XYplorer

If I had to choose between The Second Coming of Christ and Xyplorer, I would choose Xyplorer. It's that good!

The author (Donald Lessau) is an eccentric and genius programmer who has gone to extreme lengths to optimize the efficiency of the code in this program, and he has released so many updates over the past 10 years I am astonished and flabbergasted at how he does it.

The amount of functionality in Xyplorer is so deep and so comprehensive, it's practically a file manager operating system. However, all features are configurable and you can disable anything you don't want, so it doesn't get too overwhelming. The important thing is that the features are in there for when you need them.

The usability of this program is off the charts! Donald has accommodated just about everybody's preferences, to the point where you get 6 different choices for the coloring scheme used to style the alternating white-gray Details mode ListView! There are practically 3 ways to do everything - so whichever way you reach for first, just works.

I can't say enough about this program other than to BUY IT IMMEDIATELY and you'll never look back. Seriously, Donald is a power user's power user, so to speak (ala "a Man's man"), so you won't find any frustrating or stupid design decisions in this software like you do with most typical software.

I bought this as an alternative to the normal File Explorer. I mainly purchased it as I wanted to be able to tag files like you are able to in OSX. What I did not really know is how powerfull it really is and so much quicker and customisable.

There is a seriously powerfull scripting language incoperated that will do so many things. I have now also replaced my backup software with XYplorer as with a click of the mouse I can backup to multiple locations all from one program and save resource on the machine.

The search function is also amazing especially as you are able to save your searches to be used when required. It is also much quicker then the standard search with far more powerfull options.

Copying files is also much quicker if you use the inbuilt copy procedure. It also has an amazing undo function if you start changing things and then dont like you simply undo it.

The support is also amazing as I had a question and it was answered within a day which is very reasuring when you are going to buy a product.

I must save several hours a day using this now compared to the standard file exploere. All I can say is if you find yourself in file explorer a lot then this is well worth the cost.

It looks good and clean but very shaky or fragile in terms of stability, even Q-Dir are better

XYPlorer has made my life easier as a developer. It's given us so much great features that I'm surprised it's so cheap (but keep it that way ok :) Please, please, please make a version for Linux. Follow the example of Sublime Text, they have Linux version as well.

The ability to view the files is much more user-friendly and customizable comparing to Double commander, it just like the natural windows explorer.
And the ability to colorize a certain set of files is so much helpful for organizing files.

In comparison to Double Commander::
Double Commander is open source. (I like that)
The viewing of files is not very good in DC, only thumbnail view, column view (detailed view), brief view.
For colorizing the files, I can choose any random set of files in XYplorer, but in DC, it has to be a certain files defined by a category mask.

I used to try file explorers. I used to. Because when I?found XYplorer, I stopped to try. XYplorer has a lot of features and I don’t master them all but I’m often amazed to find an option I did not know and that covers a new need.

For me it’s the best file explorer as it can be used as a wonderful image browser. It combines the best of image management and file management. See why:

• thumbnail listing is customizable
• you have the best preview mode ever seen in an explorer. A preview window but also preview when hovering with the mouse, preview with one click on icon
• want to resize?? Or do anything possible like with Xnconvert?? With scripting abilities, you can use all Xnconvert possibilities directly in XYplorer
• tons of filtering options?: colors (by character chains, size…), instant showing when typing some letters, define colors manually, tags…
• undo history (so handy and life saving)
• paper folders when you can save list of files
• catalog when you put favorite files shortcuts, program shortcuts, scripts you need…
• handy favorite files management
• handy directory files management (one right click to open menu)
• drag and drop files everywhere in XYplorer to copy or move them
• integration of Everything (very good search engine) via a script
• very good global ergonomy
• icon management - yes you can define an icon for sai2 files
• batch renaming (with search and replace abilities)
• nice global search tool

This is a listing about my needs but someone else may give a completely different list. I don’t use other dedicated image browser as they cannot compete with XYplorer for all these reasons.

What may makes you hesitate

Scripting

Scripting is not easy for me but the forum is very helpful and developer answers very quickly. I always found help and helpful ressources.

Price

I used xplorer2 for a long time as it was cheaper than XYplorer. But price formula changed so much I began to be bored and I discovered that XYplorer evolution was much quicker with great additions with each release. With a little luck, you can buy it half price for special events.

Some -

Only 32 bits program for the moment (but the developers wants to create a 64 bits version). No FTP management - so I use Raildrive for this when I need it.

So have a try with XYplorer. If you need a serious file management program, it’s an excellent tool with serious support.

The "Configerations" window is huge ... no; massive ... breathtaking
There are 927+ settings in XYplorer ... I counted them
Config. includes a searchable indexed list of "settings"
... trick is you have to know the name of the setting.

IMO this app is a swiss-army-knife of file tools
... personnaly I find overbloated suites bog down the rest of my work

I gave up after 3 frustrating days ... FreeCommander is simpler