Customisation

[Sajjan]

1. How to customize panel columns (Name with Extension, Size in bytes,  Date in H:mm, Time in m:ss) and delete Attrib column.  How to save this permanently.

2. How to prefix folders at time of start (Left : C:\Program Files\MultiCommander, Right : D:\Data Files0. How to save this permanently.

3. How to create Hotkeys to Compare files between left and right panel by Name or Size or Time). How to save this permanently.

[Mathias (Author)]

1. How to customize panel columns (Name with Extension, Size in bytes,  Date in H:mm, Time in m:ss) and delete Attrib column.  How to save this permanently.

Right click on the column header and select "Customize Column Sets..." and then select the "[Default]" column set.
Then click on the change button under the list of column to modify what columns to show, When you done then press "Save Changes" How this column setup will be used as default.

2. How to prefix folders at time of start (Left : C:\Program Files\MultiCommander, Right : D:\Data Files0. How to save this permanently.

Normally it will remember last folder you was in and keep that. But if you want the same path always to be shown you can send then as parameters to the program.
You edit the shortcut for MultiCommander.exe and add to the -L="path left" -R="path right"
for more command line option check the online doc here

3. How to create Hotkeys to Compare files between left and right panel by Name or Size or Time). How to save this permanently.

menu > configuration > Keyboard customization

Under module select "Explorer Panel" and under commands you need to scroll down and you see "Edit - Compare Folder, Select ....." commands and you can there assign hotkeys for the commands.

[Sajjan]

How to customize panel columns (Name with Extension, Size in bytes,  Date in H:mm, Time in m:ss) and delete Attrib column.  How to save this permanently.
Sir, my Windows Xp default date settings are d/M/yy and time settings are H:mm. How can this format be set and saved ?

How to create Hotkeys to Compare files between left and right panel by Name or Size or Time). How to save this permanently.
Sir, when I go to menu > configuration > Keyboard customization > Explorer Panel and select Edit - Compare Folders Select Newest/Missing and remove Existing key then enter new hotkey then assign and save, it is not saved permanently. When I close and restart Multi Commander, This option does not show new assigned hotkey.

[Mathias (Author)]

How to customize panel columns (Name with Extension, Size in bytes,  Date in H:mm, Time in m:ss) and delete Attrib column.  How to save this permanently.
Sir, my Windows Xp default date settings are d/M/yy and time settings are H:mm. How can this format be set and saved ?

By default it is using the date and time format defined in Windows. But you can override that in

Menu > Configuration > Explorer Panel Settings > Layout (Tab)

Scroll down to Date / Time format

There you can check "Use custom date and time format" and then change the format there below.

How to create Hotkeys to Compare files between left and right panel by Name or Size or Time). How to save this permanently.
Sir, when I go to menu > configuration > Keyboard customization > Explorer Panel and select Edit - Compare Folders Select Newest/Missing and remove Existing key then enter new hotkey then assign and save, it is not saved permanently. When I close and restart Multi Commander, This option does not show new assigned hotkey.

When you makes change in keyboard customization the configuration file : CustomKeymappings.xml  is created/change.
Look in your configuration folder if that file exists. and if it is changes when you do a change.

To find the config folder goto
Menu > Help > Goto > Config Folder

[Sajjan]

By default it is using the date and time format defined in Windows. But you can override that in
Menu > Configuration > Explorer Panel Settings > Layout (Tab)
Scroll down to Date / Time format
There you can check "Use custom date and time format" and then change the format there below.

Sir, I went to Use Custom date and time format option. It showed checked and has only two sub-options. yyyy-MM-dd HH:mm which are fixed. There is no option to add or replace or delete them. Tell me how do I change to d/M/yy H:mm.

When you makes change in keyboard customization the configuration file : CustomKeymappings.xml  is created/change.
Look in your configuration folder if that file exists. and if it is changes when you do a change.
To find the config folder goto
Menu > Help > Goto > Config Folder

Yes Sir, CustomKeymappings.xml changed and it works.

Also edit desktop shortcut for MultiCommander.exe works fine Sir.

[Mathias (Author)]

Sir, I went to Use Custom date and time format option. It showed checked and has only two sub-options. yyyy-MM-dd HH:mm which are fixed. There is no option to add or replace or delete them. Tell me how do I change to d/M/yy H:mm.

Double Click in the "yyyy-MM-dd" field and it will enters edit mode, and you can modify it

Check following link on how the date and time format should be written

Date Format
Time Format

[Sajjan]

Mathias Sir,
I am very sorry to bother you so many times on same topic Sir. My ignorance is the reason therefore please forgive me Sir.

I went to : Menu > Configuration > Explorer Panel Settings > Layout (Tab)
Scrolled down to Date / Time format /Use custom date and time format

The I successfully edited both date and time formats, but even after I clicked on 'Apply' then 'Save", nothing happened. Settings did not change Sir.

[Jungle]

Indeed, custom datetime format is not applied.

1. No changes are made to ZFileManager.xml file when saving settings.
2. If values are changed manually by some editor, then they are loaded and displayed in settings page, but have no effect in Explorer panel.

So the only visible effect is when you enable/disable "Use custom date and time format" option. But most probably only default hardcoded custom format is used.

[Mathias (Author)]

Indeed, custom datetime format is not applied.

1. No changes are made to ZFileManager.xml file when saving settings.
2. If values are changed manually by some editor, then they are loaded and displayed in settings page, but have no effect in Explorer panel.

So the only visible effect is when you enable/disable "Use custom date and time format" option. But most probably only default hardcoded custom format is used.

There are no hardcoded format. by default is uses the same format that is defined by Windows, and that is depended on your regional settings in Windows.

But there is some issue here.. I think it is the settings panel that does not trigger that the edit field has changed.

But If you edit (zfilemanger.xml) it manually it works (xml tag "customdateformat" and "customtimeformat".)  just make sure that the option "use custom date and time format" ("customdatetimeformat") is also active. else it will not try to load it

[Mathias (Author)]

Yes it is the settings panel that has a bug. There is a way to fix it manually-

Edit "<mc install location>\Config\ZFileManager_def.xml"

At around line 145 you see


      <item type="chk" key="layout/customdatetimeformat" attribute="value" default="0" text="#s382">
        <item type="edit" key="layout/customdateformat" attribute="value" default="yyyy-MM-dd" tooltip="#s383" />
        <item type="edit" key="layout/customtimeformat" attribute="value" default="HH:mm" tooltip="#s384"  />
      </item>


Change that into

      <item type="chk" key="layout/customdatetimeformat" attribute="value" default="0" text="#s382">
        <item type="edit2" key="layout/customdateformat" attribute="value" default="yyyy-MM-dd" tooltip="#s383" />
        <item type="edit2" key="layout/customtimeformat" attribute="value" default="HH:mm" tooltip="#s384"  />
      </item>

[Jungle]

Yes. Probably i've done something wrong at first time. Manual editing DOES work.

By the way, tooltips for these items look strange.

[Mathias (Author)]

Why did I not just attach a working config definition file to my post.. hehe

Sure.. here it is.. replace this file with the one that is installed and it should work

[Mathias (Author)]

By the way, tooltips for these items look strange.

Yes the tooltip are strange. They are referring to text item in the language files that does not exists.

I will fix that

[Sajjan]

Mathias Sir,
Many of my files are big (i.e over 500mb or even over 1gb).
I prefer to see bytes in "Size" column display.
Big file sizes show truncated.
Perhaps is need to increase width of "Size" field by 1 or 2 spaces.
Please help Sir.
Thanks in advance.

[Mathias (Author)]

The default size of the column is stored in the [Default] ColumnSet.

Add all columns and modify the size to fit your need then right click on the column header and select "Customize Column Set..."

Select "[Default]" and under the list of columns you have a "Copy columns from " a dropdown list. Select "[Current Column Setup]" , Press OK..
and then press Save Changes.

Your current column layout and sizes have now been copied to the [Default] column set

[Sajjan]

Mathias Sir,
I did as you suggested and it works.
I am dual pane commander user since Dos days when they had Norton Commander. Presently I have 3-4 paid and 1-2 Free Commanders. Therefore, as the end user I can give some final user comments better than software engineers Sir.
I have a few comments on Multi Commander. Multi commander is generation different than all others. It has very strong features, no nonsense stuff. Its basic design concept approach is wonderfully logical. Tons of localization and customization options make it look amazing. To quote  a few out of hundreds, I do not think any other Commander has options and tweaks on colors or choice of font and size.
Over and above this, this forum is icing on cake, with people like you who take care of below average users like me so beautifully. Sometimes ignorant of computer logic people like me ask crazy questions but the patience you display is commendable Sir.
I shall bother you from time to time for customization or localization issues Sir.
Best of luck.