[Solved] Browse Flat & Autofilter Folders

[RightPaddock]

I browse flat a folder with 800+ files in 60+ subfolders in a 3/4 level tree.

I click the Autofilter button and select folders - emptiness, nothing listed - was hoping to see a those 60+ subfolder names.

All the other Autofilters values work fine.

Is this doable - ie just get a list of the subfolder names?

If not, then pray tell what's the purpose of Autofilter->folders?

RP

[nikos]

browse flat doesn't show subfolders, only files
if you want to see all the contents flat do a dummy search with a name filter like *?

[Kilmatead]

For what it's worth, I've been using Nikos' "Flattening for Dummies" filter as a substitute for browse-flat for years - it has the extra-added benefit that if folders are set to sort in Mixed-Mode (or Separately) the subfolders are conveniently sorted out at the top automatically as a reminder of what you just "searched".

It works best if you combine it with those selected-folders-only search mechanisms we had to hack together awhile ago due to Nikos' myopia.

I always thought it was silly that folders didn't show up in the "normal" flattened list, but if you stretch your brain, it "kind of" makes sense (redundancy). In the same way as the end of Blade Runner "kind of" makes sense.

Auto-Filter -> Folders is just for the folders displayed in the current-pane (for those who don't auto-sort them separately) - and indeed works well if you use the above filter.

[RightPaddock]

For what it's worth, I've been using Nikos' "Flattening for Dummies" filter as a substitute for browse-flat for years - it has the extra-added benefit that if folders are set to sort in Mixed-Mode (or Separately) the subfolders are conveniently sorted out at the top automatically as a reminder of what you just "searched".

It works best if you combine it with those selected-folders-only search mechanisms we had to hack together awhile ago due to Nikos' myopia.

I always thought it was silly that folders didn't show up in the "normal" flattened list, but if you stretch your brain, it "kind of" makes sense (redundancy). In the same way as the end of Blade Runner "kind of" makes sense.

Auto-Filter -> Folders is just for the folders displayed in the current-pane (for those who don't auto-sort them separately) - and indeed works well if you use the above filter.

beeezaaar - So in a browser pane in xplorer2

1. right click C:\Program Files\My Program
2. select xplorer2->Browse Flat
3. select menu item Action->Flatten path (steamroller or paddy's motorbike)
4. in Windows Explorer->Browse for folder dialogue navigate to C:\Program Files\My Program
5. click OK
6. eyeball the list of folders - take note of the number thereof
7. now where's that browse flat list of files
8. who knows - so close the scrap window
   1. in a browser pane in xplorer2,
   2. right click C:\Program Files\My Program
   3. select xplorer2->Browse Flat

Alice meet Franz, Mr Heller will be here shortly. Would you like some Lithuanian Dziugas cheese and a splosh of retsina or a drizzle of ouzo to go with the riddles pudding

RP

[Kilmatead]

Stop using Browse Flat, and just use the predefined search pattern above. End result is the same, no?

[RightPaddock]

Stop using Browse Flat, and just use the predefined search pattern above. End result is the same, no?

Yes but I use Browse Flat habitually - its the only time I use scrap panes.

I found out why I couldn't see the files at 7 above - I still had the Autofilter->show folders filter set.
Why doesn't that Autofilter setting show something in the filter box. Perhaps because that would be the sensible thing to do.

I think its friggin' daft having to navigate via the Windows Explorer Browse for folder dialogue to get to the folder I want to flatten, when I'm already looking at the farkin' thing in Zabkat's xplorer2 scrap pane

Maybe I can give that Action->Flatten path a keyboard shortcut

Better yet nikos could provide a tweak that if true will automagically do the Flatten Path on the Browse Flat target folder.

RP

[Kilmatead]

I think its friggin' daft having to navigate via the Windows Explorer Browse for folder dialogue to get to the folder I want to flatten, when I'm already looking at the farkin' thing in Zabkat's xplorer2 scrap pane

Wasn't it you (maybe it was FrizzleFry?) who wrote his own version of LocaleSearch? Or maybe you're referring to something else... this version (made into a toolbar button or added to the x2 right-click thingy) will work from scrap-containers or normal panes, it defaults to searching the selected folder(s) for "*?" (all you have to do is hit <Enter>); it even renames the spawned scrap-containers after whatever source-searches they represent. This stuff is not rocket science, and can be customised endlessly.

Give it a try, anyway - 20-seconds with me is worth 6 months with Nikos. So to speak.

<Cough>

[RightPaddock]

Given the infrequency I need it I can live with using the menu, can't be bothered fiddling around with one offs

Particularly as I've discovered a defect in Flatten Path that I regard as first order defect - ie the information shown is wrong because its incomplete

When I use the Flatten Path the extraction of folder names throws in the towel once it gets 10 folders deep, folders beyond 10 deep are not shown Ψ²

The files in folders at level 11 and beyond are shown, and their paths are correct

It's OK I dug out my copy of KRK's Dirlister 0.9.1 so have the information what I want

RP

[Kilmatead]

...can't be bothered fiddling around with one offs

Fine, be snooty And it's not a one-off if it's used for all searches, foreign and domestique.

When I use the Flatten Path the extraction of folder names throws in the towel once it gets 10 folders deep, folders beyond 10 deep are not shown

A quick arbitrary test of flattening (the menu-way) to depth-16 works fine for me. Do you have a particular structure or drive-type you're using? Or, better yet, a benign structure you could dropbox so others could see if it flattens for them? x2 is not afraid of the 10th circle of hell and beyond as far as I can tell.

[RightPaddock]

...can't be bothered fiddling around with one offs

Fine, be snooty And it's not a one-off if it's used for all searches, foreign and domestique.

When I use the Flatten Path the extraction of folder names throws in the towel once it gets 10 folders deep, folders beyond 10 deep are not shown

A quick arbitrary test of flattening (the menu-way) to depth-16 works fine for me. Do you have a particular structure or drive-type you're using? Or, better yet, a benign structure you could dropbox so others could see if it flattens for them? x2 is not afraid of the 10th circle of hell and beyond as far as I can tell.

I can't send the folder in question - its not my property.

maybe it's not the tree depth at which it threw in the towel but the number of subfolders - no, not 42 - 45.

The number of folders is actually 80 - confirmed by me counting the beggars and a dirlister csv of 'em.

Its in Program Files on an internal WD 2TB NTFS drive - no funny stuff happening, i.e its the system drive and its c:

I'll unpack the original with Less Msiérables to a data drive and try the Folder Whacker again.

I won't be spending too much time on it because I have the number I was after - 80!

RP

[RightPaddock]

I'll unpack the original with Less Msiérables to a data drive and try the Folder Whacker again.
RP

Same story - 45 folders

So I created a folder with 80 sub-folders 1 level deep each containing a 6 byte text file - see attached Folder Whacker Test.zip

If I Browse Flat the Folder Whacker Test folder I see the 80 files - big green tick

If I open a new scrap window, click Action->Flatten Path, navigate to Folder Whacker Test, I get nothing - zero folders, would have expected 80 - big red cross

Either I'm not clicking the right menu items, buttons etc; or I my expectations are seriously out-of-whack; or... something else

I don't really care because I have the right answers from elsewhere - eight zero - not four five and not &^%@!* zero.

Stop using Browse Flat, and just use the predefined search pattern above. End result is the same, no?

As I've previously posted - Browse Flat is one of the X2 features that I value the most - this the second time it's been suggested on this forum that I not use it...

RP

[Kilmatead]

If I open a new scrap window, click Action->Flatten Path, navigate to Folder Whacker Test, I get nothing - zero folders, would have expected 80 - big red cross

It seems to work fine for me - I get the expected 80 (and, dare I say, that's the first time I've ever used Actions -> Flatten Path from a scrap container; curious that it's in the "wrong menu" compared to normal).

But it works.

As I've previously posted - Browse Flat is one of the X2 features that I value the most - this the second time it's been suggested on this forum that I not use it...

But if a "better" (for the expected results) alternative is given, what is the attraction? A single-click menu item? To each their own, to be sure, but if a generic search with a dummy pattern gets you exactly what you want (as opposed to what you expect), then it's not exactly an earth-shattering suggestion.

Flat is flat. As I stated above, I too found the "missing" subfolders an odd interpretation of flattening at first, but it's not entirely unreasonable if the focus is on actual "contents".

[RightPaddock]

If I open a new scrap window, click Action->Flatten Path, navigate to Folder Whacker Test, I get nothing - zero folders, would have expected 80 - big red cross

It seems to work fine for me - I get the expected 80 (and, dare I say, that's the first time I've ever used Actions -> Flatten Path from a scrap container; curious that it's in the "wrong menu" compared to normal).

But it works.

So, what menu is Flatten Path in 'normally'. I can only find it in Scrap Pane menu Action->Flatten Path (as per pp 108, 175, 330, 403 of Version 2.1.0.1-1 of the manual)

But why does that work for you and not me. Can you think of any settings that might effect it, I skimmed though Normal and Advanced, nothing leapt from the screen saying "look at me, look at me".

Perhaps its got something to Filters, which is not something I've really gotten my head around too much - see attached screen shot

I'm using latest production release of 64 bit Pro, but I think you use Ultimate - surely not?

RP

[Kilmatead]

So, what menu is Flatten Path in 'normally'. I can only find it in Scrap Pane menu Action->Flatten Path

In the non-scrap panes (i.e., normal x2) it's in the File menu (File -> Browse Flat). This one does not use the evil Victorian-era "browse for folder" dialog (thankfully), but instead requires the object folder to be selected first as normal humans would do it (but the end result is identical).

I cannot think of anything which would interfere on the level you are describing - it works for me under all circumstances (Pro x64 or Ult x64; details-view or list-view, etc). It's not impossible that filters could skew results, but they don't get applied by accident - if you don't use them, then it's unlikely. That said, this is one of those times that the status-bar comes in handy - it provides an immediate visual reference as to whether or not a filter is employed. However, I don't think that's the cause.

As far as I know there aren't any options which regulate how browse-flat works - it's one-size-fits-all.

As a test, I'm assuming that if you actually use the *? search filter (instead of flattening) you always get the expected results no matter how/where you launch it from? (Don't worry, I'm not dumb enough to suggest you stop using flatten again [once hurt, twice shy] - this is just to verify that there are no other interfering display factors).

[RightPaddock]

@Kilmatead - I'm wondering if we're on the same page

What I want to see for the Folder Whacker Test folder is 80 folders named folder01 thru folder80 and 80 text files named New File.txt in a scrap pane
Preferably via a browse flat, but flatten folders or filter boxing would be acceptable at a pinch.

When I enter the *? into the scrap pane filter box all I get is the files

The only way I can get any folders to appear in any scrap pane is to put them there manually - i.e drag 'em & drop 'em.

RP