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FreeCommander XE "not so obvious" settings

Posted: 25.10.2014, 22:32
by joby_toss
1. There are some variables that FC supports that might be useful for relative paths support:

%FcSrcPath% - FC's folder, where the main .exe is located
%FcSrcDrive% - the drive where FC starts from
%FcAppDataPath% - the folder where settings are saved
%FcTempPath% - saves the current FreeCommander TEMP path.

Example:
Image

2. There are some settings you can manually add to the [Form] section of the FreeCommander.ini file:

DosCommandBoxSpec=cmd.exe - define a new console program
PathEditAutoCompleteSource=x - control path autocomplete
  • where
    x=0 - auto complete off
    x=1 - auto complete list from FC
    x=2 - auto complete list from Shell
ShowUserInCaption=1 - enable User display in caption (0 to disable)
ShowFullPathInCaption=1 - enable full path display in caption (0 to disable)
ShowContextMenu64Bit=0 - if you prefer to see for right click always 32-bit context menu
NetworkLoadOnPrgStart=0 - disable auto loading network on program start
FullRowSelect=0 - disable full row select (1 to enable)
SaveSettingsOnFormDeactivate=1 - autosave settings when the program loses focus (auto save settings must be set, too)
fcIconNr=x - change the icon displayed in the task bar
  • where x = 1, 2, 3 or 4
FileListMouseWheelScrollMultiplier=1 - change mouse scrolling "speed"
TreeRefreshTimerInterval=3000 - change the tree refresh interval to 3000 milliseconds
SelectLeftClickOnIcon=0
SelectLeftClickOnEmptyCaption=0
  • The possible values are
    0 - open (default)
    1- focus
    2- select
    SelectLeftClickOnIcon works only if you click on file/folder icon.
    SelectLeftClickOnEmptyCaption works only if you click on empty area of the caption. If no empty area exists, then it works by click on extension or on right edge of the caption (ca. 20 pixels). If you click and then move the mouse, you can select more items.
    These options are interesting if someone use "Open file/folder with single click".
    With SelectLeftClickOnEmptyCaption=2 it is possible - I think always (NC-Mode, Windows-Mode, Windows-Colors, User-Colors) to select the items with mouse dragging.
DropSourceShowImage=0 - disable the preview image on drag&drop
SplitterSwitchSmall=25 - change the splitting width to 25/75 percent (you can change it to anything between 1 and 99)
TabRestoreLastPathForAll=1 - last used path of each tab (locked too) should be restored
Md5VerifyUseFC=0 - disable MD5 file association
ThumbsNoClipCaption=1 - draws caption without clipping; the user must self increase Y spacing.
NewFolderNameSuggestionList=A1|A2|A3;B1|B2|B3 - if you want to expand the list of suggested names for the folders in the "New folder" dialog.
PrefixForBackupSubfolderNames=x , the default value is 'Bkp_Settings_'
DirMonChangeInterval=1000 , to increase the auto-refresh interval and decrease the CPU load.
RightClickEmptySpaceFcMenu=0 - if you like to show the default windows context menu on free space right click.
GoUpFromDriveEnabled=x - default value is 1 (true). Set the value to 0 if you do not want go to parent from the drive root.
OpenItemsWarningItemsCount=2 (default value 2). If you do not like the warning message for opening of multiple files, then increase the value (*implemented in build 702 - not public at the time of this writing).
CopyFullPath_AddLastDelimiter=0 - set the value to 1 if you want to add trailing backslash if copy folder paths to clipboard (*implemented in build 727 - not public at the time of this writing).

Example:
Image

3. You can modify the delay for taking a screenshot:
- search in the FreeCommander.ini file for [FcScreenSnapshot] section (if it doesn't exists, go to Screenshot dialog (Tools->Desktop Snapshot) and use "Save" button first)
- change the value for DelaySec=3 to e.g. DelaySec=7

4. You can change the width of the drive popup button. Create in the FreeCommander.ini a new section:
  • [TfcDrivesButton]
    BtnWidthWide=200
Change "show occupied space progress bar" style to the Windows one by defining it directly in the FreeCommander.ini:
  • [TfcDrivesButtonPanel]
    BarStyle=2

    [TfcDrivePanel]
    BarStyle=2
5. Other:
Shift+Tab shortcut switches focus between (opened) Tree, Favorites tree and Active/single panel.
Tab key switches focus between the 2 panels.
Middle-click on a folder opens it in a new tab in the same panel. Ctrl+Middle click opens it in the opposite panel.
Middle click on a Tab closes it.
Shift+Ctrl+T (default) reopens last closed tab.
Double click on empty space in the Tab bar duplicates the current Tab.
Press ALT key and drag your favorite file/folder/program on desired place in the favorite toolbar.
Hit F7 (default for create new folder) and write a\b\c creates folder a with subfolder b and sub-subfolder c in the active panel.
Hit F7 and write a|b|c creates 3 folders a, b and c in the active panel (you can combine \ and | signs; e.g. a\b|a\c creates folder a with two subfolders, b and c).
Hitting the drop-down arrow in New folder window (similar option is available for the New text file window) allows you to create a folder with the same name as the selected file, using the current date as the name or the current date/time:
Image

Drag&drop a file to a program's icon in the favorite toolbar will open that file in that program, independent of the system's file association:
Image

Adding the parameter %ActivSel% to a favorite program will make it possible to open the selected file (from the active panel) when hitting the favorite program's icon:
Image

Right click the Status bar to get access to a small menu to quickly change some settings:
Image

Starting with build 687: Implemented new option to define in the freecommander.ini in the Section [dlgInputBox]: AutoComplete=0. With AutoComplete=1 will be auto completion activated in e.g. "Go to folder", "New folder" dialogs.

Starting with build 702 (donor version at the time of this writing): Implemented Right click with the pressed Ctrl key changes the meaning of the option RightClickEmptySpaceFcMenu (gives the option to show standard Windows context menu).

6. Quick fixes:

Issue: The action toolbar buttons for Name, Date, Size only work "once" i.e. they will sort but when you click them a second time the sort is not reversed.
Solve: Open "Details for a toolbar item" http://www.freecommander.com/fchelpxe/e ... lbars.html and change the "Group index" for each button to unique value. Use values > 200.

Image

Issue: Quick viewer does not occupy the entire real estate of the opposite panel (folder tabs are still visible), no matter how high you drag the toolbar.
Solve: open your FreeCommander.ini settings file and edit these 2 lines in the [MainPanel] section, using "98" as a value (I think it's %) or "94" if you still want to see the title bar (you may want to play around with these values, depending on your screen size and resolution and also on the number of XE toolbars displayed).
LeftViewerSize=98
RightViewerSize=98


Image

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Disclaimer: some of these settings might change over time (some already changed or have been incorporated into the Settings GUI).

Note: Please add, suggest, validate or invalidate them (and keep the off-topic to a minimum)!

Thank you, everyone, for making this thread possible!

Re: FreeCommander XE "not so obvious" settings

Posted: 26.10.2014, 17:41
by JohnFredC
Thank you! Great info.

Should be a "Sticky"

Re: FreeCommander XE "not so obvious" settings

Posted: 26.10.2014, 20:17
by Karol
Release 672
- Implemented: Option 'ThumbsNoClipCaption' to define in the [Form] section. The value 1 draws caption without clipping. The user must self increase Y spacing.

Re: FreeCommander XE "not so obvious" settings

Posted: 27.10.2014, 18:43
by afh
Press ALT key and drag your favorite file/folder/program on desired place in the favorite toolbar.
In case you didn't remark, also you can drag and drop selected files into the exe file in your favorite toolbar. In this case, the parameter for that exe file is ignored (let's say you put %ActiveDir%), instead of parameter (%ActiveDir% in this example) there are the selected files that are taken as command line parameters.

Drag and drop works also for favorite items (ALT+F).

Re: FreeCommander XE "not so obvious" settings

Posted: 21.11.2014, 16:26
by Marek
If you want to expand the list of suggested names for the folders in the "New folder" dialog:

[Form]
NewFolderNameSuggestionList=A1|A2|A3;B1|B2|B3

Re: FreeCommander XE "not so obvious" settings

Posted: 21.11.2014, 16:59
by joby_toss
Can you make this option available for the New text file dialog, please!?

Re: FreeCommander XE "not so obvious" settings

Posted: 23.11.2014, 09:27
by afh
When I insert "NewFolderNameSuggestionList=A1|A2|A3;B1|B2|B3" in file "Freecommander.ini" after restart this line disapears from "[form]"
I use the portable version 681.
What's wrong?

Re: FreeCommander XE "not so obvious" settings

Posted: 23.11.2014, 09:49
by joby_toss
Make sure you're changing the .ini file (open/edit/save/close) while FC is not running.

Re: FreeCommander XE "not so obvious" settings

Posted: 23.11.2014, 10:27
by afh
joby_toss wrote:Make sure you're changing the .ini file (open/edit/save/close) while FC is not running.
That was the problem :)
Thanks!

Re: FreeCommander XE "not so obvious" settings

Posted: 26.11.2014, 19:31
by joby_toss
Should we add information about command line parameters to the first post? Most are listed in the help file and online here: http://www.freecommander.com/fcHelpXE/e ... eters.html

Re: FreeCommander XE "not so obvious" settings

Posted: 30.12.2014, 23:17
by Dreamer
joby_toss wrote:Should we add information about command line parameters to the first post? Most are listed in the help file and online here: http://www.freecommander.com/fcHelpXE/e ... eters.html
I agree. Thank you very much for your work with this topic and for the help in the forum, joby_toss!

BTW - I found the way how to easily remove diacritical marks from files (most/all characters), it's useful for old CD/DVD players that can't read the files with diacritical marks. Characters are from wiki, perhaps not all characters are included, please test, later it could be added to the first post of this topic.

In Multi rename use these options:

File name:
[n]

File extension:
[e]

Search for:
Ľ|Š|Č|Ť|Ž|Ý|Á|Í|É|Ě|Ú|Ä|Ô|Ň|Ó|Ď|Ĺ|Ŕ|Ř|Ů|Å|Ø|Š|Ž|Õ|Ä|Ö|Ü|À|Â|Ç|É|È|Ê|Ë|Î|Ï|Ô|Ù|Û|Ü|Ÿ|Ž|Š|Č|Ć|Đ|Á|É|Í|Ó|Ú|Ā|Ē|Ī|Ū|Č|Š|Ž|Ļ|Ķ|Ņ|Ģ|Ö|Ü|Ő|Ű|Ä|Ö|Ü|Ë|Ï|Ą|Ć|Ę|Ł|Ń|Ó|Ś|Ź|Ż|Ă|Â|Î|Ș|Ț|Ñ|Å|Ä|Ö|Ç|Ş|Ğ|Ă|Â|Đ|Ê|Ô|Ơ|Ư|ľ|š|č|ť|ž|ý|á|í|é|ě|ú|ä|ô|ň|ó|ď|ĺ|ŕ|ř|ů|å|ø|š|ž|õ|ä|ö|ü|à|â|ç|é|è|ê|ë|î|ï|ô|ù|û|ü|ÿ|ž|š|č|ć|đ|á|é|í|ó|ú|ā|ē|ī|ū|č|š|ž|ļ|ķ|ņ|ģ|ö|ü|ő|ű|ä|ö|ü|ë|ï|ą|ć|ę|ł|ń|ó|ś|ź|ż|ă|â|î|ș|ț|ñ|å|ä|ö|ç|ş|ğ|ă|â|đ|ê|ô|ơ|ư

Replace with:
L|S|C|T|Z|Y|A|I|E|E|U|A|O|N|O|D|L|R|R|U|A|O|S|Z|O|A|O|U|A|A|C|E|E|E|E|I|I|O|U|U|U|Y|Z|S|C|C|D|A|E|I|O|U|A|E|I|U|C|S|Z|L|K|N|G|O|U|O|U|A|O|U|E|I|A|C|E|L|N|O|S|Z|Z|A|A|I|S|T|N|A|A|O|C|S|G|A|A|D|E|O|O|U|l|s|c|t|z|y|a|i|e|e|u|a|o|n|o|d|l|r|r|u|a|o|s|z|o|a|o|u|a|a|c|e|e|e|e|i|i|o|u|u|u|y|z|s|c|c|d|a|e|i|o|u|a|e|i|u|c|s|z|l|k|n|g|o|u|o|u|a|o|u|e|i|a|c|e|l|n|o|s|z|z|a|a|i|s|t|n|a|a|o|c|s|g|a|a|d|e|o|o|u

[x] Case sensitive
[x] Replace all occurrences

Then save it as Profile.

Perhaps it should be added to default settings, together with some other profiles for mp3 files ([mp3artist] - [mp3title]), jpg files ([exif_taken]), basic counter ([c] - digits: 4)... This way also normal users would learn easily how to use Multi rename.

Re: FreeCommander XE "not so obvious" settings

Posted: 10.05.2015, 17:59
by joby_toss
Just added a second issue into the first post: Quick viewer does not occupy the entire real estate of the opposite panel...
Can anyone give me a confirmation on the fix, please?

Re: FreeCommander XE "not so obvious" settings

Posted: 11.06.2015, 18:54
by afh
I have just noticed that in address bar middle clicking on a upper folder will open that folder in a new tab in the same pane :D

Image

Re: FreeCommander XE "not so obvious" settings

Posted: 27.09.2015, 20:16
by Timon
FC XE 686
- Implemented: New option to define in the freecommander.ini - 'PrefixForBackupSubfolderNames', the default value is 'Bkp_Settings_'
FC XE 687
- Implemented: New option to define in the freecommander.ini in the Section [dlgInputBox]: AutoComplete=0. With AutoComplete=1 will be auto completion activated in e.g. "Go to folder", "New folder" dialogs.
FC XE 690
- Implemented: Define "RightClickEmptySpaceFcMenu=0" in the freecommander.ini [Form] section, if you like show the default context menu on free space right click
FC XE 696
- Implemented: new option "GoUpFromDriveEnabled"; default value is 1 (true). Set the value to 0 if you do not want go to parent from the drive root.

Re: FreeCommander XE "not so obvious" settings

Posted: 01.12.2015, 16:26
by yesolo
Is there a setting in FC.ini which allow to load FC in Full Screen mode (like after pressing F11) or a setting allowing to load FC without title bar?

Something like:
LoadInFullSizeMode = 1
or
TitleBarOff = 1