Softpanorama (slightly skeptical) Open Source Software Educational Society

May the source be with you, but remember the KISS principle ;-)

Softpanorama University Library

The Orthodox File Manager (OFM) Paradigm

by Dr Nikolai Bezroukov

JC line -- one of the best implementations
of XTree VFS in OFMs

Jet Commander(JC) was written by Frank Klosek. JC is a very interesting project as Frank Klosek is the only OFM author,  who managed to made his mark in another class of filemanager -- XTree-style filemanager. His XTree-style file manager -- FileJet -- is available from the same web site as JC and actually served as a prototype for JC.  The current version of FileJet is 8.47.

It is only natural that JC has one of the best implementation of the XTree VFS among OFMs described in this chapter. Among other OFMs only DN implemented this VFS directly.  Later Total Commander and Northern Captain implemented this VFS too.

The first FileJet was designed to run under OS/2 and under DOS. After approximately two years users feedback convinced Frank Klosek to add supporting of OFM-style interface like  F3 for vieing files, F4 for editing, etc. So the author implemented an OFM emulation mode in FileJet. Later the author converted an emulation mode into a new program - Jet Commander(JC). JC made its first official English-language release in early 1996 - the same year as FAR. V2.0 released in early 1996 supported long file names under WIN95/NT. 

The current versions of Jet Commander and Filejet are 3.47 and 8.47 respectively. They can be used  for OS/2, DOS,  and any Win32  OSes (Windows XP, Windows 2000, Windows 95/98/ME, etc).

Previous version of JC were not very compatible with OFM1999, but later the compatibility substantially improved.  BTW some incompatibilities in earlier versions can be explained by Frank Klosek desire to avoid any copyright problems (but those fears are void, as interface is not copyrightable, at least not in the USA).  And in resent versions the author made really impressive progress  toward compatibility with the OFM1999. Current features include:

• One User interface for Windows XP, 2000, NT, Windows95/98, OS/2 and DOS
• HPFS, TCPIP, NFS, VFAT (WINDOWS95)  support; copies from VFAT, HPFS/NFS to FAT converting the long names  to short names
• Extended file, text and directory search functions
• Commander Emulation
• Configurable Directory Hotkeys
• Archive functions for ZIP, ZOO, ARJ, LHA and LZH
• 2 File windows like NC or File window and tree parallel
• Integrated Multiple File Editor with configurable syntax coloring
• Integrated File viewer, automatic File viewer
• Programmable function Keys
• File Extension Preferences
• Multiple selection masks, inverse too
• User definable Pull down menu
• 30 directories to be predefined
• Directory history storing visited folders for retrieval
• Text search, including subdirectories
• Macrorecoder
• Screen saving
• Calculation of directory sizes
• Directory tree, expand/collapse
• Save Tree or Filelist for Documentation purposes
• Networking, working directly with UNC path under Windows (\\computername\share)
• All file operations
• Set file attribute also on directories
• Compare functions, time oriented and binary file compare
• File split and build, (split big archives to floppy disk)
• Open archive, compress / decompress
• Print
• EA Handling (OS/2)
• Multiple display modes
• No installation needed
• Fits on one floppy disk
• Easy to use metrics for Lines of Code and Statements
• WINDOWS-NT, WINDOWS95/98 and OS/2 long filename support
• Integrated File viewer with auto view function
• File Extension Preferences
• Directory tree expand/collapse
• Save or print directory tree or file list for documentation
• Networking, work directly on Windows network computers without mounting the drive
• File operations :Execute, Edit, FileFind, Move, Delete, Delete including subdirectories, Set file attribute (files and  directories), Rename ,Compare, Copy, including with subdirectories File split and build, (Splits big files to/from disk) Open archive, compress / decompress 
• Binary comparison of files or subdirectories
• Display of global Internet Time (see www.swatch.com ) 
• Enhancements for storing and saving preferred directories (Favorite lists)
• Switch off command window for additional 2 lines in the file window 
• Select files and directories in global file list 
• Uses registry file associations for starting programs with data files 
• The width of the left and right window can be set separately like in NC 
• Hide the last two lines (Command window) for professional users knowing the key assignment 

Advanced features implemented

• XTree VFS is supported. JC was the second after DN implementer of XTree VFS
• Macrorecoder (JC permits to record a key sequence and replay it once or multiple times);
• Archive VFS ( ZIP, ARJ, ZOO, LHA and LZH are supported);
• The long file names support for Win95, OS/2 and network drives;
• Directory favorite list;
• Commands can be applied to the list of selected files;
• The Attrib command works with date and time;
• Customizable file highlighting scheme;
• Binary directory difference operation (like in DN and FC);
• Selection mask language with (limited) support of regular expressions and inversion symbol ("^" before the mask invert it).  For example it is possible to specify   *.c; *.h  mask in the selection menu. In PC world is easier than *.[c h]. More complex example is much difficult to convert to a regular expression (*.txt;*.bat; *.inf;*.doc) and they are more natural to construct.   Interestingly enough this enhancements were probably dictated by deviations from the orthodoxy in treating selections (see below).

JC contributions

JC has one of the most advanced viewer and editor. JC also provides some innovative solutions to some operations, different from traditional OFM style, but sometimes very efficient and interesting. Among other contributions the following worth special mention:

• Compare directory trees operation;
• An interesting solution is implemented for quick search -- if the user does not press a key for approximately 3 seconds the search is performed as if the user press enter. That saves both time and keystrokes, but prevent from implementing Ctrl-Enter functionality, etc.
• Entering a zip file make it a current in a second panel with current directory visible in the old current panel.
• External program can be specified for file difference operation
• Generalization of tool bar changes to other operations: pressing Alt-F10 changes bottom menu; the bottom bar reflects options available;
• JC implements support a lot more video modes that regular two modes, but Alt-F9 does not work and the only way to get to the menu is via F9-commands;
• Shell and several other parameters can be specified in the user menu entries;
• Multiple file edit is possible with the integrated file editor. Functions to copy text from one file to another are implemented. The integrated file viewer has syntax highlighting option (but not for HTML);
• The macro functions of Jet Commander can be used in the editor too.
• Show selected file option is implemented;

Last modified: April 24, 2008