Tabbed Windows Explorer Toolbar Idea!

Hey all, I have an idea that could be fairly easily turned into an application with a bit of quick and dirty code.

Problem is im a gui artist, not a coder :P

Anyways, here it is:

Tabbed Browsing Explorer Toolbar!!!!!!

How it would work.

Allow for a new skinnable explorer toolbar.

When you open a file or folder, the toolbar is at the top, and automatically makes a tab with the current location in it.

If you click new tab button (which would of course be a custom made toolbar button for explorer, placed near the back forward up, etc, keys) the CURRENT location (e.g. c:documents and settingsetc) is saved in a temp file, and assigned to the first tab.

Then, a NEW tab is created with a dummy empty folder. The address bar is empty, awaiting input.

If you click the FIRST tab, the original tab's location is restored to that window.

Also, a SHELL EXTENSION can be made to "open in new tab" (which would be the most used and most important aspect of this toolbar)

It involves:

Saving current location, assigning to the relevent tab button.

Creating a new tab button, and open the location of whatever was clicked.

Application rules:

When a new tab is opened, the last tabs location is saved to a temp file or buffer, and assigned to the appropriate tab.

When a tab is clicked, the last tabs location is saved to a temp file or buffer, and assigned to the appropriate tab.

Toolbars are window specific, to allow multiple windows to be open with multiple tabs. The best way to do this would be having multiple instances of the background exe or toolbar.

#409311

yawn.... the usual, search first

http://www.aqua-soft.org/board/showthread....ht=tab+explorer

nice to know you've thought about it in depth... I too am a guitarist, not a coder and would like to see a search bar in explorer...

#409321

Google toolbar is a search bar for IE ;)

#409329

Google toolbar is a search bar for IE ;)

yes is it, but that has nothing to do with what the original poster is proposing.

#409333

Yawn yourself Levi. I already saw that thread and another like it. Oh, and I said GUI artist. Not guitarist. As in graphical user interface? :P

Anyway, the reason it could previously not be done is because you would need to modify explorer on an exe level.

You know why my method will work?

Because all it needs to do to explorer is change whats in the current window. It is basicly a DYNAMIC FAVORITES BAR that is constantly updated.

You only have one window, and the tabs on the top are shortcuts that have been temporarily remembered.

Thats why it will work, because all this stuff is already possible.

:P

-Ash

#409334

-oops.... guess i was tired, when i read that gui-tarist (gui artist) part...hmmm ... (*stretches and yawns in an attempt to wake)... yes i know what a GUI is... guitarists are cool too.

the idea of a favs bar that updates sounds fiddly and likely to be buggy... But im all for it if it works... I love the idea of tabs if it works...

I'll keep this thread rolling with useful convo so it gets seen... hopefully...

#409342

As will I...

Hmm... useful... erm...

SOMEONE CODE US SOME TABS!!!! :D!

-Ash

#409358

Whatever happens, no one is going to come along in the span of a day and say "Here, I've added tabs to Explorer, just like you asked, one day ago." No need to keep bumping...things like this, if they happen at all, take time ;).

//Post Removed

-NC

#409929

Its cool, I just wanted to know if anyone who had seen it was going to say "yes, I am going to try knock something up" rather than trying but not telling anyone.

Ash

Well, I was playing around with the links toolbar and some automated shortcut creation tools... almost got the desired effect but not quite.

Is this the right place to post this request aswell? or is there someplace better?

So no one is going to take a crack at this?

//Posts Merged. -NC

#411333

this would be pretty cool. Does it exist yet?

#485975

qttabbar - very buggy atm... I can't even install it on one of my systems...

#486364

Check to make sure you meet the system requirements. Also, check to see you haven't block it with an AV program or something. You also need to either kill explorer or reboot for install to complete.

Have been running it since it first appeared without any problems.

#486403

I have the requirements... and I don't use an AV program.....I'm getting a strange error message that alot of other people are getting on his forums, but seems the dev is not getting back to any of the posts...

#486524

I ve been using QT Bar w/o problem , also Im using Vista U.

#486544

I have used it for ever on xp with out any problems, you might want to get the newest version.

(link)

#486547

I'm getting this error in the installer (The actual installer gives me an error:

Installation Failed:

Error while installing.

Error code: "Standard Error Output is not empty."

I have this installed on another xp machine, so I know is is a very convenient tool, but I just cant get it on my main machine...

I do have the latest version, and I have posted on the user forums their. I am not the only one with the problem...

#486588

QT Tab Bar eats up a huge amount of mem (about 90mb). It also makes Windows explorer windows not respond to middle clicks (for closing) by Taskbar Shuffle.

#487299

now if only we can get him to fix the installer...

#487767

We have a application for Explorer tabs. Its calls QTTabBar

http://qttabbar.wikidot.com/

qttabbar_top.png

#488492

magnus87 try reading the thread we've been discussing QT Tab Bar.

QT Tab Bar eats up a huge amount of mem (about 90mb). It also makes Windows explorer windows not respond to middle clicks (for closing) by Taskbar Shuffle.

IMO, QT eats up no more memory than any other multi-tabbed file manager on Windows. The more tabs you have opened obviously the more memory is required just as if you have more explorer windows open. This is also dependent on the type of data in each tab, thumbnails of images will draw an obscene amount of memory.

The middle click issue actually could be called a Taskbar Shuffle issue as I've had problems with it and other programs. Try disabling the middle click functions in QT and see if that works.

#488526