ABOUT FACTS NET

Product Review

Picture Source - Clipart.com

Click Here to see the specs of the computer this software is run on.

What exactly is xplorer2? Before I describe it, I would like to say that some of you old timers out there might remember that there used to be many file managers out there. If anyone used an Amiga computer they would have been familiar with those two pane managers that allowed you to set one pane for one directory and the other pane for a different directory. Well this is what xplorer2 is, a two pane file manager. It is free and it is good. There are 2 versions, the free one, which I am reviewing, and a professional version. The free version is called xplorer2 lite, but don't let the 'lite' fool you, it has everything necessary for personal use.

xplorer2 showing the two directory panes side by side

What I really like about this file manager, is the fact that not only can you configure it to set up the panes vertical or horizontal, but it allows you to have all the computer directory info at you finger tips in an interactive column before the two panes that makes selections of directories and sub directories very easy. You can use a pane to display any sub directory no matter how deep. Copying a file or folder from one pane to the other couldn't be easier. The tool bar is not as populated as some fire managers but xplorer2 is so well thought out that you seem to have everything that you need. You can add more icons to the tool bar since it is customizable. You can also change the view of the files and folders much as you can in explorer. You can show large icons if you prefer, full details on the files, thumbnails and small icons. There are other tools on the tool bar as you can see but these were the basic ones.

There is no lack of drop down menus either. There is a File Menu that contains many entries. Besides the usual such as edit, view, rename, properties, close, exit and delete there is mass rename, change type, new tab, which goes down a submenu, browse. which lets you examine almost any type file including windows player files and clone browse

The Goto Menu is chuck full of options such as up one level, forward, back, find target, select drive, recent folder, special folders used by windows, quick bookmark, set bookmark, mirror browsing, mirror scrolling, same folder, and swap panes.

There is a Bookmark Menu. You can bookmark you favorite folders for easier locating later.

The Mark Menu allows you to select files for action. There are many ways to do this. This is the usual select all, unselect all and clicking on an individual file to select it. But besides this you are given other choices such as sticky selection, which allows you to select many different files and folders that will all remain highlighted, select groups, select ranges, unselect both. You can synchronize panes, use the synchronize wizard, check the build, look for certain text in files, match a rule which looks for certain sets of conditions that match what you are looking for, store, combine, select and unselect under a special Select Sub menu.

The Edit Menu contains all the standard commands but also contains several unusual commands such as paste a link, a paste special sub menu that contains, hard link, folder structure and structured scrap clips. Next we have duplicate, copy names, copy preview, copy columns.

The View Menu allows you to decide how things will be shown. Here is where you select different styles, arrange the panes, select toolbars, and do a myriad of other pleasing things. Two commands I really like that are here are the show tree command and locate in tree. The show tree command allows the computer directory info to appear, if you uncheck it you are only viewing the two directories. If you click on a file or folder the parent folder will be highlighted in the first column containing the computer directory info if the tree is active.

The Action Menu has several useful commands such as shred, change attributes, sync touch, split file, merge file and also the usual commands of new folder, new file and set comment. You can save your settings here and save, clear or suspend folder settings under the sub menu Folder Settings.

The Tools Menu also contains some interesting commands. Here we find a run command, a dos command that opens up a dos command line for input even on Windows XP, a run history, repeat command, command script wizard, find files, free space, sub folder size, folder statistics, and an Options Sub Menu that contains various options for how xplorer2 is to run.

This is a Window Menu that allows you to list all saved layouts and will clone your interface. Any layout you pick can be saved. You can organize layouts also.

By the way, there is a slew of keyboard shortcuts available.

There is a help menu but you need to download a pdf file to get true help. The file is very comprehensive and should be able to answer any questions.

I would have to give this program an outstanding rating, it does what it was designed to do and it is simple to use, what more can you ask of software?