Need help choosing a file manager

[Kosmonoko]

I have Resco Explorer, Clie files, Mc Files and File Z. I have four file mangers...
I just need to get rid of some coz it cloging up my space. Oh yea mc file comes with Mc shortcut but i can't seem to use it. Any idea what to do with mc shortcut? Also what program should i keep?

[bobbd]

I'm not familiar with Resco Explorer or Clie Files, but FileZ seems to do everything I need of a basic file manager. Take a look at the functions provided and then see if there's anything that you can't live without. I tried McFile but went back to FileZ.

Also, is Clie File built into ROM? If so, it's almost free in terms of space.

Bob

[JulianL]

You are in exactly the situation I was in a month ago. Personally I tried all the ones you mentioned, plus ZZtech's Palm Insider Pro, and out of all of them I much prefered Resco Explorer. I have exchanged a few emails with Resco and they also seem to be very responsive (they very quickly incorporated my suggestion to have an option to force it to always run in 320x480 mode) and to care about the product.

The only feature not in Resco Explorer that I still want is the ability to be able to find orphan files, i.e. ones where the app with the files creator ID no longer exists on the Palm. Palm Insider Pro does this well, but in all other ways I far prefer Resco Explorer. I know that Resco are planning to add orphan file capabilities into their product but at the moment they're doing some work on other stuff so they say it will be a month or two before this is likely to make it into the product but that's not too long to wait. I bought Resco Explorer anyway on the basis of what's there already and it's the one that I would wholeheartedly recommend.

- Julian

[DanT]

You can put FileZ in MS (/Palm/Launcher folder) too if you're tight with free RAM.

[matrix42]

The only feature not in Resco Explorer that I still want is the ability to be able to find orphan files, i.e. ones where the app with the files creator ID no longer exists on the Palm. Palm Insider Pro does this well, - Julian

I'm curious how does one do the above with Palm Insider Pro, I'm using v0.51 which is the latest AFAIK, and I think I'm being a little daft because it's not jumping out at me?

Thanks

[GLORYBEARER]

I used to use McFile and FileProg. I stopped using McFile when I switched from Yishow and Megalauncher to ZLauncher. I no longer use McFile but use have stuck with FileProg. In my opinion Fileprog is much better than Filez, and it is free.

(Here's the link)
http://www.freewarepalm.com/utilities/fileprog.shtml

I started using Resco Viewer when it came out but found it to be a little buggy when it came to their Zip features so I uninstalled it. It would sometimes crash my unit after I unzipped some files and exited the application. It also corrupts some zip archives. It would zip filez, but when I tried to unzip them I couldn't because they were somehow corrupted while being zipped. I'd probably go with RescoViewer after a few more updates, but I still wouldn't get rid of FileProg because it has a couple more features that Resco Viewer doesn't have.

[JulianL]

I'm curious how does one do the above with Palm Insider Pro, I'm using v0.51 which is the latest AFAIK, and I think I'm being a little daft because it's not jumping out at me?

Thanks
This is from memory, but I think you go to a file that you think might be an orphan and then select info (drag it to the "i" icon at the bottom). This should show you a screen that has a button at the bottom that says something like "Creator ID". Click the button and it gives you a rather useful screen that shows other files on the system that share the same creator ID, and shows if they are executables, library files, etc.

As I said, this is from memory so I hope it's right, but if the details are wrong then it might at least point you towards the sort of place to look, or maybe someone with PIP still installed can correct any errors I made.

- Julian

[JulianL]

I started using Resco Viewer <SNIP> I'd probably go with RescoViewer after a few more updates, but I still wouldn't get rid of FileProg because it has a couple more features that Resco Viewer doesn't have.
I presume you meant Resco Explorer rather than Resco Viewer?

What are the FileProg features that are missing in Resco Explorer?

- Julian

[yorrick]

For a good all rounder - Filez is the best free file explorer available.

For value for money - ZLauncher file manager. For $12, you get a great third party launcher and a powerful file manager

I recently switched over from Mcfile and PiMoverII to Resco Explorer since it has a JPG/BMP image viewer built in, winzip compliant compression app and can run music/image files (as it maps these apps to other apps like ptunes, kinoma etc).
This app also can tweak attributes around, examine the memory stack and view saved/unsave preferences. So it's a fairly powerful exporer all in one program.

[Eddy]

McFile is my main file manager, & I use FileZ do deal with copyright protected files. I've been trouble free so far. :)

[alsa]

I would use ClieFiles most of the time instead of McFile, but ClieFiles doesn't let you click on something and get the details list like McFile does.

I am also disappointed that McFile is not supported any more.

I think I will stick with McFile for a while and also use Resco Explorer. Their Resco Viewer is also execellent.

[miro pomsar]

1. tap & hold on RAM in the tree
2. select "special filter"
3. select "orphaned"

[STBXXL]

I would use ClieFiles most of the time instead of McFile, but ClieFiles doesn't let you click on something and get the details list like McFile does.

I am also disappointed that McFile is not supported any more.

I think I will stick with McFile for a while and also use Resco Explorer. Their Resco Viewer is also execellent.

I also use Resco Explorer, FileZ and McFile.

BTW, McFile has been upated (07-Feb-05). The latest version is now McFile Ver.2.2Beta4 (http://http://www.jade.dti.ne.jp/~imazeki/palm/McFL/index-e.html). According to the changelog there have been quite some fixes, improvements etc.

Cheers.

[Easy-123]

I generally use FileZ (free) or Palm Commander ($14.95). PC, which will work from a card, has the following attributes:
"Zip/Unzip files, Color Schemas, Info Panel, One Panel Mode, Power Filter, Database Parameters, Program Parameters, Preferences Editor ("PalmOS RegEdit"), Button Launcher, Program Compression
System Information, Benchmark Test, Password Protection, Fonts Support and Virtual File System." (from the site).

But what I like is that you can have 2 views open at the same time. This allows me to find duplicates.

stan

[Jspan]

Hi, I'm new to Filez and i dont seem to know how to use it... all I see is a whole list of files...what is so good about it? I see so many ppl with this program plus thumbs up for it.

[golalmo]

as main file manager i use mcfiles, for advance use - files (not much of an interface) and unzip with cliefiles.
all are powerrunner, so no memory problems here.

[FormerlyKnownAs]

I have ClieFiles (can't get rid of it), McFile, FileZ, and Resco Explorer on my TH55.

McFile is more or less a "legacy" app for me, I really don't use it much since I installed Explorer, but it is an old friend I can't seem to part with. And it still is a very good product.

FileZ is still the most powerful if you want to override safeguards and protections, edit executable files, etc. (Note that any of these can send you into an infinite reset loop or something similar. Do a full backup with Explorer first!)

ClieFiles has one useful feature that I haven't found in the others. I do some Beta testing from time to time, and the ability to show Version Numbers as the second column comes in handy. Developers often neglect to change the version number on the About screen, but sometimes do change it in this field.

Resco Explorer has far more features than any of the others I have used or tried. You get the best backup feature I have tried,
a "Control Panel" to deal with Saved and Unsaved Prefs,
a "Categories" area that allows you to move apps between categories that hold for the built-in launcher and some others, and also acts as a crude launcher,
a tree view of folders on the left (very helpful when moving files between folders),
up to 7 columns of file information on the right (using Landscape you can display and actually read up to about 5 columns),
multiple file selection so you can manipulate a group of files rather than one at a time,
the ability to apply a wide variety of filters to the file display so you see only what you want to see,
the ability to zip files on the MS including the ability to work with zipped files and archives without unzipping them,
a simple built-in image viewer,
the ability to set up associations so you can tap-and-run doc, image and audio files,
and many other features.

A couple of notes:

As far as the Explorer backup facility, it does have one problem in the latest version that seems to be incurable, it does not maintain your built-in launcher categories after a full restore (after hard reset), although this isn't much of a problem if you use a third party launcher that maintains its own categorization. This has been discussed at length in other threads, do a search if you want more info. (It never fails to amaze me how many people religiously use a backup app that they have never tested after a hard reset. They just run backups, praising the features, with no real idea if it will work on their device when disaster strikes.)

Many people have mentioned file corruption with the Explorer zip function. I did not try the earliest versions, but have not run into this at all in recent versions. I have zipped and unzipped files, apps, and archives of several files with no problems. This includes archives in which I deleted and added files while still zipped, then unzipped and used later. The backup function zips everything (and thus takes up about half the space of an MSBackup set), and during Beta testing I did a backup, hard reset, then restore MANY times with NO corrupted files. But that is on my TH55 and with the apps I have installed, so you should verify it for your setup.

McFile is still updated, although as Beta releases. No idea why they do it that way as the Betas have been 100% stable in my experience.

Zlauncher hasn't been available for $12 since version 5 came out, it now costs $19.95.

[Edlin]

Nice review FormerlyKnownAs :)

I use filez & cliefiles. Filez mostly out of habit, cliefiles becaause its very simple to use & is in rom.
I have zlauncher too, but hardly use thier file manager part.

From the sounds of it I need to check fileprog & Resco Explorer out :D

[DanT]

Hi, I'm new to Filez and i dont seem to know how to use it... all I see is a whole list of files...what is so good about it? I see so many ppl with this program plus thumbs up for it.

It is like Windows Explorer in Microsoft. The manual explain things very well. Just take your time to read it.

[Laci_Elements]

I picked Resco Explorer it will also work on your card via PowerRun

[palm_david]

Hey guys,

whats about the 3x Commander? http://3gxsoft.com/
Its freeware and I like it! Noone mentioned it yet - check it out if you don't know it... and: its also free


Features

* Supports standard (160x160), Hi-Res (Sony & OS5) and Hi-Res+ (Portrait & Landscape) displays
* Supports three display modes (FullScreen, Split Horizontal, Split Vertical)
* Simple and habitual tabbed interface (up to 6 tabs in each panel)
* Up to 8 fonts to display information
* All common operations with files and folders
* “On the fly” memory card replacement
* Friendly and ergonomic user interface