.

A few quick questions:

1. When I move up and down the tree with the keyboard, drives that aren't connected (network computers I'm not logged into, floppy drives etc) immediately freeze XY while they try and access, rather than waiting for a few hundred milliseconds first (as on Windows Explorer) in case I quickly skip past them to another tree row. How do I fix this behavior in XY?
2. Contrary to first impressions, it doesn't look like you can enter a script line as the target to open (eg, "xyplorer.exe" ::code) . Is there a way to get XY to run a named script or script line when it's opened?
3. A number of programs that handle downloads seem to run explorer.exe when you open a file's containing folder (Browser downloads when you click "open containing folder" for example). Is there any way to make these open in XY instead?

Thanks

Stilez wrote:1. When I move up and down the tree with the keyboard, drives that aren't connected (network computers I'm not logged into, floppy drives etc) immediately freeze XY while they try and access, rather than waiting for a few hundred milliseconds first (as on Windows Explorer) in case I quickly skip past them to another tree row. How do I fix this behavior in XY?

Are you moving up and down a level by pressing and releasing up/down keys? I believe XYplorer would access on KeyUp so if you keep holding a button, the selection rectangle would move along rather than try to access that location.

Stilez wrote:2. Contrary to first impressions, it doesn't look like you can enter a script line as the target to open (eg, "xyplorer.exe" ::code) . Is there a way to get XY to run a named script or script line when it's opened?

No, I do not believe you can launch a script with a command-line switch. In the future, you will be able to run commands on XYplorer's start up by using Custom Event Actions (CEA).

Stilez wrote:3. A number of programs that handle downloads seem to run explorer.exe when you open a file's containing folder (Browser downloads when you click "open containing folder" for example). Is there any way to make these open in XY instead?

Try enabling shell integration in Tools > Configuration > Shell Integration and see if that achieves the desired result.

zer0 wrote:

Stilez wrote:1. When I move up and down the tree with the keyboard, drives that aren't connected (network computers I'm not logged into, floppy drives etc) immediately freeze XY while they try and access, rather than waiting for a few hundred milliseconds first (as on Windows Explorer) in case I quickly skip past them to another tree row. How do I fix this behavior in XY?

Are you moving up and down a level by pressing and releasing up/down keys? I believe XYplorer would access on KeyUp so if you keep holding a button, the selection rectangle would move along rather than try to access that location.

Holding down the up/down key is an epic fail - it doesn't move the item for ~0.5 - 1 second, then it moves it too quickly to fine tune up or down the 2 or 3 lines needed.

Every time I want to go from C: to User it has to go past A:\. Same applies in going between other drives (past my DVD) or between local drives and a networked computer or 2 networked computers (if another networked computer is in between and not accessible).

Windows Explorer accesses on KeyUp plus a wait of ~ 500 ms to confirm there's been no further movement. It works fine. Solution possible?

Stilez wrote:Solution possible?

There should be a way to do that, but whether such behaviour will be introduced is up to Don.

I don't know if this will help, but its recommended for faster tree navigation.
1) Uncheck the option "Check existence of subfolders in Tree" from Config>General
2) Check the option "Assume that servers are available" from Config>Advanced.

Tips to improve speed in XY:
-For faster startup
-For faster browsing

serendipity wrote:I don't know if this will help, but its recommended for faster tree navigation.
1) Uncheck the option "Check existence of subfolders in Tree" from Config>General
2) Check the option "Assume that servers are available" from Config>Advanced.

Faster navigation isn't the thing. The problem is that it tries to access all drives as you cursor up/down past them (see above). It doesn't seem to have the "wait 500 ms" feature to see if you want that drive or are just cursoring past it.