Best console file manager?

balanga said:
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.
Click to expand...
If you like sysutils/tmux try sysutils/byobu. In the default configuration it uses tmux as multiplexer, but it is much user friendlier to handle than tmux.

For example:
Create new window:

tmux: Ctrl+b+c
byobu: F2

Cycle through windows:

Previous window:
tmux: Clrl+b+p
byobu: F3

Next window:
tmux: Ctrl+b+n
byobu: F4

Rename current window:
tmux: Ctrl+b+,
byobu: F8

F1 for TUI help (keybindings) and configuration menu, easy pre-defined status line configuration (not all available though). All key bindings can be custom defined, all tmux commands are accepted (as far I can tell).
 
Many years ago we had an IBM Internal use file manager written by an employee.

It was console based because there was no GUI with the IBM PC. It was excellent, used colors and VERY useful.

I figured some smart guy wrote something similar for Unix that did not depend on X or some GUI complicated system.

The IBM product was self contained and entirely portable.
 
hardworkingnewbie said:
Why would somebody want such a thing? Miller columns for example, some people really love them.
Click to expand...
As I said, I've never seen a need for them, but never had an issue for those that do. Charlie_ has stated what I consider a valid reason (my opinion only) and yes, my language has only 26 letters (52 including upper case) plus special characters so manually typing things has never been an issue.

The biggest issue I have is when people start putting spaces into file names, I just need to escape them.
 
I would just recommend getting used to the shell to manage files, you will end up using it for certain operations whether you like it or not. Constantly using typing out paths can be annoying, so I use popd and pushd to go back and forth easier. If you struggle with reading the output of ls, you can always use ls --color -F, which adds color and symbols, respectively. I also configured my shell, shells/zsh, to show my current directory above my prompt like so:
/var/log
❯ cat log.txt
 
hardworkingnewbie said:
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.
Click to expand...
Yes, I love MC too.
Good memories of the old days of MS-DOS.
But MC can also be useful, for example, I like the built-in ftp client.
I use MC very rarely, but It helps me visually inspect large directories.
 
They can be useful when you want to operating on a bunch of files but there is no simple grep or find pattern to catch them all or you are too lazy. In a 2D manager you can mark them all manually and then work on them all at once. You *can* do so without a file mgr but then you have to manually enter filenames in another file. Marking files is less errorprone then spelling them out :-)
 
serjsk8 said:
Yes, I love MC too.
Good memories of the old days of MS-DOS.
But MC can also be useful, for example, I like the built-in ftp client.
I use MC very rarely, but It helps me visually inspect large directories.
Click to expand...
I use it all the time and it has a ton of useful options. Beside ftp link it also ssh and sftp link.

One option I use a lot is to differences between two files. You select the two files in either window and C-x C-d highlighs the differerences.
 
T-Daemon said:
If you like sysutils/tmux try sysutils/byobu. In the default configuration it uses tmux as multiplexer, but it is much user friendlier to handle than tmux.

For example:
Create new window:

tmux: Ctrl+b+c
byobu: F2

Cycle through windows:

Previous window:
tmux: Clrl+b+p
byobu: F3

Next window:
tmux: Ctrl+b+n
byobu: F4

Rename current window:

tmux: Ctrl+b+,
byobu: F8

F1 for TUI help (keybindings) and configuration menu, easy pre-defined status line configuration (not all available though). All key bindings can be custom defined, all tmux commands are accepted (as far I can tell).
Click to expand...

I don't know how I could incorporate byobu into my setup.

I use LXDE with an autostart:-

Code: 
@lxpanel --profile LXDE
@pcmanfm --desktop --profile LXDE
#@oneko
#@xscreensaver -no-splash
@xterm -e sh tmux.sh
@chrome

and this runs tmux.sh:-

Code: 
#!/usr/bin/env sh
tmux new-session -d sh doom
tmux new-window -d emacs -nw
tmux new-window -d ncdu
#tmux split-window -h emacs -nw
tmux new-window -d mc
#tmux split-window
tmux new-window -d  'env SHELL=/usr/local/bin/bash mc'
tmux attach

I couldn't find a way for getting tmux.conf to do what I wanted hence the script which is still WIP since I can't work out how to start tmux with a split window with two programs running in them.
 
balanga said:
I don't know how I could incorporate byobu into my setup.

I use LXDE with an autostart:-

and this runs tmux.sh:-
Click to expand...
Replace "tmux" with "byobu", byobu(1) is a wrapper script, all tmux commands are valid with byobu.

balanga said:
I can't work out how to start tmux with a split window with two programs running in them.
Click to expand...
Something like this perhaps:
sh: 
#!/usr/bin/env sh

byobu \
new-session 'emacs ; bash' \; \
split-window -h 'mc ; bash'
 
Without any doubt midnight commander, my goto tool next to bvi, hexdump, nc and vim. Did burn some midnight oil (almost a pun) porting it to HPUX before connect.org.uk conviniently put it up for grabs and saved time of many people.
Nothing's stopping you to use commands too if it suits your situaion best. There's no exclusivity here.

On Windows I use total commander. I started using NC/DN (dos navigator) when on DOS and I liked it.
I've a collegue who prefers explorer windows opened when doing stuff. My mind can't comprehend it but .. different strokes for different folks.
 
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