xplorer2 4308 beta

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nikos
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xplorer2 4308 beta

Post by nikos »

here we go again, another iteration of the test/release cycle, thanks for your feedback in advance :)
download beta: www.zabkat.com/test/xplorer2_setup64_ult_beta.exe (64 bit ultimate)

here are the changes to consider
* [P] TOOLS > BACKUP COPY menu copies all items (and their subfolders) from the active to the inactive pane (the backup location, e.g. a USB drive) using "overwrite if newer else skip" robust transfer option. This will only copy new and changed files, and skip those that are unchanged since the last backup. If you want to use a filter to exclude some files, use szBackupFilter registry tweak (see REGISTRY.TXT). This is not new functionality, only a convenient wrap-up of the robust copy dialog for the backup task.
If using the ribbon UI, you will find this command under COPY TO button

* [P] ACTIONS > FILE PROPERTIES menu command sets any editable text properties (Author, Title, even Comment and Tags) for the selected items. You can both set, clear and even search and replace within existing values. The user interface is almost the same as for mass renaming; select the property of interest using the topmost drop-down list box in the dialog.
If using the ribbon UI, you will find this command in WORKBENCH tab, under ATTRIBUTES button

* [P] The mass rename dialog has many options. You can save your favorite rename operations, including all options, search and replace strings and so on with a name, and repeat them again later. Use the PREDEFINED drop-down box to supply a name for the current options, then click SAVE button to store them. To delete a previously stored set, select it then hold down <CTRL> key while clicking on SAVE.

* any date $-tokens for mass rename and scripting allow date (and time) format to be specified on the spot using a : after the column name, e.g. ${Modified:yyMMdd HH:mm}. This way you can introduce sort-friendly dates in filenames as ${Date taken:yyyyMMdd}. For a description of the date/time format strings see here:
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/window ... t-pictures

* [P] A registry setting (szExclusionFilter) defines a global exclusion filter for views and tree, hiding matching files and folders. It is a layout-specific setting, defined as a comma separated list of wildcards to EXCLUDE from view (alternatively it can be a saved hyperfilter name as those in FIND FILES dialog). When active, the hidden files statusbar icon will show as a reminder. Only relatively fast file properties can be used in the exclusion filter.

* The folder tree shows some folders twice, and some that people seldom use. You can hide folders you don't need using the tree context menu (xplorer² > HIDE THIS FOLDER) on the unwanted folders. To show all folders again right click on the tree background and tick off USE BLACKLIST menu option. Note only folders in the first few levels can be hidden

* all organize dialogs (bookmarks etc) come with a filter box to locate an entry quickly by keyword. Click on FIND NEXT button to select the next matching list item. Double-click on the item found to edit or activate it.

* WINDOW > FIND TAB menu will search for a tab by its (partial) path and activate it. All folder tabs are listed from both left and right panels.

* [P] When searching for duplicates and selecting them, xplorer² arranges the sort order by date so that the OLDER file in each group remains (it is not selected), and you can delete the newer duplicates, if that's what you want. Of course if the duplicate checking parameters include date, this sorting is pointless as all files will have the same dates by construction!

* [P] Details pane (VIEW > DETAILS PANE menu) shows document title and keywords when office documents are selected. If you know HTML you can choose exactly which file properties appear in this pane using a file called X2DETAILS.HTM, search the blog for more details.

* Compressed folder NSE (for 7z/RAR) updated to version 1.403: some bugfixes and upgraded to 7zip v19. For more details see
http://zabkat.com/blog/compressed-folde ... ension.htm

* installer option to start xplorer² automatically whenever you boot in Windows (additional tasks page)

* For large DPI installations, the extra large (48x48) toolbar skin is automatically used, and a 32x32 skin is used for menus; that should make them more readable.

* New random sort mode (VIEW > ARRANGE BY > RANDOMLY menu) for those that need spice in their folders to fight everyday boredom &lt;g&gt;

* Ctrl+mousewheel changes thumbnail size as well as view styles, so you can easily view huge thumbnail previews

* editor² switches to large toolbar skin when in high dpi

* various bugfixes and efficiency improvements

* new tips 9f, 64a, 64b, 64c, 111a, 111b

* [Ul] programmable column function DATE() converts strings to dates. Perhaps its most useful case is with an empty argument, which returns the current date. This can be used to calculate the file age in days e.g.

DATE("") - ${Modified}


* [Ul] programmable column function EXISTS() checks the existence of its path argument and also returns the file type: 1 if it is a file, -1 if a folder, or 0 if nothing exists.

* [Ul] programmable column functions FILE2 and FILEPROP can be used to compare the current item with others, e.g. for synchronization checks. FILEPROP can only fetch a single property, whereas FILE2 can execute any arbitrary expression on the second file. The example below tests if the file is newer than its namesake in E:\OTHER\ folder:

${Modified} > FILEPROP(${Modified}, "E:\other\" + ${name})

You can have only one FILE2 but as many FILEPROP as you need in an expression. See the documentation for more details. In the future these will be used for advanced overwrite control.
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Re: xplorer2 4308 beta

Post by pschroeter »

The two improvements you specifically mention have got me so excited I can't wait for for the release. So beta releases are extremely unlikely to hurt files? I would assume using new features might make the program crash, but the rest works like usual. The few times I briefly tried one of your competitors, the only thing it had that I wished you had was a slider that dynamically changed thumbnail size.
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Re: xplorer2 4308 beta

Post by nikos »

it doesn't have a slider, but ctrl+mouse wheel will do the same thing for thumbnails. Beta versions are potentially unstable but they won't destroy your computer :) the worst think that can happen is a crash!
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Re: xplorer2 4308 beta

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I read your quick reply and immediately went to install the beta and now have another question. I notice the beta installer wants to create a separate folder for it. I'm not sure what this means. Does it mean the old version is still there and I could delete the beta separately if I decide to and the old one is intact? Will the beta import and use the settings and customization in the old?

I'm sorry that I require so much hand holding but I'm very cautious about something that effects files on the computer and a program I've invested a lot of time getting just right like x2.
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Re: xplorer2 4308 beta

Post by nikos »

yes, the beta installs separately, but it shares the same options, so when you uninstall the beta, don't do it fully (keep your settings). As always it pays to have a backup of your settings for a rainy day!
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Re: xplorer2 4308 beta

Post by Tuxman »

I find the implication that a folder exists if its existence equals a negative number relatively confusing.
Tux. ; tuxproject.de
registered xplorer² pro user since Oct 2009, ultimated in Mar 2012
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Re: xplorer2 4308 beta

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philosophically meaning? :P
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Re: xplorer2 4308 beta

Post by nikos »

here's a demo video explaining some of the new features https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L2-0dJqf6AI
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Re: xplorer2 4308 beta

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* The folder tree shows some folders twice, and some that people seldom use. You can hide folders you don't need using the tree context menu (xplorer² > HIDE THIS FOLDER) on the unwanted folders. To show all folders again right click on the tree background and tick off USE BLACKLIST menu option. Note only folders in the first few levels can be hidden
I LOVE hiding folders in the folder tree. I know you mention it has depth limitations, but I really need to hide folders deeper in the tree, so for example I never have to see 3D Objects again. It seems be unable to hide folders under my user name, which is where I spend a lot of time, especially in Documents. There are a lot more virtual folders I want to get rid. This leads to amusing situations like I hide OneDrive higher up only to see another way down on the bottom.

I know unchecking “Use blacklist” brings everything back, but I don’t see how I remove folders from the blacklist. I would expect xplorer²> Hide this folder, to toggle to “Unhide this folder” when the blacklist is turned off.

I've been playing with the Beta for two days now and it hasn't crashed on me, but I've only tried a handful of new features. I like what I'm seeing so far a lot.
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Re: xplorer2 4308 beta

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* all organize dialogs (bookmarks etc) come with a filter box to locate an entry quickly by keyword. Click on FIND NEXT button to select the next matching list item. Double-click on the item found to edit or activate it.
Despite your instructions to click FIND NEXT, I know a little time will pass and when I use this again I’m going to hit Enter instead because I expected this button to get focus after I type text in the box next to it. I know Alt-F works too, but I’m going to forget and use Enter and then it seems like nothing has happened.

This also searches the paths of bookmarks, so I search for a specific named bookmark, then find it highlighting others because the path contains it. I suggest an option like “Search name only” or “Search description also” checkbox. I personally thing searching the name only should be the default.
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Re: xplorer2 4308 beta

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I can do the button focus, but not sure about the name. Some people may remember the path portion only. Perhaps a registry tweak to limit just for names?

for the tree, what kind of depth are you thinking? Filtering can be timewasting that's why I limit its application. THe way I have it blocks stuff inside "this PC" level. Can you give me an example (path) where unwanted items appear deeper? To unhide a folder you need to do it from the registry
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Re: xplorer2 4308 beta

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“I can do the button focus, but not sure about the name. Some people may remember the path portion only. Perhaps a registry tweak to limit just for names?”
About button focus, to be clear the behavior I’m thinking of is the “find next” gets focus only if you click in the text entry box otherwise the “ok” button gets it.
I’ve since been wracking my brain as to why you wouldn’t want it to behave this way and I wonder if I’m wrong because you then have to tab over to “ok” or use the mouse to open the bookmark. The reason I originally wanted it was because it seems to take me a few clicks for me to find bookmarks, especially when it’s searching paths too.

I notice that after the I execute a search the window doesn’t scroll down to the highlighted search result if it is below the bottom of the window. I open the dialog and the top item is highlighted. I do a search and it appears like the highlight just disappears. It would be nice if it did a live search where matches appear and narrow as you type, sort of like how Filter works in the Address Bar.
“for the tree, what kind of depth are you thinking? … Can you give me an example (path) where unwanted items appear deeper?”
All these folders are on the same level as my Documents folder and clutter the view around the folder where I spend the overwhelming majority of my time.
C:\Users\User Name
.cache
3D Objects
AppData
Contacts
Desktop
Documents
Downloads
Favorites
Links
MicrosoftEdgeBackups
Music
OneDrive
Pictures
Roaming
Saved Games
Searches
Videos
NTUSER.DAT
“To unhide a folder you need to do it from the registry”
This bothers me a lot. If a person sees this feature and decides to try it out and hides some random folder they are going to go crazy trying to figure out how to get it back. I was playing with it, but luckily chose folders I really wanted to hide (I’m looking at you OneDrive).

Am I correct that the BETA doesn’t share the same registration key? I’m getting notices telling me I’m running in trial mode.

I told myself I wasn’t going to suggest anything new, but I lied and I hope you would sometime consider adding the xplorer² submenu to the right-click menu you get when you click on empty spot in the folder window. I’ve got some bookmarks in mine and it feels weird to click on a file first to use them.
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Re: xplorer2 4308 beta

Post by nikos »

ok I will increase the blacklist depth to cover stuff like C:\Users\you\xxx. As for unhiding, there's no way to unhide using the menu, since the folder is hidden so you cannot click on it

I will make sure the selected item (bookmark) is visible, thanks for testing

finally for your recommendation, the bookmarks menu is easily available, why would you want it on the context menu as well? If you are a keyboard guy, you can add a keyboard shortcut to your favorite bookmarks. You can also type part of the bookmark name in the addressbar and hit up-arrow key to find the bookmark. I think there are enough ways to skin this particular cat :)

the beta does use the same registration key, but it's installed in a different folder, so you need to activate it again with your unlock key.
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Re: xplorer2 4308 beta

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As for unhiding, there's no way to unhide using the menu, since the folder is hidden so you cannot click on it
I was thinking you could "Unhide this folder" when it reappears after you uncheck "Use blacklist." If this is hard to implement, I suggest a warning box along the lines of "Warning, undoing this action requires editing the registry." BTW, does this mean these folders will appear as an option to remove in the "Advanced options…" dialog? I repeat, I LOVE hiding folders, it's the implementation I'm commenting on.'
finally for your recommendation, the bookmarks menu is easily available, why would you want it on the context menu as well?
Because I'm lazy and like to keep the number of times my right hand has to move between the keyboard and mouse, and the distance cursor has to move to a minimum. While I'm moving around and organizing files with the mouse there is a flow and I like to keep my hand on the mouse as much as possible. I already can do what I'm asking for, but I have to click on a file first. Ideally, one day these two menus would be context sensitive and change whether your clicking on a file or in the folder it's in. I'm hoping other people will chime in and let me know if they agree.

In December I upgraded to Ultimate. I recently installed the Beta. I looked in my C:\Program Files\zabkat\ folder and see folders for all three versions. It seemed sensible to avoid running more than one at a time. Professional appears as a separate entry in Add/Remove Programs so I assume it's safe (preserves Ultimate settings) to delete it from there. There is only one Ultimate entry and I don't see see how I'll eventually delete the Ultimate Beta separately. Will all the changes that are new features I make inside the beta show up in the regular version when it eventually gets an update notice? I'm not sure how much in settings is shared between versions.

Warning, paying attention to me only makes me want to dig more.
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Re: xplorer2 4308 beta

Post by nikos »

ok, your idea about unhiding while the blacklist is temporarily off could be doable!

as for the settings, they are shared between pro/ultimate and beta. When you uninstall the beta, DON'T erase its settings, because it will affect everybody else. As always it's a good idea to take a backup of your settings, occasionally

I wish there were more testers like you, you are the new kilmatead :)
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