Explorer Replacement Killer Apps:

I'm always puzzled by these threads about explorer replacements because all Windows programs that add context menu extensions for convenience (file comparison tools, un/zip tools, copy/move tools, etc.) are designed to work with explorer, so how can you replace it without giving up all these super useful extensions?

My favorite add-ons are Filemenu Tools and FastCopy. I use Beyond Compare for file/folder comparison and Sandboxie to start programs/installers sandboxed all the time too.

And I also like that explorer remembers different settings for different folders and let's you view bunch of the meta data e.g. Company or (file) Description is useful when viewing drivers folder (to delete leftovers).

 

Hopefully version 9 will be not to far down the pipe.

 

Not sure about others but the added context menu I have tried/added are for the most part added to XYplorer too. I just added Lammer Context Menu and all but 1 minor function shows up in XYplorer. Also, Sandboxie shows up as well.

In addition the XYplorer native context menu offers a great deal more than WEs. Check out the pic below to get a sense of whats available. By the way, you will note a down arrow at the bottom of the menu, there are more functions available. I kinda like the availability of seeing the image (if its an image file) in the menu. Of course if the file is not an image file this function is missing from the context menu and the entire menu is available without clicking on a down arrow. See attachment 2 for more context menu capability.

In short, if you have not tried it you cannot possibly know what you are missing.

 

Edit: it appears that the 2 attachments are being displayed side by side. To correct for this I am posting the 2nd pic in this post.

 

It has nothing to do with replacing windows explorer. You can not fully replace windows explorer anyway, as 'my computer', 'control panel' will still open in windows explorer.

The various third party file managers help out if you want to effectively manage your files, folders, partitions and drives. They offer enhancements that are not present in windows explorer. These include tabbed browsing - instead of having multiple windows open you can have only one open with multiple tabs, ability to organize each folder the way you want and have those settings saved, ability to automate tasks by using scripts, ability to lock certain tabs - so when you open your file manager all your favorite folders open simultaneously, ability to color code your files and folders for easier access, etc. There are far too many benefits to list.

Third party file managers also let you access the matadata, including mp3 tags info etc.

Everybody has their own requirements, I only need a good file manager and I am not looking for a windows explorer replacement application. Windows explorer it still there and when I need to use it, I can use it and then switch back to the file manager.

Why not give one of the file managers a try and see for yourself what the fuss is all about.

 

Another freeware, portable file manager is a43. I've tried out all the file managers mentioned in this thread, including Directory Opus, and wound up choosing a43 over those with more features. It has its limitations, but it's elegant in its simplicity and very lightweight. It has a simple but effective Quick Launch capability and built-in zip compression that doesn't take over the file association. The author is a disabled person who's had some misfortune, and it's taking him awhile to get the program fully functional under Windows 7.

 

I have tried some of them. Q-Dir I rather like, but mainly only when I want to work in 3 or 4 windows simultaneously (drag and drop files between various directories etc).

Total Commander was too confusing for me - maybe had I given it time it would have grown on me, but as someone who wasn't unhappy with Windows Explorer, learning TC didn't seem worth while. Had I discovered it before FileMenu Tools I might still be using it today though...

I also just installed XYplorer on a virtual machine to see if it would work with FastCopy, SuperCopier or TeraCopy, but it didn't it in terms of copy interception or drag/drop functions. (The context menus for them are present, but not the automated features). Otherwise it seems promising.

 

Why do you think that ?

 

I think there is a bit of misunderstanding here.

Its not a question of replacing Explorer as in removing it from the PC and replacing it with something else. Its a question of adding a different file management tool and using it rather than Explorer.

Its the same thing with IE. Many if not most of us are using browsers other than IE so in a real sense we have replaced it but this does not mean we have removed IE and probably could not even if we wanted to since if we tried to do that problems with the OS would occur.

While we are on the topic it was said above (not sure by who) that they use MS Explorer when they need to and another file management program the rest of the time. What can you do with E that you cannot do with the more comprehensive replacement programs (like XY or E2 for example)?

 

Simply because windows OS is built around windows explorer. When ever you open something inside windows, it is actually explorer that opens it. So, control panel, system properties, device manager, add/remove programs etc all use windows explorer to run. If you yank windows explorer from windows, the entire OS will unravel. You can check this inside task manager. Check the RAM consumed by explorer.exe process and then open various windows like control panel etc. and you will see the RAM allocated for explorer.exe going up.

The third party file managers can only replace those parts of windows explorer that are involved in opening drives, partitions, files and folders only. They can never replace windows explorer.

 

I am assuming you made XYplorer your default file manager before trying out its interaction with TeraCopy etc? I am sure, for this level of interaction, you will need to make XY a default file manager first. The instructions for doing that are available of XYplorer website. I do not have these other softwares so I can not help you out in this case, but maybe someone else uses them with XY and can guide you.

 

Yes.

I still have it on the virtual machine (along with a bunch of other software I'm trying out), so I'll keep using it until I reset the machine, but I'm not really expecting to like it.

I don't normally use TeraCopy or SuperCopier - they were just tests, however, FastCopy is a must have utility for me. For dragging-and-dropping of larger files I always use the right mouse button which activates FastCopy in Explorer. I have also added a bunch of my own custom hotkeys (Winkey+V to paste with FastCopy, Winkey+X to move with FastCopy, etc.) that I could probably transfer to any other file manager...

 

pajenn,

Have a look at these two links. They might solve your problems.

Integrate Fastcopy into XYplorer

Integrate Teracopy into XYplorer

 

Now that I tried XYplorer I like it better than Xplorer2.
There is a completely portable version and works very well.
I love the custom file association function and the search is much better.
Now I have all my portable apps on my thumb drive and on my second drive.
I don't need much installed on my PC besides Defensewall and Hitman Pro.

 

Those looking to merely supplement Windows Explorer with quick access to commonly used folders may wish to consider freeware Folder Menu. Folder Menu is available in separate x86 and x64 versions.

 

I find this one is very handy and a real timesaver,and it is working great on XP.
Thanks MrBrian!

Dialog Box is another handy add-on to supplement an otherwise windows lacking feature (AntiVir TM can also do the same).

 

You're welcome .

By the way, Folder Menu also works in the standard file open dialog box.

 

Well, I should have specify that this Folder Menu's specific feature does not work here, hence why I suggested DB.

 

I mentioned giving XYplorer a try earlier in this thread so here's the update: Used it very little and never liked it. That said I didn't make enough of an effort to get used to it, and I have nothing bad to say about XY. It's just that I'm basically a happy user of Windows Explorer because I customized it by adding Filemenu Tools and hotkey shortcuts programmed using AutoHotkey. XY didn't add anything I had missed to my setup (i.e. just bloat b/c of overlap with FM Tools), plus the interface was a little different and of course my custom hotkeys didn't work, hence I gave up on it quickly. For someone using bare bones Windows Explorer, XYplorer might be a welcome alternative.

AnVir Task Manager I presume.

 

Oops, yes you're right.
And I should add that Dialog Box Assistant is doing it more efficiently and elegantly than any other I tried (and I tried many of them before to settle for this free oldy).

EDIT: btw, the version to find is v1.1beta1 ("dbox11b1.zip"), and not v1.01 from the link I gave, sorry. The beta1, easily find, is very stable and more feature rich and finely tuned.