Navigational file manager
From HandWiki
Short description: File management interface
A navigational file manager is a file management interface in which users traverse a filesystem hierarchy's directory structure within a single, continuous viewport rather than opening a distinct window for every individual directory.[1][2]
Characteristics
Navigational file managers generally feature:
- Single-viewport updating: Selecting a directory updates the contents displayed in the current viewing frame rather than spawning new windows, keeping window management contained.[1][3]
- Browser-style navigation: Web browser–inspired controls, such as "Back" and "Forward" buttons to traverse navigational history and an "Up" button to move to parent directories.[1]
- Tree-and-list structure: An asymmetric arrangement with a collapsible directory tree or sidebar showing the broader hierarchy, paired with an adjacent pane listing items inside the currently selected folder.[4][3]
- Hierarchical path representation: The user's location within the tree is reflected dynamically through breadcrumb bars, editable address fields, or cascading column views such as Miller columns.[5]
Examples
- XTree[4][6] and ZTreeWin
- File Manager (Windows 3.x)
- File Explorer (formerly Windows Explorer) in Microsoft Windows
- Finder in macOS (since Mac OS X 10.0)[5]
- GNOME Files (Nautilus) in GNOME
- Dolphin in KDE[7]
- Thunar in Xfce
See also
- File manager
- Orthodox file manager
- Spatial file manager
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Feldman, Dave (2005-05-04). "About the Spatial Debate…". https://blog.dfeldman.co/about-the-spatial-debate-4ccb8064f1df.
- ↑ Sharma, Shashank (March 2018). "File managers". Linux Format (234): 24–29. ISSN 1470-4234. https://research.ebsco.com/c/phimeb/search/details/wcyyhhh4hb?limiters=&q=Navigational%20file%20manager. "The tools discussed in this Roundup belong to the category of navigational file managers.".
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Dawson, S. C.. "XTree - The Ultimate DOS Utility". http://members.ozemail.com.au/~scdawson/articles/xtree.htm.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Slick, Beth (1992). "Appendix E: A Brief History of XTree". The Official XTREE MS-DOS, Windows, & Hard Disk Management Companion (3rd ed.). IDG Books Worldwide, Inc.. ISBN 1-878058-57-6. http://www.jeffreycjohnson.com/xtreehistory.html.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Siracusa, John (2003-04-02). "About the Finder". https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2003/04/finder/.
- ↑ "XTree 1.0 to 5.2 Reviews Archive". https://www.xtreefanpage.org/lowres/x52revs.htm.
- ↑ Delgado-Pérez, Pedro; Sánchez, Ana Belén; Segura, Sergio; Medina-Bulo, Inmaculada (August 2021). "Performance mutation testing". Software Testing: Verification & Reliability (Wiley) 31 (5): 1–24. doi:10.1002/stvr.1728. ISSN 0960-0833. "Dolphin [ 47 ] (Dph): A navigational file manager used by KDE desktop applications.".
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