File Browser

i have never been happy with any of the replacement file browsers out there, so i decided it was time i did something about.

the basic function will be very similar to the Panther Finder, but this one will have a few more functions, and be much more customizeable, and fully skinable.

i have taken on my friend who is a programming freak, as a lead programmer, i will help out a bit, and do grpahics and the entire design process

no real news, and nothing really done yet (i need to teach the guy how a skin works) other than a basic sketch of what it will look like, and an idea of how it will work.

we will probly eventually need some alpha/beta/gamma testers so stay tuned... :canadian:

#119639

I wish you the best of luck, its a big job, dont give up (pleeeeeez!! ).

#119642

Well in my opinion you should hook up your coder-friend with guys here. They are serious about this, maybe you and him could help? There's no need to start 2 projects at the same time. Just a waste of time

#119646

Hope you stick with it. :canadian:

i just like that smily btw :canadian:

#119654

Well in my opinion you should hook up your coder-friend with guys here. They are serious about this, maybe you and him could help? There's no need to start 2 projects at the same time. Just a waste of time

no, thats for hardcore emulation, i want something new, but simaler to that one, and the shell replacement isnt that important. I like having control over my projects anyway :smartass:

but yeah, i'm gunna put together an image showing the basic features i want- i dunno how much they match those in the panther finder, nor do i care, i want a nice file browser, and thats what i'm gunna make :6

#119667

Yep...keep it up and don't let them pester you too much!

#119684

Dont worry, i'll try and keep em under control

dear pesterers:

if you have an idea for the browser, i'd love to hear it, but if tis already been said a few times, dont repeat it. i'd be happy to listen to you guys, but i dont want this thread to be locked, or become pointlessly long. I'll post updates as oftern as i can, but if its been a few weeks dont be shy to ask, however, dont ask every day. <_<

in the meantime, i have some visual candy for ya,

i threw together a rough layout of the main features and setup of the browser, nothing is coded yet, my ***** has begun reading up on the required programming tech, but things shoudl get going soon.

note: these graphics are just waht i pulled out of my pinstriped firefox for a quick layout/features idea, i will make my own theme, as well as a panther, and heck, maybe a pinstripe for the final version. :naughty:

#119741

I think this is an amazing idea.

Will the tabs be customizable? so we can choose what we want to have direct links too. If they were skinnable that would also be amazing.

Godspeed to you and everyone who helps on this.

#119744

naturaly

everything is customizable, and heck, if you really want to customize it we might even let you get your grubby fingers on the code and fool around with it :naughty:

#119748

Programming freak here.

Probably should start by introducing myself.

I'm primarily a C++ programmer, of intermediate level with about a year and a half of experience. Done a lot, however, with low-level win32, which is precisely the stuff I'll probably end up needing for this.

The current stage is to create a dll for decompressing and loading PNG files, which Floatingtrem has decided on as the base file for the skin. However, if anybody knows of a simpler file format which gives good access to transparency, that would be appreciated. However, Floatingtrem found an excellent resource on how PNG files are structures, so this could take as little as 4 weeks.

I will simultaneously be putting together a text-based file browser, to put together some good functions for managing directories and such. Will probably also be looking into registry access and developing the search function during this. Preliminary research into the functions required suggests that this could be simply a long weekend.

Past that, the plans are somewhat more vague. If anyone has experience with creating similair applications and wouldn't mind giving me some advice on program architecture, feel free to make suggestions.

In response to Floatingtrem's most recent post.

Yes, we may indeed let you get your grubby hands on the code. Not only will this be strictly open source, but I may be able to provide for some level of scripting for buttons on the toolbar.

#119750

i can't really offer up programming advice, but i can back it by saying that this looks really impressive (granted, it's a mocked up screenshot)... but if this is anything like the end result, you'll have one user lined up for it.

i do have a question on the planned functionality of the search bar... currently, if using win explorer, the search feature allows to look in the computer, the internet, etc... is this too going to have that extension beyond just the folders of the hard drive? perhaps a choice also to search the registry?

just a loose thought i had while typing the first paragraph... either way, kudos and good luck (Y)

#119755

perhaps, if we have the time, or its no real bother- if i'm searching the net i'll always use google (you should too) but maybe on networked computer's shared files, i dunno-

the way the search feature will work (as of now)

it will work very much like the search bar in itunes, as you type it searches the current folder for files containing that text in the title... however, if after typing the whole search term, and you press enter it will search the entire hard drive for fiels containing the text- simple, but easy to use, and no scary dog :6

#119759

OMG that looks friggin fantastic. I realy hope to see this on my computer soon.

If your looking for ideas you might want to take a page outa pathfinders book http://www.cocoatech.com/pf.php

It realy looks great. I dont think you should focus on themes tho (unless you realy want to) cause the comunity is realy good at that, and ill see it on my computer sooner if you dont :6

I havent been this excited since i saw the BBXomega teaser.

#119762

dont worry, we'll have some prereleases and betas you can get earlier on, but the final version will have for example a panther brushed fnder theme as a must (in my opinion)- and i think a simple milk with a 0 pixel border might be nice too

oh, and thanks for the link

#119769

Exelent idea!! Here is my "tips" of what you can do!!

Click for bigger!!

These are made in photoshop, from scratch, exept for the icons!!

Instead of that sidebar u have, I would like to see something like this!! becouse if the sidebar can be hidden you get more place to "explore" on, and the tabs take up space to, so a dropdown menu is better (but thats what I think), remember, this is just tips!!

[EDIT] if you need any help with graphic, I'm there !! [/EDIT]

Later

Magbi9

#119815

I'm primarily a C++ programmer, of intermediate level with about a year and a half of experience. Done a lot, however, with low-level win32, which is precisely the stuff I'll probably end up needing for this.

Low-level win32

I think you need the IShell-COM interfaces rather than "low-level win32".

The current stage is to create a dll for decompressing and loading PNG files, which Floatingtrem has decided on as the base file for the skin. However, if anybody knows of a simpler file format which gives good access to transparency, that would be appreciated. However, Floatingtrem found an excellent resource on how PNG files are structures, so this could take as little as 4 weeks.

Why recreate a native XP-dll like gdiplus.dll ? Also, Gdiplus is capable of loading other types of files - 7 basic types like TIF,PNG,JPG,etc - any any other type where an image-codec is available for. It supports per-pixel-transparancy and has a load of nice features such as texturedbrushes, colormatrices, matrices, bilinear filtering etc..

#119843

hehehe, i thought he was working to hard with the whole PNG thing-

magibi, thanks for the sugestions, i'll be thinking about em, and i might take you up on you offer for graphics, we dont need to much though, but hey

#119882

Yay Floatingtrem this looks awsome, keep it up!!!!

And magbi thats one hot mockup :woot:

Great work guy's :smartass:

Peace

#119919

the velde hasnt gotten a chance to check out GDI plus, but it looks like its gunna save him alot of time (how he could have missed it i dunno) but that looks very good,

sounds like we might be adding a plugin future (this prolly wont be implemented for awhile) in which you can pull out a drawer, which would have simple apps built in, like a basic text editor (ala notepad) an image previewer, media viewer, etc.

with further though i think we can use magibi's drawer idea for the link bar as an option. the link bars will be fully customizable as far as location (and existence) so i think it would be easy to just have them in a drawer as an option (i think) as well as wether or not you use the tabs- (and the could prolly be put in a drop down if wanted anywho)

the skining capabillities i'm trying to put in are looking pretty nice, a 1 to 1 with panther should be easy, as well as just about anything else.

so overall things are looking up, dont expect anything too substantial too soon, but things are comming along- :naughty:

#119933

I have made one more mockup, I'll post it soon, it has iTunes and stuff in the drawer as you said, it's just to see how beutifull it will look!! and one more thing, are you going to add objectbar support?

#119936

idealy that would be nice, i dunno if it wouuld be needed, but sure, if its not too much opf a bother we might add that on in the later stages-

i've had bad luck with OB and applications- but hopefully we'll put that in

#119938

Originally posted by Floatingtrem@Feb 26 2004, 04:21 PM

idealy that would be nice, i dunno if it wouuld be needed, but sure, if its not too much opf a bother we might add that on in the later stages-

i've had bad luck with OB and applications- but hopefully we'll put that in

:D gr8 :D

#119940

wow :woot: . this looks really cool. I cant wait for it to come out. >. . If you need any beta testers, give me a ring. OOOOh >.< . So cool.

#119942

Originally posted by Floatingtrem@Feb 26 2004, 12:14 AM

no, thats for hardcore emulation, i want something new, but simaler to that one, and the shell replacement isnt that important. I like having control over my projects anyway  :smartass:

but yeah, i'm gunna put together an image showing the basic features i want- i dunno how much they match those in the panther finder, nor do i care, i want a nice file browser, and thats what i'm gunna make :6

We're not doing "hardcore emulation" - we're doing hardcore skinning.

Our appsuite will be completely skinnable, and have full customisation for all the components (file browser, task manager, application launcher).

In theory, our project will be able to mimic WinXP, OSX, or any Linux WM.

#120051

Hi

Click for the mockup pic!!

still just ideas Floatingtrem.

Tell me what ya think!!

Later

Magbi9

#120063