Q-Dir ...almost perfect

This past weekend I downloaded Q-Dir and although this is freeware I have never used a better substitute for Windows Explorer (and that includes some shareware products).

Now I realize that quite a few Wilders members have known of, or used, this little gem for quite a while, so my revelation is nothing new to some of you. To those of you who have been using Q-Dir, perhaps you can help me with two issues:

1. Is there a setting to enlarge the size of Q-Dir's icons? ...they are way too small for my old eyes!

2. Is there a keyboard-shortcut for creating a new text file?

Aaron

 

I found this a while ago.

https://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=266271

Have you tried this one? Last time I tried Directory Opus and it messed up my computer upon uninstall.

 

Actually I did try WDE only to discover that it doesn't work with WinXP and Opus is much too expensive... In any case I'm no longer interested in finding other similar apps, as I really like Q-Dir - I just would appreciate some help with my 2 issues.

 

Thanks, I'll check it out, and it doesn't even need and install to run.

I spent a lot of time over the years looking for a decent file manager and I never did find one that I liked.

 

Nice little program Aaron. Sorry I can't help with your questions.

 

When running under win 7, it is a simple right click to enlarge them. Qdir uses the default context menu it seems, basically what you see on your desktop context menu. So if your OS can make them bigger, Qdir can. Might take a .reg tweak to add that, but like I said in win 7 it is already there.

Create new file shorcut, sorry, not an easy thing to do. In win 7, there is now Ctrl+Shft+N as an easy way to create a new folder, but it does not work in Qdir at all.

I used to have a little trick thing that sat in the quick launch that when you clicked it would create a new folder, but I don't remember where I put the notes on it. I have found some tools that would run in the tray that enabled a hotkey for creating a new folder, but you have to have them running for it to work.

You can press Shft+F10 to bring up the context menu, then press "W" and then "F", which works too. Sometimes it is just as easy though to have an empty directory somewhere on the desktop/taskbar that you simply copy to somewhere else and rename.

One thing I like about Qdir (well, more than one) is the ability in win 7 for it to mimic what XP explorer did, where it auto expands/contracts the tree views. I hate having to double click or press the little + emblem to expand a directory. Some other features, like double clicking in a directory "white space" area will make it go up a level.

Many great features for a free tool. Directory Opus is nice, but I really did not want all that it had, and I feel for me Qdir is much more direct and effective.

BTW, don't forget to back up your setttings in case you need to restore them on another computer or after a reinstall.

Oh, I also like how Qdir displays the file/directory sizes. Some of the color highlighting is also very useful when you are searching for specific things quite often.

Sul.

 

Yes, I have read that and contacted the developer, but so far no reply.

 

Sul, I'm running WinXP so right click doesn't do that. In any case, I was hoping there was an option/setting to 'permanently' enlarge the icons.

 

I have tried Q-Dir in the past and liked it a lot (currently using Free Commander), but I could not find a function to compare folders; is there a way to do this with Q-Dir?

 

I had a small problem with Q-Dir. Sometimes when I move large amounts of files and folders to another drive, some of the folders on the receiving drive are empty when they should have the same files as the contributing drive. It doesn't happen all the time but enough that I check the folders just in case.

SourMilk out

 

Auto-refresh is the only feature I'd crave for here...

 

Yes aaron it is a truly great app. It is one of those that is usually my first download on a new computer. Free Commander is also great but not quite as versatile as Q-Dir, but between the both of them I never use explorer.

 

I wish it refreshed as well. For comparision of directories etc, I use Beyond Compare. I have tried many other tools for exploring the OS, and some have really great features. But in win7 I find that for what I do, Q-Dir is much faster than windows explorer. I find myself using more and more the "double left click" feature that goes "up a layer" to parent directories.

Sul.

 

I tried the x64 version and I like it . A four pane view works great on a wide-screen monitor. I too wish it had an auto refresh option.

Unfortunately, I don't have any other solutions for the questions asked in this thread.

FileMenu Tools is a free program that I recommend using in conjunction with Q-Dir if you use Windows Explorer context menu functionality. FileMenu Tools works on x64 and x86.

 

Left click in the pane you want bigger icons then go to view and view again will give a selection of sizes.

You can go to the little down arrow near the beginning of the address bar for a size selection there as well.

Or left click a pane then hold control and scroll with the mouse wheel. Scrolling to adjust sizes doesn't stick though.

Just downloaded this myself and having a look around atm and it seems quite good.

 

I am back onto my win7 image now, after being on xp for perhaps the better part of a month. In xp, windows explorer is, as I knew, so much more friendly to the geek. This new version in win7/vista, well, IMO just blows. It might be intuitive to the novice, but it is a definate cluster you-know-what for me.

One thing I really like about q-dir is the ability to single click to expand in the tree view, and to dbl click on the list view to "go back" a level. I use this in win7 much more than I thought I did, now that I restored my image. I would bet that conservatively it speeds browsing time up by 3x as fast.

It does have drawbacks, but I am certainly willing to overlook those because it is so much faster than windows explorer now.

Sul.

 

I could be mistaken, but I think Aaron Here was asking about Q-Dir program icons such as Cut, Copy, Paste, etc., not the folder contents.

 

It's amazing what all Q-Dir can do without even needing installation. The fact it is a portable application is what made me a believer a year or so ago. Love it!

 

I was wrong about Q-Dir not having auto refresh. I tried Q-Dir in a virtual machine with the same operating system and version of Q-Dir and Q-Dir settings. Auto refresh worked in the virtual machine. I also got auto refresh to work briefly in the real machine, but usually it doesn't work.

Does anyone have any workarounds for this issue? Is auto refresh working for you? I'm using Q-Dir v4.19 x64 on Windows 7 x64.

 

This is a Windows Explorer tip, but it also affects Q-Dir in Vista and Windows 7: Use Checkboxes to Select Explorer Items in Vista.

 

The latest version of Qdir has much improved tab features. With these features I personally use it 90% of the time over explorer now. I also have found great use for the "programs" and "quick links" features to house all of the directories/shares that I used to use run box or shortcuts for. Couple that with some namespace directories, and navigation in win7 is "out of sight and dyn-o-mite" as it used to be said.

Sul.

 

Sul, our favourite is out again, it's at large and @ 4.37 -

love the updates, don't you? smile

 

Indeed, updates have been very frequent as of late. I am especially fond of how the tabs are being developed.

For myself, splitting the screen with one tree on the left for all, and two horizontal listviews on the right is the only view I have been using. With tabs in each listview, and now how much easier it is to create/delete the tabs and open with mouseclick or drag/drop to create new tabs, it is even better. I have applied a colorized scheme now to show me specific files that I use a lot and want to find quickly. Also, I use the option to dbl left click in the listview (just not on name column) to go "up a level". This is so much faster than any other method I have used, it is astonishing. I find myself doing it in explorer when I have to use it. I put qdir on some others computers and in general they have liked it better than explorer. lol, many of them do the same thing now, they dbl left click to go up a level, and forget they started explorer. It is quite humorous, they dbl click 3 or 4 times, getting a blank look like "why isn't this working". I tell them, it only works in q-dir, and they quickly switch. For anyone who navigates thier directory structures a lot like me, it can really speed things up.

The only thing I get annoyed at is how in one listview, if you filter by name in one tab, all the tabs in that listview also change. I wish each tab had independent filtering options. I have adapted by having the tab open in both the upper and lower listviews, then I can filter each independent.

I find I get irritated when I have to use an open or save dialogue that uses the explorer method of navigating. It is so slow now to navigate compared to qdir (or even older versions of windows for that matter).

Sul.

 

Q-Dir 4.38

http://www.softwareok.com/?Download=Q-Dir