Best console file manager?

Bohemian_Grove · Saturday at 5:53 PM

What console file manager do you use and what do you recommend?

(Mod: removed meme pics, please don't use these)

tembun · Sunday at 6:28 PM

When I first switched to Linux distributions, I used to use misc/mc for some time. Well, it was nice and handy. It didn't last long though and (even before coming to FreeBSD) I started using plain sh(1), ls(1), cd(1), mv(1), cp(1), rm(1), find(1), etc... Never looked back. So, these are what I do use and do recommend.

ralphbsz · Sunday at 6:55 PM

ls, rm, mv, stat, find.

When I first started using Unix, it was a pretty difficult change, coming from years of experience using dir, delete, rename and such tools.

mer · Sunday at 7:09 PM

OP can you define "console file manager"? My use is term window, I'll do pwd to verify where I am, and /bin/cp -v /bin/rm -v /bin/mv -v to "do stuff"

Why do people "need" things like mc? Is it simply because you get a ncurses interface that emulates a GUI interface to muck with files?

blackbird9 · Sunday at 7:38 PM

vifm https://vifm.info/

Maturin · Sunday at 7:58 PM

Filemanager in the shell?
The shell IS a filemanger.

Phishfry · Sunday at 7:58 PM

mer said:
Why do people "need" things like mc?

I don't need misc/ytree but I do find it useful.

Looking at a directory in a tree view really helps me visualize my files.

So many times with ls I would mistake a file for a directory.

ralphbsz · Sunday at 8:03 PM

Configure ls to show a trailing / for directories.

graudeejs · Sunday at 8:17 PM

In order to explore large filesystems I currently preffer sysutils/py-ranger

mer · Sunday at 8:56 PM

Phishfry said:
I don't need misc/ytree but I do find it useful.

Looking at a directory in a tree view really helps me visualize my files.

So many times with ls I would mistake a file for a directory.

I have "ls" aliased to "ls -hF" which means directories get a trailing "/" Oh and I destest "colorization"

So basically, my usage I don't understand the need for a "special" thing when I can simply add arguments. But honestly, you do you, I'll do my stuff.

bakul · Sunday at 9:57 PM

sysutils/joshuto seems pretty good and customizable. Inspired by sysutils/py-ranger which seems to be much more flexible. See https://github.com/kamiyaa/joshuto & https://github.com/ranger/ranger for more details.

tembun · Sunday at 10:03 PM

mer said:
Why do people "need" things like mc? Is it simply because you get a ncurses interface that emulates a GUI interface to muck with files?

I do share your point of view. However, I still can understand why some people would need such things (for a certain period of time!). Imagine, say, a Windows user that has just switched to FreeBSD (or any other Un*x essentially): a fellow has been using GUI for his entire life and it may be really painful to switch your mind from 'windows and buttons' into 'just shell'. I do admit that it should not necessarily be true for everyone, and that for some people it would be relatively easy to give up 'convenient' approach, but I think that for the vast majority it will be quite a process. Again, I see these things (TUI file managers and similar programs) as solely transitional thing, which can soften your landing into new environment and which you will give up after some time.

And, even having said that, I still do understand (and know) people who know the drill about the system and can freely perform tasks using simple UNIX utilities only, and at the same time would make use of some TUI (and GUI) thing every once in a while. And that's still ok - to each his own and every one is responsible for his choices.

Phishfry · Sunday at 10:29 PM

mer said:
you do your, I'll do my stuff.

Exactly. I have been using this crutch Xtree since 1989.

I was the font burgler. I took a night janitor job to steal fonts. They were that expensive
Xtree with 2 disks was an easy in and out.
I was all up in your shizzy without you even knowing.
Mac versions were tougher with the forked filesystem.

Phishfry · Sunday at 11:01 PM

I have just started dabbling in user shell alias's. Just as powerful as XTG and MC alt/one letter shortcuts with out the graphics.
For screen clearing I went with 'cls' and I like it. When working in console its nice to start with a fresh screen. Editor leaves dangling text than I like clearing.
I considered using single letter 'c' for clear alias but I worry that is too close to 'cc'.

joe81tx · Monday at 12:07 AM

nnn (misc/nnn) hands down. I went through a phase where I tried them all after finding ranger and liking the idea of deleting/copying/moving files on my server from my phone or laptop via SSH without having to VNC. Yes ls cp mv rm are fine for single files one time when you're at a keyboard but it's unnecessarily complex for all situations. Or if you're popping into and out of directories trying to find something you don't know the name of you can quickly arrow in and out of directories instead of using cd which can get tedious. I'm sure it's different for everybody but nnn's default keys just make so much sense like pressing . to toggle hidden files, / to search the current folder, * to toggle executables, n for a new file/directory. I love how you just hit space to select files and directories and it moves down the list to make multiple selects fast. Selections survive directory changes, you don't have to know the command until you're ready to do something to the selected files, and then you don't get unnecessary secondary confirmation pages. Press (x) to delete selected, p to copy/ v to move them once you're in the new directory, r to open your text editor to rename, etc. There's no dual or triple columns until you need to multi-task, then just hit tab to open a second tab to browse to a different folder. If you have more than one tab pressing tab cycles through them. Want a third tab? shift+tab. You're not forced to use a trash folder, I forget which one did that. B to bookmark a folder, b show your bookmarks and select one. Press ? to see a cheatsheet in the app. It's so good! Worth demoing at least. Let us know which one you pick.

balanga · Monday at 6:52 AM

I'm a dedicated fan of Midnight Commander. It's always the first thing I install after installing FreeBSD, and I'm completely lost without it.

Bohemian_Grove · Monday at 6:52 AM

balanga said:
I'm a dedicated fan of Midnight Commander. It's always the first thing I install after installing FreeBSD, and I'm completely lost without it.

Okay, i'll try this, thanks.

balanga · Monday at 6:57 AM

Phishfry said:
Exactly. I have been using this crutch Xtree since 1989.

I was a big fan of Xtree many years ago.

Some time ago there was some talk about an open source Xtree clone on this forum which was supposed to buildable on FreeBSD but I never managed to create it and gave up.

Does anyone remember it?

Charlie_ · Monday at 7:49 AM

balanga said:
Does anyone remember it?

Is this it?

B

Thread 'UnixTree for FreeBSD'

Oct 22, 2023

Looking at http://www.unixtree.org/ or more specifically http://www.unixtree.org/details.htm#platforms

it looks like there is or was a build of UnixTree for FreeBSD, except I can't locate it.

Anyone know anything about it?

I've just downloaded the source and wondering how I would go about trying to build it. There is a build doc and a makefile but it looks fairly long and complicated for me to give it a try.

If I just run make, I get

Code:

No build environment setup. Run ". build <platform>" first.
*** Error code 1

Stop.
make: stopped in /tmp/unixtree/unixtree-3.0.4...

balanga · Monday at 7:50 AM

Bohemian_Grove said:
Okay, i'll try this, thanks.

One tip I'd suggest when you first try it is to press F9 O P Y which will select Lynx like motion and makes traversing directories easier. You need to save this setting otherwise it will be unselected when you next start mc.

balanga · Monday at 7:52 AM

Charlie_ said:
Is this it?

B

Thread 'UnixTree for FreeBSD'

Oct 22, 2023

Looking at http://www.unixtree.org/ or more specifically http://www.unixtree.org/details.htm#platforms

it looks like there is or was a build of UnixTree for FreeBSD, except I can't locate it.

Anyone know anything about it?

I've just downloaded the source and wondering how I would go about trying to build it. There is a build doc and a makefile but it looks fairly long and complicated for me to give it a try.

If I just run make, I get

Code:

No build environment setup. Run ". build <platform>" first. *** Error code 1 Stop. make: stopped in /tmp/unixtree/unixtree-3.0.4...

balanga

Replies: 26

Forum: Installation and Maintenance of Ports or Packages

That's the one.

hern42 · Monday at 9:01 AM

i've been using a variety of those over the years: lfm, vfm, superfile, mc...
now i'm using tmux + nnn and, even if it took a little while to get used to it, i'm not in a position where i lack any functions and i discover new (fun) ones regularly...
(tmux is to have a mc-type two or more panels view)

hardworkingnewbie · Monday at 9:08 AM

mer said:
OP can you define "console file manager"? My use is term window, I'll do pwd to verify where I am, and /bin/cp -v /bin/rm -v /bin/mv -v to "do stuff"

Why do people "need" things like mc? Is it simply because you get a ncurses interface that emulates a GUI interface to muck with files?

MC is a clone of Norton Commander, which was the file manager under DOS in the good old days back when Norton meant quality and not hahaha.

Why would somebody want such a thing? Miller columns for example, some people really love them.

balanga · Monday at 9:08 AM

hern42 said:
i've been using a variety of those over the years: lfm, vfm, superfile, mc...
now i'm using tmux + nnn and, even if it took a little while to get used to it, i'm not in a position where i lack any functions and i discover new (fun) ones regularly...
(tmux is to have a mc-type two or more panels view)

I only discovered tmux recently and wished I had come across it years ago. I'm still finding my way around how to make the most of it. although when I start it, it launches mc automatically.

Charlie_ · Monday at 9:45 AM

mer said:
OP can you define "console file manager"? My use is term window, I'll do pwd to verify where I am, and /bin/cp -v /bin/rm -v /bin/mv -v to "do stuff"

Why do people "need" things like mc? Is it simply because you get a ncurses interface that emulates a GUI interface to muck with files?

Maybe your native language is easy to type in.
My native language has hundreds of characters that are used on a daily basis.
If you want to create a clear file name, you will need to use these characters.
Entering filenames like this would require a lot of typing.
Even if you use completion, you still need to enter the first few characters.
A file manager is useful for working with such files.
By the way, I use shells/fd.