Ever wished you could use tabs in Windows explorer, just as you use tabs in your internet browser? Explorer ++ is a file manager and Windows explorer replacement that just that, plus a host of nifty features to boot.
Explorer++ has newly turned open source, is available in 32 and 64 bit builds, and is truly portable.
Features on offer include tabbed browsing, folder/files/app shortcuts bookmarked on the program toolbar, auto calculate displayed folder sizes, split/merge/wipe files, zip archive handling, file filtering and selection by wildcard, the option to replace Windows explorer as the default file handler, custom coloring by user-defined file or folder criteria.
The main attraction for this program is the ability to browse folders via tabs, but there is more to it than that. Here are two lists of the things I like about it as well as some of the things that can be improved.
The PROS section: 7 things I like about this program
- Tabbed browsing: you can right-click “open in new tab” on any folder. You could also restrict the program to a single running instance such that any folder you open will be opened as a tab in a single window.
Bookmarking: folders, files, and shortcuts can be dragged and dropped to be placed on the program toolbar for quick access.- Portable: offers the option to save settings within an XML file in the program folder.
- File filtering: done in two different ways, a “filter” which would apply to your folder view until you removed it (e.g. *.xls* will only display files that contain that string as you browse folders). The second is a search function that applies to a specific folder, but lets you specify parameters such as
- Set to replace Windows explorer from the settings: which makes it very easy and simple; however, this is only available for Vista and Windows 7.
- Can be restricted to a single running instance: which not just has the effect described in point#1 above but also reins in memory consumption, which is about 20 megs or so on my machine.
- Preserves the Windows Explorer context menu:which is an important detail. It does, however, add an “open in a new tab” entry, reminiscent of browsers’ context menus, which is quite useful.
The CONS section: 6 things that, um, can be improved
- No panes, just tabs: i.e. no dual pane view. And although the tabbed view is what attracted me to this program in the first place, an optional pane view would have been nice.
- File filtering, search, and selection functions buried in the menus: when in my opinion they should have been rolled into a single search box on the top right of the interface.
- Does not show file previews (images, videos) in large icon view: it offers it only in thumbnail view (Windows 7 explorer does the former).
- Default view options somewhat lacking: I wanted it to always open my folders in large icon view, grouped by type, but for the life of me couldn’t get it to do so.
- Zip handling does not satisfy: when double clicking a zipped archive it will open it in Explorer++ as expected, but clicking to open a file inside the archive (e.g. a text file or an image) will fail.
- Requires a manual refresh every once in a while: such as after dragging a file out of a folder or creating a new file/folder.
The verdict: I really like this program, despite what may seem like a lot of items in the “cons” section above. The main attraction is the tabbed interface, of course. I probably would not use this as a default replacement to Windows Explorer because I actually like the Windows 7 Explorer quite a bit, but I would if I were still using XP.
If you have to have the file panes you might want to take a look at Q-Dir (a favorite of mine), but if the tab thing seems attractive you will certainly like Explorer++.
Version Tested: 1.1
Compatibility: Windows XP, Vista, Windows 7. Both 32 and 64 bit builds available.
Go to the program home page to download the latest version (approx 426K).
Well, not a free alternative, but nothing beats Directory Opus.
It started on Amiga, been available for windows for quite a while now.
Yep, go straight to Directory Opus.
What I really liked was Qttabbar. It wasn’t a program but a plugin for Windows Explorer. That way, you still used Windows Explorer, but you also had tabs with it.
Unfortunately qttabbar doesn’t support Windows 7 and it’s development seems to have been stopped.
one word: q-dir
one place: http://www.softwareok.com/?seite=freeware/q-dir
well, there is also A43
@ http://www.winaddons.com/a43-file-management-utility-252/
my two cents, but I prefer q-dir for many reasons — not enough room here, and no, I don’t gain anything by saying what I think.
Surf’s up dudes and dudettes.
I’ll check this out, although no active updates for the last year should be called out in the article; that and the author learned to program whilst developing the tool makes me a little cautious.
For my money (sic) this best freeware explorer replacement is CubicExplorer (http://www.cubicreality.com/) — unfortunately development stopped. I’m currently using the free version of Xplorer2 (http://www.zabkat.com/) which has ability to save sessions, but has some functions disabled for payware.
I’d prefer QT Tabbar. The nice thing is to double click on empty place to go a upper lever
Thanks guys for all the feedback
@eman, paco: directory opus is payware, which immediately disqualifies it for me (and very expensive at around $85 or so US it seems, $95 Australian dollars),.
@gsarig, exilpanda: I aso like Qttbar. I forgot about it even as I had reviewed and mentioned it on this blog on multiple occasions.
@jfjb: I also love Q-Dir, would probably choose it if I had to make a single choice.
@jfjb, DaveG: have you guys tried UltraExplorer? Very cool
http://www.mustangpeak.net/ultraexplorer.html
How about an Explorer replacement comparision article? I know I want to have a good replacemen for the Windows explorer on XP!
Thanks for the post and the links in the comments. I’m giving Q-dir a try with windows 7 so I can easily do a run as different user to move files.
@Samer: UltraExplorer is looking very good. Only played with it for a few hours, but it has the same feature set as xplorer2, plus the Drop Stack, which looks useful; it’s free; nice tabs; sessions; lots of customization. Development seems to have stalled since last year — hope that’s not the case though.
Good find.
Quick update: looks like development is not as dead as it first appears — http://www.mustangpeak.net/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=2219&p=9346
I have to disagree a little with one of your ‘Cons’ on this program, it seems you’ve completely missed the original intent of ‘large icon view’ it was never meant to do anything more than display a large version of either the embedded icon in an application or the icon assigned via file associations, it was never meant to display thumbnails of image files, that’s what thumbnail view is for, get it THUMBNAIL VIEW displays thumbnails not embedded icons or file association icons, just like large icon view wasn’t meant to display thumbnails!! The only reason the implemented the ability for large icon view to display thumbnails in newer versions of windows was because some people whined about not being able to tell what an imagefile contained when in large icon view, completely forgetting that that’s what thumbnail view was for!!
@ bartman2489: I see what you’re saying.
But still, since Windows 7 does a kind of thumbnail preview at the large icon level, and since it actually looks and feels very good, it seems like taking a step back to have to go back to an XP style “thumbnail” view to get thumbnails previews.
Ok who wants to write the ultimate “Ultraexplorer” review for Freewaregenius?
Any takers? I can offer a starbucks or amazon gift card for the brave soul.
Qttabbar does this for Windows Explorer itself. Too bad development of it stopped with Vista.
Explorer++ is just as your review described: The major missing component being a second pane.
Sometrhing which would add considerably to it’s value.
The PC Rat
For those wondering about QTTabBar, as i read, the original developer is presumed “dead” last time i check (rumor) so someone has started it as open source project. Object seems to add support for Windows 7 etc.
At the moment im not entirely sure how stable it is in Windows 7 as im still “semi-stuck” on XP.
http://qttabbar.sourceforge.net/
Has anyone tried Risingware’s “Exp+” ?