Several suggestions (mainly on predef/userdef commands but also on the quick view) and a small bug (probably)

[funkymonk]

Hi there!

I am using TC since over 20 years now (currently TC32 9.51) and since long ago it is the first application to start and the last to exit when using my machine. Thank you, Christian. Great work! Just recently, I have reworked some user defined commands and settings to improve the user convenience and I would like to make some suggestions:

1. When entering a directory it would be nice to have the cursor placed on the first *file* (instead of the first entry “[..]”). Since this is probably not needed by everyone, it could be an option:
a) Maybe an option “per directory” (which is probably not that easy to implement/manage)
b) Maybe an option for directories in the Ctrl-D menu quick access menu (which I would like a lot)
c) Maybe a general option in the settings (which I would like to use in addition to b). E.g.: “Jump to first file when entering a directory.”

2. Closely related to 1, there is a command cm_gotofirstentry which puts the cursor on the first directory or file in the active panel. It would be great to have yet another command (e.g., cm_gotohome) which puts the cursor at the very beginning of the list, i.e., on “[..]”.

3. For user defined commands it is possible to specify a comma-separated list of already existing commands (e.g., “em_gotoDownloadDirectory, em_gotoFirstFileAndScrollUp, more”). This is great. However, it doesn’t work with parameterized commands (e.g., “cd c:\”). It would be great to have support for comma-separated commands with quotes around the parameterized ones. Example:
“cd c:\download”, em_gotoFirstFileAndScrollUp

4. For the directories in the Ctrl-D menu, there is the opportunity to specify a command or directory (for the active panel) and a target path for the target panel. However, two features would be great:
a) If the command box contains something that starts with “cm_” or “em_”, the target path box is deactivated. Why is that? It would be great to have the opportunity to execute a command on the active panel and then a command in the target panel.
b) The command allows the specification of a list of commands. As for 3, it would be great to have support for comma separated commands with quotes around parameterized ones. And even better to also have this option for the target path.

5. Not too important for me, but still: It would be great to have a “startup command list” which will be executed when TC starts. Some users might also find a “terminate command list” useful.

6. When using Ctrl-Q for quick view in the opposite panel, the file name is displayed right above the quick view area. It would be great to see the active plugin name as well.

7. When creating a new directory (F7) or file (Shift-F4), TC maintains a list of recently used names as templates. Is there a way to deactivate the automatic maintenance of these lists (but just specify fixed entries in the ini file)?

8. This might be a bug in TC32 9.51 on my machine: From the command line, cm_SrcUserSpec works only in the right panel and has no effect in the left panel. Similar commands (like cm_SrcUserDef or cm_SrcAllFiles) do work in both panels.

9. Finally: In text input areas of many applications, Ctrl+Backspace deletes the word before the cursor. This would be great to have in the create directory, file rename, and similar dialog boxes. On my machine it just creates a special character.

That’s it. Maybe others find these suggestions useful as well.

lcf (#38807)

[Stefan2]

Hi funkymonk, thanks for your work.

It would be better imho to create different threads per suggestion,
else all that coming pro and contra will get mixed up shortly and is hard to find afterwards to follow up or for other searchers.






 

[Hacker]

Hi funkymonk,
Yup, please create one topic per suggestion. It's impossible to discuss nine suggestions at the same time by dozens of people without creating chaos.

TIA
Roman

[petermad]

I agree with Stefan2 and Hacker - suggestions should be made as separate topics - unless they are very closely related.

But anyhow, here is my input to your suggestions:

1. When entering a directory it would be nice to have the cursor placed on the first *file*...

This can be done with the command cm_GoToFirstFile in a Custom View Mode and an Auto Switch Mode for D.

2. Closely related to 1, there is a command cm_gotofirstentry which puts the cursor on the first directory or file in the active panel. It would be great to have yet another command (e.g., cm_gotohome) which puts the cursor at the very beginning of the list, i.e., on “[..]”.

just make an em_command command that combines cm_GoToFirstEntry and cm_GotoPrev.

3. For user defined commands it is possible to specify a comma-separated list of already existing commands (e.g., “em_gotoDownloadDirectory, em_gotoFirstFileAndScrollUp, more”). This is great. However, it doesn’t work with parameterized commands (e.g., “cd c:\”). It would be great to have support for comma-separated commands with quotes around the parameterized ones....

Just make and em_command for the parameterized command.

4. For the directories in the Ctrl-D menu, there is the opportunity to specify a command or directory (for the active panel) and a target path for the target panel. However, two features would be great:
a) If the command box contains something that starts with “cm_” or “em_”, the target path box is deactivated. Why is that? It would be great to have the opportunity to execute a command on the active panel and then a command in the target panel...

Support++

6. When using Ctrl-Q for quick view in the opposite panel, the file name is displayed right above the quick view area. It would be great to see the active plugin name as well.

Support++

8. This might be a bug in TC32 9.51 on my machine: From the command line, cm_SrcUserSpec works only in the right panel and has no effect in the left panel. Similar commands (like cm_SrcUserDef or cm_SrcAllFiles) do work in both panels.

cm_SrcUserSpec works fine for me in both panels - Notice that the UserSpec is stored independently for left and right panel, so check that you have a distinguishable UserSpec set for your left panel.

9. Finally: In text input areas of many applications, Ctrl+Backspace deletes the word before the cursor. This would be great to have in the create directory, file rename, and similar dialog boxes. On my machine it just creates a special character.

Ctrl+W does that in the command line. Ctrl+Backspace works in several dialogs (F5, F6, Shift+F5, Shift+F4, Alt+F5) but not the Create Directory dialog (F7, Shift+F7), not in inline rename (Shift+F6) and not in the Configuration dialogs.

[funkymonk]

@petermad Thank you

For 1: That's indeed an option. However, I commonly have the auto swich mode deactivated. Since some of the custom views I use take quite some time to create the file list (using various content plugins) I only activate it when needed. Having the cursor at the first file would still be great.

For 2 and 3: That's how I already do it. However, it is quite inconvenient to create all those intermediate em_ commands.

For 8: True, that was my mistake. No bug. Sorry.

For 9: Right. It would still be great to have a consistent and omnipresent short cut. Since Ctrl-Backspace is very common, I would prefer this one.

For the other numbers: Thank you for your support.

Have a nice weekend.
lcf