voidtools forum

Suppose you want to view a file list as in file explorer.

METHOD 1:
Is there a program that can do this?
(support for as many types of file lists as possible)

METHOD 2:
Alternatively:
Creating a script (and an exe file for "Send To"), which:
1. get the filelist file,
2. creates in the same location a base folder named as the filelist filename,
3. (sort the list?)
4. and for each line in the filelist, creates a folder or an empty file (with 0 bytes), and gives it a name like the name of the folder/file in the filelist.

So eventually, the user will be able to explore the filelist in Windows Explorer.

?
Replicate a directory file structure with empty files

How to copy a directory structure without copying files?

Copy Folder Structure without Copying Files in Windows

I don't know of any tools to mount a file list in Windows Explorer.

I'm not sure how this would work as the files are not real files, they would all have no content and be 0-sized.

Stamimail wrote: ↑Thu Aug 31, 2023 7:27 pm uppose you want to view a file list as in file explorer.
Is there a program that can do this?

Everything 1.5:
- Load the file list (menu:File > Open File List )
- Open the Folders sidebar (menu:View > Folders
- Uncheck Subfolders in the Folders sidebar
- Browse through the file list using the folder tree


Maybe EFU Browser might work for you too.

Stamimail wrote: ↑Thu Aug 31, 2023 7:27 pm Creating a script (and an exe file for "Send To"), which:

Creating an exe is not needed; you can also put shortcuts to <whatever> in SendTo.
Creating such a script (PowerShell comes to mind) should be very well doable (something like 20 lines of code?).

METHOD 1:

NotNull wrote: ↑Sat Sep 02, 2023 8:48 pm Maybe EFU Browser might work for you too.

Tested. Unfortunately, EFU Browser doesn't work properly.
Before going deeper into this and trying to fix EFU Browser, we need to stop and ask void if he wants to bring the functionality of EFU Browser (File Explorer mode) to Everything, or he still thinks browsing files like in Windows Explorer should be done by a third party tool.
void?


METHOD 2:
@therube
Everything supports all these types for creating filelist:
File -> Export...



In filelist2file_explorer, the input should be file list file, not a directory.


In my opinion, a solution either by everything or by Windows Explorer is the most reasonable solution, because both the UI is familiar and the keyboard shortcuts are already defined for the user.

What is wrong -- in your opinion -- with:

Everything 1.5:
- Load the file list (menu:File > Open File List )
- Open the Folders sidebar (menu:View > Folders
- Uncheck Subfolders in the Folders sidebar
- Browse through the file list using the folder tree

?

Everything doesn't behave the way the user is used to using a file explorer, i.e. Enter to enter the folder.
In Everything Enter opens the folder in Windows Explorer.
Therefore Explorer mode is required to get the same behaviour of file explorer.

In Explorer mode it's not only the Enter key. There are also another common keys (familair to user) used for navigation.

Everything 1.5.0.1356a adds an advanced setting to open file list folders in Everything.

To open file list folders in Everything:

• In Everything 1.5, from the Tools menu, click Options.
• Click the Advanced tab on the left.
• To the right of Show settings containing, search for:
  filelist
• Select filelist_explore_folder_in_everything.
• Set the value to: true
• Click OK.

filelist_explore_folder_in_everything



Please let me know if this is useful.
I would like to add a -filelist_explore_folder_in_everything command line option.

(I was confused from the outset.
Thinking you wanted to recreate a directory tree, including creating 0-byte files thereof.)

And now, I'm even more confused .

Just what is "to view a file list as in file explorer"?

Likewise, "the user will be able to explore the filelist in Windows Explorer"?
You do what, tell WE to open (explore ?) a "filelist"?

Does that ability exist in Win7?

void wrote: ↑Thu Sep 07, 2023 6:38 amPlease let me know if this is useful.

Yes, it is very useful, but needs some improvements.

The big question here, do you want to bring this feature only to file lists, or to Everything in general?

You want to Toggle between Everything mode and Explorer mode (not need to auto-open Folders pane, only to browse in Result pane).
You open a file list in Everything.
Toggle to Explorer mode will check the selected item and change the results pane to view its parent.
For example, If a filelist contains 2 lines:
C:\
D:\some-folder\some-file.txt

and the user in Results pane select them both,
when toggling to Explorer mode, it's like in address-bar you have My Computer, and in Results pane will be:
C:\
D:\

If user selected only
some-file.txt (D:\some-folder\)
then when toggling to Explorer mode, it's like in address-bar you have D:\some-folder\, and in Results pane will be:
some-file.txt
Alt+Up (or Backspace)
some-folder
Alt+Up (or Backspace)
C:\
D:\
Alt+Up (or Backspace)
DO NOTHING

when toggling to Everything mode, it's like you check the Subfolders checkbox in Folders pane (edit the search box if needed), AND now Enter will open folder in Windows Explorer, not in Everything.

You can call Explorer mode Navigation mode or something else if you like.


@therube
Sorry for my English, but I think void and a few others got the point.

The big question here, do you want to bring this feature only to file lists, or to Everything in general?

At this stage, I'm not trying to make Everything a file explorer.
Possibly in a future release.
Everything would need an address bar and other functionality added.
For Everything 1.5, the folder sidebar is essentially a glorified filter sidebar.

To Explore in Everything with the folder sidebar shown:
Right click a file -> Parent folder -> Explorer in Everything
-or-
Right click a folder -> Explorer in Everything
-or-
Drag-drop the item on the folder sidebar titlebar.

To Explore in Everything with the folder sidebar hidden:
Hold down Shift and Right click a file -> Parent folder -> Explorer in Everything
-or-
Hold down Shift and Right click a folder -> Explorer in Everything

To always open folders in Everything:

• In Everything 1.5, from the Tools menu, click Options.
• Click the Context menu tab on the left.
• Select Open (folders).
• Set the command to:
  $explore-in-everything("%1")
• Select Open Path.
• Set the command to:
  $explore-path-in-everything("%1")
• Click OK.

I will consider an Explorer Mode / Navigation mode.
Thank you for the suggestions.