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The File Manager

The File Selection pop-up allows the user the navigate the host's file systems, and select a file for input to the program.

The panel provides two windows; the left window displays the subdirectories in a tree format, and the right window displays a listing of files in a columnar form. The panel is similar in operation to the Windows Explorer tool provided by Microsoft.

When the panel first appears, the directories listing contains a single entry, which is shown selected, and the files window contains a list of files found in that directory. The tree ``root'' is selected by the application, and may or may not be the current directory. If the directory contains subdirectories, a small box containing a `+' symbol will appear next to the directory entry. Clicking on the `+' will cause the subdirectories to be displayed in the directory listing, and the `+' will change to a `-'. Clicking again on the `-' will hide the subdirectory entries. Clicking on a subdirectory name will select that subdirectory, and list its files in the files listing window.

Clicking on the blue triangle in the menu bar will push the current tree root to its parent directory. If the tree root is pushed to the top level directory, the blue triangle is grayed. The label at the bottom of the panel displays the current root of the tree. There is also a New Root item in the File menu, which allows the user to enter a new root directory for the tree listing. In Windows, this must be used to list files on a drive other than the current drive.

The Up menu is similar, but it produces a drop-down list of parent directories. Selecting one of the parents will set the root to that parent, the same as pressing the blue triangle button multiple times to climb the directory tree.

The New CWD button in the File menu allows the user to enter a new current working directory for the program. This will also reset the root to the new current working directory. The small dialog window which receives the input, and also a similar dialog window associated with the New Root button, are sensitive as drop receivers for files. In particular, one can drag a directory from the tree listing and drop it on the dialog, and the text of the dialog will be set to the full path to the directory.

In the Unix/Linux version, the `+' box will appear with subdirectories only after the subdirectory is selected. In the Windows version, the the `+' boxes will be visible without selection.

The files listed in the files listing always correspond to the currently selected directory. File names can be selected in the files listing window, and once selected, the files can be transferred to the calling application. The Go button, which has a green octagon icon, accomplishes this, as does the Open entry in the File menu. These buttons are only active when a file is selected. One can also double-click the file name which will send the file to the application, whether or not the name was selected.

Selected files can be dragged and dropped into the application, as an alternative to the Go button. Files and directories can also be dragged/dropped between multiple instances of the File Selection pop-up, or to other file manager programs, or to other directories within the same file manager pop-up. The currently selected directory is the target for files dropped in the files listing window. When dragging in the directory listing, the underlying directory is highlighted. The highlighted directory will be the drop target.

The drag/drop operation is affected by which mouse button is used for dragging, and by pressing the Shift and Ctrl buttons during the drag. The actions are slightly different for Unix and Windows systems. In Unix/Linux, the normal operation (button 1 with no keys pressed) for drag/drop is copying. The other options are as follows:

Unix Operations
Button 1 Copy
Shift-Button 1 Move
Control-Button 1 Copy
Shift-Control-Button 1 Link
Button 2/3 Ask

Above, ``Ask'' means that a dialog will appear asking the user what operation to perform. Options are move, copy, or (symbolically) link. Both the source and destinations are shown in the pop-up, and can be modified.

If a directory is the source for a copy, the directory and all files and subdirectories are copied recursively, as with the ``-R'' option of the Unix cp command.

Under Windows, only button 1 can be used for dragging, and there is no ``Ask'' option. The basic operation (no keys pressed) is move, however this can be reset by the underlying window. In Windows, directories can only be moved, not copied.

Windows Operations
Button 1 Copy
Shift-Button 1 Move
Control-Button 1 Copy

Only one file or directory can be selected. When the operation is Copy, the cursor icon contains a `+' in all cases, which will change when the Shift key is pressed (if a Move operation is permitted) indicating the change to a Move operation.

The File menu contains a number of commands which provide additional manipulations. The New Folder button will create a subdirectory in the currently selected directory (after prompting for a name). The Delete button will delete the currently selected file. If no file is selected, and the currently selected directory has no files or subdirectories, it will be deleted. The Rename command allows the name of the currently selected file to be changed. If no file is selected, the name change applies to the currently selected directory.

While the panel is active, a monitor is applied to the listed files and directories which will automatically update the display if the directories change. The listings should respond to external file or directory additions or deletions within half a second.


next up previous contents index
Next: The Text Editor Up: The WRspice User Interface Previous: The Mail Client   Contents   Index
Stephen R. Whiteley 2006-10-23