Comments on: Alternative to Windows Explorer

Question: Alternative to Windows Explorer

russmail — Sat, 30 Jun 2007 12:34:59 -0800

I'm looking for an alternative to Windows Explorer. Specifically, I would like there to be 2 trees, and 2 related panes, either in a horizontal or vertical arrangement.

I've been using xplorer² lite recently which does have 2 panes, but only 1 tree. JExplorer is a good example of what I'm looking for - unfortunately though there's a splash screen every time you open it which rapidly drives you mental.
I'd also be happy to learn of any other Explorer alternatives which I haven't yet considered.

By: yclipse

yclipse — Sat, 30 Jun 2007 12:38:54 -0800

Magellan Explorer will fill this bill, I believe.

By: russmail

russmail — Sat, 30 Jun 2007 12:57:25 -0800

Right on yclipse! Um, is there a Magellan Explorer alternative for <$40?

By: Blazecock Pileon

Blazecock Pileon — Sat, 30 Jun 2007 13:12:10 -0800

Some alternatives.

By: DarkForest

DarkForest — Sat, 30 Jun 2007 13:12:44 -0800

How about 2 tiled explorer windows?
Create a file called ee.vbs (or whatever.vbs) with these contents:

Set objShell = CreateObject("Shell.Application")
objShell.MinimizeAll
Wscript.Sleep 600
objShell.Explore("C:\")
objShell.Explore("C:\")
Wscript.Sleep 600
objShell.TileVertically

Double click it or put it in your path and run from the command line. It has to minimize any other windows for the tile command to work. I use this when I want to do some extensive 'explorer' work.

By: DarkForest

DarkForest — Sat, 30 Jun 2007 13:16:12 -0800

... change the TileVertically to TileHorizontally to change the window arrangement.

By: feloniousmonk

feloniousmonk — Sat, 30 Jun 2007 13:32:34 -0800

Check out DirectoryOpus. I'm a software developer and I've been using it for years and wouldn't know what to do without it. I'm a Mac guy at home and sometimes find myself missing it even there.

By: feloniousmonk

feloniousmonk — Sat, 30 Jun 2007 13:33:12 -0800

Apologies for my lack of a link.

By: Freaky

Freaky — Sat, 30 Jun 2007 13:37:38 -0800

Directory Opus is very good, but nearly twice the price of Magellan Explorer.

By: majick

majick — Sat, 30 Jun 2007 14:01:48 -0800

Midnight Commander is about as old school as it gets. It's free, but probably not exactly what you want.

Total Commander, nee Windows Commander, has been around a while filling this niche as well.

EF Commander is something I'd never heard of until today, but it looks nifty.

The already-mentioned DirectoryOpus, the former Amiga file management tool, is pretty much king of all file managers. (Although personally, I liked the 2.x and 3.x Amiga versions rather more than the Windows version)

ZTree is what the old Xtree turned into. It's also probably not exactly what you want, but there are people who swear by the old Xtree way of doing things. I was more of a Commander type, myself, in those days.

WinNc appears to be a Norton Commander clone for Windows that actually still invokes old Pete's name in vain. I know nothing more about it than that, but hey, even a bad NC clone is better than Explorer, right?

By: qvtqht

qvtqht — Sat, 30 Jun 2007 15:06:54 -0800

Another vote for Total Commander.

By: lukemeister

lukemeister — Sat, 30 Jun 2007 15:17:39 -0800

I think xplorer2 is worth the $29.95.

By: box

box — Sat, 30 Jun 2007 16:27:19 -0800

I'm a big fan of Servant Salamander (the free version, specifically, 1.52, which is exactly what I need and nothing more).

By: bigmusic

bigmusic — Sat, 30 Jun 2007 20:13:05 -0800

Nth directory opus.

By: Area Control

Area Control — Mon, 02 Jul 2007 08:25:41 -0800

Free Commander.

Now somebody pleeeeease help me find a similar product for OSX. I HATE THE FINDER. HATE IT HATE IT HATE IT.

By: rasputin98

rasputin98 — Mon, 02 Jul 2007 09:40:26 -0800

Seconding FreeCommander. I have been using it for at least a couple of years now, and recommend it.