A couple of suggestions from a new user

[dahaiou]

Hello,
I have tried a fair number of file navigators over the years and I am always on the lookout for new ones, since MS for some reason chose to supply a pure crap "explorer" to go with Windows out of the box. The one in XP, though limited and eminently improvable, was the last one worth having.

I just stumbled over Multi Commander today and I must say it's one of the most promising-looking efforts I have seen so far. It really is. It seems to have most of the features I like to see in a file manager.

Then I have to rant a little about a couple of things I think need fixing:

1. The Favorites/Bookmarking function. I see this is already in the list of suggested improvements. Very good to see it as number one on the list. I'd just like to stress that it's very important to fix this, it's the most glaring gap in the tool at the moment imho. The existing "Hot Paths" feature is useful, but with only 10 paths, non-editable and a flat structure it is too limited (apologies if I am missing something). For a bookmarking system worth its salt it's essential to have editable bookmarks in a tree structure, with similar functions to any browser out there. I don't think it's essential that each and every one of them be accessible from an individual keyboard hotkey, sticking to this philosophy is just going to put unnecessary limitations on your design.

2. I see some "Swenglish" here and there, and some language inconsistencies that should be fixed eg. selecting "Vertical Layout" in fact selects something that many people, myself included, would call Horizontal. Maybe some people see it the other way around. I'm not sure which camp is in the majority. In fact, this difficulty could be neatly avoided by having a toggle function instead: "Toggle Vertical/Horizontal layout". That would always be correct whichever way you look at it.

3. This is a function I would use once in a blue moon (though we did in fact have a blue moon the other day ha ha), thus low priority and not a big issue: The animation that happens when changing View->Split size to another setting can be a little annoying. It was very slow and clunky-looking on one computer, but quicker and OK on another. I'd prefer to turn this animation off. (apologies if it is already possible to turn off, I haven't checked through everything yet)

[Mathias (Author)]

1. The Favorites/Bookmarking function. I see this is already in the list of suggested improvements. Very good to see it as number one on the list. I'd just like to stress that it's very important to fix this, it's the most glaring gap in the tool at the moment imho. The existing "Hot Paths" feature is useful, but with only 10 paths, non-editable and a flat structure it is too limited (apologies if I am missing something). For a bookmarking system worth its salt it's essential to have editable bookmarks in a tree structure, with similar functions to any browser out there. I don't think it's essential that each and every one of them be accessible from an individual keyboard hotkey, sticking to this philosophy is just going to put unnecessary limitations on your design.

Yes a better favorite system is under design. But there are many ways to do that and the decision on exactly how it should work has not been completed yet. But it is one of the top new things to add next.
In the meanwhile there is Hotpaths, Buttons in the Button Panel, QuickLaunchBar, User command in Menu, user command for hotkeys, and Alias for the commandline field. That can be used for creating favorites.

2. I see some "Swenglish" here and there, and some language inconsistencies that should be fixed eg. selecting "Vertical Layout" in fact selects something that many people, myself included, would call Horizontal. Maybe some people see it the other way around. I'm not sure which camp is in the majority. In fact, this difficulty could be neatly avoided by having a toggle function instead: "Toggle Vertical/Horizontal layout". That would always be correct whichever way you look at it.

Yes some translation are missing for the Swedish language files. So when running with Swedish you still get a lot of English. Specially in features that been added in the latest couple of releases. That is because it is me that fixes the Swedish files and I been too busy fixing bugs and adding features. But If you want you can fix some by using the built in language editor and then just press Export and send be an update of the language files.

It is called Vertical because it is what it is. It says 'layout' afterwards. And the when active the UI is placed in vertical order. (Top -> Bottom).
It should also have been named "Horizontal Splitting" or something. And also some of the biggest file manager competitor also calls it vertical.
If you really prefer another name you can change it using the language editor, But I do not think I will change the default name. 

3. This is a function I would use once in a blue moon (though we did in fact have a blue moon the other day ha ha), thus low priority and not a big issue: The animation that happens when changing View->Split size to another setting can be a little annoying. It was very slow and clunky-looking on one computer, but quicker and OK on another. I'd prefer to turn this animation off. (apologies if it is already possible to turn off, I haven't checked through everything yet)

Might remove it if I get some time over.
In the meanwhile doing Ctrl+F11 to toggle 100%/50% and you will skip the animation.

[dahaiou]

In the meanwhile there is Hotpaths, Buttons in the Button Panel, QuickLaunchBar

The UI functionality should be easy to decide just by looking at any popular web browser. Most of them handle bookmarks in very similar ways, and they ended up that way because it's what works out best for most people. Same thing here. But I guess you mean implementation decisions.

Good to know it's in the works though, and those alternatives are probably good enough in the meantime.

Yes some translation are missing for the Swedish language files. So when running with Swedish you still get a lot of English.

Actually, I am running the program in English. By "Swenglish" I meant poorly translated English.

It is called Vertical because it is what it is. It says 'layout' afterwards. And the when active the UI is placed in vertical order. (Top -> Bottom). It should also have been named "Horizontal Splitting" or something.

I can see you are from the opposite school ). I don't need it renamed just for my own use. I just think it would be a handy way to avoid the issue altogether, to use "toggling" instead of naming. It would eliminate the confusion for a lot of people.

[Mathias (Author)]

In the meanwhile there is Hotpaths, Buttons in the Button Panel, QuickLaunchBar

The UI functionality should be easy to decide just by looking at any popular web browser. Most of them handle bookmarks in very similar ways, and they ended up that way because it's what works out best for most people. Same thing here. But I guess you mean implementation decisions.

Good to know it's in the works though, and those alternatives are probably good enough in the meantime.

If you want a long list if bookmarks you can create that easy with user commands that you add to the menu.
I got some plans for something better then a just a long list (with or without submenus ) but do not know if I implement it because it would require a lot of time to create. Might just add a boring long list like browsers. Time will tell.

Yes some translation are missing for the Swedish language files. So when running with Swedish you still get a lot of English.

Actually, I am running the program in English. By "Swenglish" I meant poorly translated English.

It is not magic , Report bugs about the places that are wrong and it will be fixed. Nobody says anything it will not be fixed.

[dahaiou]

I got some plans for something better then a just a long list (with or without submenus ) but do not know if I implement it because it would require a lot of time to create. Might just add a boring long list like browsers. Time will tell.

Interesting if there are new concepts on this. But I suspect that if they are really useful we would have seen them in browsers already.

If I were you I'd consider implementing the boring alternative first while thinking about the advanced stuff for later on. For some things boring solutions are, perhaps sadly, the ones that work best for most users.

Report bugs about the places that are wrong and it will be fixed. Nobody says anything it will not be fixed.

Yes I know, and I feel bad nitpicking about such an excellent product. All the same, I do see many errors and convoluted clunky wordings in the tip of the day hints especially, and some issues in the interface too. But maybe I should shut up as long as I haven't got the time to make detailed improvement suggestions for each of them myself.

[Mathias (Author)]

I got some plans for something better then a just a long list (with or without submenus ) but do not know if I implement it because it would require a lot of time to create. Might just add a boring long list like browsers. Time will tell.

Interesting if there are new concepts on this. But I suspect that if they are really useful we would have seen them in browsers already.

Not really new concepts, but do not think of bookmarks in a File Manager is the same as a WebBrowser.. There are used in completely different ways.

If I were you I'd consider implementing the boring alternative first while thinking about the advanced stuff for later on. For some things boring solutions are, perhaps sadly, the ones that work best for most users.

Maybe.. But it is also what is more interesting for me to implement. Since there is not so much time I can spent on adding new features. I prefer to code something that is interesting.

But since a Menu with items can be created now. maybe just improve that so that can be created easier.

[dahaiou]

Not really new concepts, but do not think of bookmarks in a File Manager is the same as a WebBrowser.. There are used in completely different ways.

That's a new revolutionary concept of its own right there, at least to me. I can't imagine what different ways you have in mind but it will be interesting to see them when they are implemented.

With the disc sizes these days the hard drive easily ends up almost as complicated to navigate as the internet, mine certainly does. The difficulty to find things in your own computer is the same as on the net, a slightly smaller difficulty but still the same kind.

Personally, the plain old bookmark functions would be enough for me, the same as in a browser, though I might change my mind when I get to see the advanced ideas you mention.

I'll have to look into the ways of creating my own menus. A lot of things I haven't had a good enough look at yet. It's possible that most of what I need can be done already in slightly less obvious ways.

I hope you keep up the good work! The more I look at MultiCommander the more I like it!