Visualization of different disks in the file manager or Not quite console FAR
I had a long-standing idea how to expand the capabilities of the file manager interface, improving the visualization of different disks, different types of disks and certain folders. And now it was possible to implement it.
Screenshot for the seed:
But first, some lyrics:
I think everyone here is familiar with the file manager FAR and are unlikely to argue with the fact that this is one of the most powerful file managers on old Earth. However, many are frightened by his console as a reminder of the times of DOS, I want something prettier.
')
My opinion on this score may seem unusual: if at the time of Windows 2000 and XP, the flat FAR console was somehow out of the general visual range of window applications, when all controls were prominently convex and when the fashion for glossy icons went, then in modern times interfaces They became quieter and flatter, there is a tendency to minimize visual noise and focus on content, and FAR, surprisingly, against the background of the rest, the UI begins to look quite “in flight” again.
Console is even a definite advantage of FAR from the point of view of the UI (for example, all plugins look like “native”), but of course, it still limits the possibilities of extending its functionality. Rather, it was so recently, until I found ConEmu.
ConEmu is a console emulator that extends the capabilities of FAR: the ability to arbitrarily resize the window, support for ClearType, drag-n-drop files like in Explorer, correct support for the Explorer context menu, the ability to expand the palette of available colors, tabs for different FAR windows and much more. That is, FAR + ConEmu is already quite a modern file manager that has got rid of the remnants of a purely console application.
One of the features of ConEmu is the ability to set a background image for the console. And although this possibility in itself did not interest me very much, I suddenly realized that it was a chance to realize the very idea of ​​visualization, about which I wrote above.
After the correspondence with the author ConEmu, a new version of this application appeared with a special API that allows you to set the background image from the outside. Well, I wrote a plugin for FAR, which controls this background image.
So, we meet Panel Colorer :
What makes this plugin?
It has a set of rules according to which the panels are colored depending on their type.
What is all this for?
What are your plans?
Now the plugin has the status of an experimental one and carries version 0.9, since it does not implement one very important point - the ability to configure rules and color schemes. This is planned to be done in version 1.0. In the meantime, the plugin has a basic set of "stitched" rules and is designed for the default color scheme FAR.
How to install?
Where then to look for updates?
The plugin (as well as the Delphi source code for it under the GPL license) is located in Google Code . A thread was also created to discuss the plugin on the FAR manager forum.
Update : version 0.91 has been released, which can already be configured via the config.js file in the plugin folder.
Screenshot for the seed:
But first, some lyrics:
I think everyone here is familiar with the file manager FAR and are unlikely to argue with the fact that this is one of the most powerful file managers on old Earth. However, many are frightened by his console as a reminder of the times of DOS, I want something prettier.
')
My opinion on this score may seem unusual: if at the time of Windows 2000 and XP, the flat FAR console was somehow out of the general visual range of window applications, when all controls were prominently convex and when the fashion for glossy icons went, then in modern times interfaces They became quieter and flatter, there is a tendency to minimize visual noise and focus on content, and FAR, surprisingly, against the background of the rest, the UI begins to look quite “in flight” again.
Console is even a definite advantage of FAR from the point of view of the UI (for example, all plugins look like “native”), but of course, it still limits the possibilities of extending its functionality. Rather, it was so recently, until I found ConEmu.
ConEmu is a console emulator that extends the capabilities of FAR: the ability to arbitrarily resize the window, support for ClearType, drag-n-drop files like in Explorer, correct support for the Explorer context menu, the ability to expand the palette of available colors, tabs for different FAR windows and much more. That is, FAR + ConEmu is already quite a modern file manager that has got rid of the remnants of a purely console application.
One of the features of ConEmu is the ability to set a background image for the console. And although this possibility in itself did not interest me very much, I suddenly realized that it was a chance to realize the very idea of ​​visualization, about which I wrote above.
After the correspondence with the author ConEmu, a new version of this application appeared with a special API that allows you to set the background image from the outside. Well, I wrote a plugin for FAR, which controls this background image.
So, we meet Panel Colorer :
What makes this plugin?
It has a set of rules according to which the panels are colored depending on their type.
- For example, hard drives are blue, removable are green, CD / DVD are orange, and network drives are magenta.
- In addition, a palette is formed within each type of disk (i.e., the hard disk “C:” and the hard disk “D:” will have slightly different colors so that you can visually separate one disk from another).
- Each disc panel has its schematic image (background image), size and scale, which shows the percentage of its filling; moreover, the scale displays the filling dynamically, even while FAR, for example, copies files from one disk to another.
- Plug-ins have their own background pictures and captions.
- There is support for special folders (for example, ".svn"), which have their own style.
What is all this for?
- First, it is very convenient to distinguish discs by color. It is immediately obvious that when different disks are selected on the panels, it is more difficult to copy something not there or not to remove it from there.
- Secondly, the size and free disk space are clearly represented.
- It is easier to distinguish virtual file systems (for example, when you went inside an archive or an ISO image) from real ones.
- The plugin can color tell you in which folder the temporary files are located (which can be safely deleted), and in which are the system files that are better not to touch.
- Well, you see, it's boring when all the panels are the same color.
What are your plans?
Now the plugin has the status of an experimental one and carries version 0.9, since it does not implement one very important point - the ability to configure rules and color schemes. This is planned to be done in version 1.0. In the meantime, the plugin has a basic set of "stitched" rules and is designed for the default color scheme FAR.
How to install?
- If you do not have FAR yet, then install it for this direct reference: FAR 2.0 (build 1661) x86 (it is the x86 version of FAR 1661+ that is required)
- Download the ConEmu archive via this direct link: ConEmu 100904 and unpack it directly into the directory where FAR is installed.
- Download the archive with the Panel Colorer plugin at this direct link: Panel Colorer 0.9 and unpack it into the Plugins subfolder of the folder where FAR is installed (the “PluginColorer” folder will be created automatically).
- Run the ConEmu.exe file from the FAR installation folder. ConEmu will load FAR automatically.
Where then to look for updates?
The plugin (as well as the Delphi source code for it under the GPL license) is located in Google Code . A thread was also created to discuss the plugin on the FAR manager forum.
Update : version 0.91 has been released, which can already be configured via the config.js file in the plugin folder.
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/103534/
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