This would be a great feature that no other program has. It might not seem like a big deal but it's the proper and only way to use a folder tree. It would significantly improve the productivity of users. A constantly moving folder tree actually goes against the fundamental purpose of a folder tree. So, I'm surprised nobody has implemented this before.
This should be one of the main features of Directory Opus.
There should be a folder tree to the left that represents all your data. It starts at a point that you desire.
Then, one could customize it so it's expanded in a certain way so that you can reach specific folders quickly that is used the most often or is very important. Given the limited screen real estate, the expanded folders won't go past a few levels but from that point on, you would just double-click your way there through the file display.
The folder tree on the left should never move even by an milimeter. It should be immobile. As a result, your brain knows exactly where every special folder is, every day. As a result, you'll get to the end folder you want as fast as possible. If the tree folder moves up or down, your brain will have to mentally think about where everything is and that takes precious seconds as well as a lot of mental exertion. Newly expanded folders contribute to the confusion.
I think that people have to remember that the entire point of a folder tree is to make it easier to find data that you can't find with a search. You can't find it via a search because you can't remember the exact name or you don't remember it even exists. So, you need to look at the folder or section to see what you've got.
This is the reason why password managers do not have to organize their passwords via subject. It's pretty much useless. You are never looking for several websites that represent your finances. You're always looking for a specific password. In fact, passwords should be grouped in another way. But, that's a story for another day.
Unfortunately, the current folder tree system doesn't allow you to set up the tree this way. Some of the problems are:
Customized Starting Roots. A necessary feature to accomplish this form of the tree is to provide the option to start the folder tree at the very start of your data. The tree contains all the data and information that you use daily and need to organize quickly with minimal mental effort. So it would rarely start in the local drive, desktop, PC, or any of the other current default starting points. It would be great, for example, to be able to start the tree in the User folder, added with a few shortcuts that represent important files that happen to be located outside the user folder. You might think that just starting in the Local C Drive doesn't seem that big of a difference but it is. You have to go down 3 levels before the tree's roots start. That's a lot of wasted real estate. You want to be able to go travel as far as possible into the deepest roots using the least amount of screen real estate.
Colored Nodes. A line from the root level to the last folder would be unnecessary and just make things look confusing. Because a folder might be too deeply buried within the tree's branches, the folder in the source display will not necessarily be displayed inside a parent folder on the folder tree. Instead, this folder would be represented by the nearest branch or "node". This would happen frequently and so it would be best if the nearest final node turned into two different colors - one for the source display and one for the destination display.
Encouraging This Usage. I think you should make this the default folder tree that new users start with to encourage them to use the folder tree like this. As a result, they will see the tremendously improved usefulness of the folder tree. After the initial setup, the folder tree has to essentially stay still so that the brain can memorize the entire tree over time. Every piece of data would be located in a specific visual, geographic space that the brain will memorize. Small, infrequent tweaks would be ok but discouraged.
These are just a few of the required changes to the interface that would be necessary to create such a folder tree. There are probably more necessary features if I give it more thought.
If you hold shift and right-click a folder in the tree, there's a Root Tree Here option.
You can also do the same using a command like these:
Go CURRENT ROOTTREE
Go C:\ ROOTTREE
You could use a simple script to apply that in new windows when they open, or after changing to certain folders, or whatever you want.
(Note that we are considering removing the ability to do this with the tree in the longer-term future, so it may go away. But it works right now, and we aren't sure what we're doing with it yet, so it might stay as well.)
Colored Nodes
I think the existing options give you enough flexibility already, sorry.
Encouraging This Usage
No, absolutely not. This is extremely niche and unusual behavior that you're asking for, which would make it very difficult and confusing for most people to find things in the tree (e.g. outside the rooted folder).
You can do this to your own configuration, but we are not going to make it the default for everyone.
In my opinion, what you want would be more suited to a toolbar down the side of the lister showing either Favorites or buttons for the folders you want to access regularly. If you just want a static list of frequently used folders, you can have that in a toolbar instead of bending the functionality of the folder tree to get it.
Absolutely not? Thanks for giving it due consideration. I honestly was only trying to help you. But, you can do whatever you want since it's your program. You also probably know better, given your extensive experience building this program. I agree that it'll probably make it very difficult and confusing for most people to find things in the tree.
Thanks for the tip about Root Tree Here. It's really helpful.
It's not a big deal but is there any way to have the shortcuts in the folder not disappear? Maybe through a hardlink or softlink? The shortcuts are necessary because some of my data I use can not be retrieved from the User folder. They are located outside of like in the c drive where a few programs create a folder for important files I need to access.
But besides that, it's much better than what I had before. So much better.
Thanks!
By the way, Favorites or buttons wouldn't work because you can't create tree branches from it, which is the entire point.
Question 1
Yep, shortcuts in the main Folder Tree don't disappear; they never appear at all, in addition to hidden folders. The hidden folders staying hidden is something I like but the shortcuts never appearing is not so good. Without the shortcuts, I can't access data that are actually located outside my Folder Tree. My Folder Tree is my User folder but I have 2 important folders in the C drive. I can't move these 2 folders to the User folder because it would literally break about a 100 shortcuts and do other bad things.
This is another glitch that occurs. If I click a folder/file that is outside of my Folder Tree, the main Folder Tree transforms so that the root folder is the C:drive. That is pretty annoying. I set up my main Folder Tree so it starts with my User folder and expanded in a very specific arrangement.
I also read in another thread that you can't control the order of the folders in the Tree Folder. It would be nice if the folders appeared in the same order as they actually appear in the file display.
But, don't worry. I'll just deal with it.
Question 2
When I said you can't create tree branches from Favorites, I meant the Favorites Group in the Folder Tree Panel. You can only click on a favorite and it will show you the folder in the file display. I'll check if I can do what I want to accomplish by adding a new toolbar. Thanks!
I have set my Folder Tree (that is located all the way to the left) so that it's root starts at my personal User folder, rather than the C:drive. I was able to do this by following Leo's instructions. I shift+right-clicked my User folder and selected Reset Tree Root.
I wanted my Tree Root to start at my User folder because I don't ever need to access anything else that is outside my User folder. For example, I don't need to access my Program Files folders located in the C:drive. I also don't need to access other people's User folders. Showing all these unnecessary files is a small distraction since I don't ever access them yet they are always there. Most importantly, it's a waste of precious screen real estate because it takes up two levels of folders. I can now open folder branches deeper into my data. I really love it like this as I have expanded to folders that I use most often. I don't need a favorite list because I can just click directly to a favorite folder as they are all visible on the tree. I am happy.
There is one major problem. When I said that all the data I need are all located in my User folder, I lied a little. There are actually 1 folder in the C:drive that I access often and I also access my NAS often which is a network drive. Whenever I access them, the beautiful folder tree that I carefully arranged disappears.
I've tried to lock the folder tree's format and every other conceivable settings/option but the Folder Tree changes when I click those 2 locations occasionally.
Is there any way to stop the Folder Tree's root from changing?
If the view is restricted, the tree root will change if you go to a folder that is outside of the current view, since otherwise it could not show the folder.
The way to stop it changing would be to lock the tree so that it no longer follows the file display, and becomes something you only use to select folders, not to see where you currently are.
That sounds like what you're using the tree for, so maybe that's what you want?
The lock is at the top of the tree, left of its close button, and will be saved with layouts and the default lister.
Actually, locking the tree actually worked at first. I mean it mostly worked. Maybe 6 out of 7 times.
But, I must have touched an option that affected this because now the format lock in the header tree doesn't work at all. Every time I click outside the Folder Tree, the Folder Tree's root always changes to the outside folder or network drive I clicked.
I've checked every option that I might have touched and I can't find anything. In any case, previous to not working at all, it would still not work 1 out of 7 times which was a killer.
That one time would wreck how my folder tree was carefully expanded that took a lot of time to set up.
Any ideas on how to lock that Folder Tree permanently?
I definitely don't want to turn it into a Favorites. It would be a total waste of time. Notice that Microsoft has overhauled the Favorites system in every single new version of Windows - it never works. Don't believe me?
Notice that they made Libraries, Jump Lists, Recents, Start Menu, Bookmarks, Frequents, Quick Access, Document folders (like Pictures and Music), etc. They are all basically the same thing - a collection of common shortcuts. Whenever a new version of Windows comes out, Microsoft slaps on a new name, upgrades it with prettier icons, and changes the location of this "Favorites" folder? It's obvious that it doesn't work but Microsoft can't figure out why.
So, I definitely don't want a Favorites group. It's stupid. I would like a Folder Tree in which you can expand folders of folders, leading to many branches.
Can you do me a favor and check why the format lock wouldn't lock the Folder Tree anymore? Maybe it's a simple fix. The format lock actually worked at first but slowly stopped working. I have no clue why. I checked all the different options in settings like 100 times, turning this or that on or off.
Now the Folder Tree that rooted to my personal User folder changes whenever I click something like the C:drive. Any possible ideas?
It would be awesome if you can get it to work again.
It increases my workflow exponentially. I can quickly go back and forth to the folders that has the data I use the most.
I think there might be a simple solution for that.
What about turning the hotkey for folder tree to hotkey for specific preset folder tree? You got your default folder tree so. but honestly I don't know if there is script for tree preset.
This is extremely niche and unusual behavior that you're asking for, which would make it very difficult and confusing for most people to find things in the tree (e.g. outside the rooted folder).
I honestly was only trying to help you. But, you can do whatever you want since it's your program. You also probably know better, given your extensive experience building this program. I agree that it'll probably make it very difficult and confusing for most people to find things in the tree.