) and have never seen him, nevertheless, you probably still understand who he is and what he is eaten with. For those who did not read the last article, but for some reason decided to read this one, I will say that FAR manager is an analogue of Norton Commander (a file management program), working in the console (text mode), but using all the power of Windows. The statement about Norton's analogue is a little controversial, we will assume that this is my subjective opinion, of which there will be many more in the future. If you like it, then download it from www.rarsoft.com and run it. By the way, since the last article was written, the third beta has already been released. I’ll say right away about registration - it is free for residents of the former USSR.
So, you've downloaded it. What didn't you like? Everything is fine? Then read on.
Who is this article intended for? Rather, for those who have been using FAR for a long time, but have no idea how wide its capabilities are. However, it will not be superfluous for those who have not yet chosen a file manager to their taste. I admit that I initially didn’t realize how powerful FAR was until I discovered a site with plugins on the Internet :)
Plugins. Who are they?
A plugin (from English Plug-in - plug-in module) is external plug-in modules (plugins) that are used to expand the capabilities of programs. Plugins are not a specific feature of FAR. With their help, for example, the capabilities of ICQ are expanded, Adobe Photoshop or Winamp. They are also available in other file managers, for example, in Windows Commander. But, compared to other file managers, only FAR provides plugins with truly fantastic capabilities: plugins work anywhere - in panels, in the editor, in the viewer; they can be launched directly from command line. Sometimes you simply don’t know who exactly will execute the next command - far.exe itself or the plugins, the shell has merged so closely with its helpers. The very ideology of plugins allows you to customize the shell for yourself, adding what you need and throwing out what you don’t need. This is the most important advantage of plugin systems over monolithic programs.
And now the fun part
Since there are a huge number of plugins (at the time of writing this line there were 288 of them), I will try to describe the most useful ones (in my opinion). Moreover, I will mainly use the author’s comments and my subjective opinion.
So, according to the rating, FarNavigator (formerly ProxyFtp) is in first place. Just recently it bypassed the plugin that will be described below - colorer. Author - Vasily Moshninov. FAR includes a standard ftp client, but it has only basic functions. And thanks to this plugin, FAR becomes an excellent FTP client, since it can be used to work with any type of proxy server. In the latest version, it also began to work with http servers.
Colorer is a plugin for syntax highlighting of programming languages (for example, setting colors in any software environment) in the FAR editor. It is very convenient if you need to quickly edit the sources, but are too lazy to launch the shell. Author - Igor Russkikh. Contains a huge amount ready-made scripts for coloring different languages. A few words about the installation: this plugin consists of two parts - the syntax highlighting library and the plugin itself.
Search and replace(s_and_r). Author - Ivan Sintyurin. The plugin, which allows you to replace a large number of files, expands the search capabilities of the standard editor, and also provides the ability to search and replace using regular expressions. As the author said, this is a plugin for smart people, and for those who know what regular expressions are, this is an irreplaceable thing...
7-zip. A plugin that makes working with archives transparent, that is, it does not require the archivers themselves to be installed on the machine. It was originally designed for zip, so it can only archive in zip, but can unzip from most archives.
In addition to these plugins, there are many others. For example, to control WinAmp from FAR, to support various languages and encodings, for all kinds of mass file processing. In fact, anyone can write the necessary plugin for their specific task, which is why modular architecture is convenient.
Now let's look at the standard plugins.
Advanced Compare is a plugin that expands the capabilities of directory comparison. Why describe it - just look at the dialogue it produces.
Editor\Align - plugin for formatting blocks in the built-in editor. I recommend using Format Block instead.
Editor\AutoWrap - plugin for automatic line wrapping as you type.
Editor\Brackets - plugin for automatic transition between brackets in the editor. It is stated that it is not needed if you have colorer, since it can do all this.
Editor\DrawLine - plugin for drawing lines in the editor. Dedicated to Dos Nafigator fans.
Editor\EditCase - plugin for changing the case of typed words. Can do everything - “all lowercase”, “Start with uppercase”, “ALL UPPERCASE”, “CHANGE CASE”, “Cyclic change”.
FARCmds is a very powerful and feature-rich plugin. Since it comes standard, I recommend reading “Help”. An example of use is to make the same directory on the next panel as on the current one.
FileCase is a plugin similar to EditCase, but does the same thing with file names. In the next version s_and_r (1.6) will do the same thing, but for ease of operation I would still recommend using this plugin.
FTP - standard FTP client. For infrequent work with FTP it is quite sufficient. If you work with FTP all the time, then I recommend installing the proxyftp described above and removing this one.
HlfViewer is a plugin for plugin developers. Used to view an arbitrary hlf file - a help file for FAR.
MultiArc is a powerful plugin for working with archives.
Network - plugin for working with the Network. Very convenient. Perhaps in this version it will be slightly changed for the better. Those who have already used it know that the old Network browser could not access resources on the Network, but the new one can do this, however, so far only for the Microsoft Network. Owners Novell NetWare you'll have to wait a little.
PrintMan is a new plugin. Replaces standard printing functions in FAR'e, starting from version 1.70 beta1. Prints on almost all types of printers. Able to remove jobs from the print queue.
ProcList - list of processes. A nice plugin for recording processes and viewing quite detailed information about them. In addition, it can change the priorities of running processes. By the way, here - to get a list and switch tasks, you can use the ctrl-w combination in FAR, and to remove them in the menu that appears, use the DEL key. Moreover, they are removed immediately and without questions, unlike what Windows does (using CTRL-ALT-DEL).
TmpPanel - temporary panel. The main purpose is to store files found during the search.
EMenu - plugin for getting contextual Windows menu. Can display text or graphic menus.
As I noted above, many standard plugins are add-ons for users, they do not cover all needs, and in many cases their functionality is covered by more advanced plugins, which means they can be removed if you do not use them. The main point of standard plugins is to provide examples for those who want to start writing plugins themselves, since they all come with source code.
Where can I get them and how to install them?
All FAR plugins are stored in separate folders located in the "Plugins" folder (which, in turn, is located in the same place as Far.exe). When FAR detects a new module, it stores information about it and subsequently loads it only when needed, so that inactive modules do not require additional memory. However, if you are sure that you don't need some modules, you can remove them to save disk space. Also, be sure to read all text files like readme.txt, whatsnew.txt, file_id. diz. Specific features for installing this plugin may be described there. Also, occasionally check the homepages of the plugin authors that should be listed in these files.
Now let's see how to install them. So, you need to go to the folder where FAR is installed (usually c:\program files\far\), to the plugins subdirectory, create a subdirectory there with a name corresponding to the name of the plugin (in principle, it doesn’t matter, it’s only useful for orientation), and copy the entire contents of the downloaded archive into it. Next we restart FAR. Removing the plugin is a little more difficult. My method is this - enter the directory with plugins, click. (dot) and shift-enter, exit FAR, delete the directory with the plugin (del) and run FAR again. If you want to install new version plugin, you need to first remove it and then install it. Sometimes, if the plugin is not loaded into memory, you can do without exiting FAR.
You can get plugins on PlugRing - a community site for plugin writers. By the way, in the last article I wrote that PlugRinG (www.uic.nnov.ru/~ruiv/plugring) is an unofficial site. So, now it has become official, but has not changed its direction: there is the main (and, in principle, the only) collection of plugins for FAR. Shorter and more quickly remembered addresses for it have appeared - www.rarsoft.com/plugring and plugring.da.ru. Also, to keep up to date with all the latest plugins, I recommend subscribing to the forum - [email protected].
And in conclusion, I would like to express my gratitude to those who helped me write this article - especially Ivan Sintyurin, as well as the developers of FAR and plugins for it.
Far Manager is a free console file manager in Russian and English language(has a multilingual interface). Its functionality is similar to any other file manager, for example, Total Commander. It has a built-in text file editor similar to Notepad, but with syntax highlighting. It is possible to change file encoding, as well as many other useful functions.
The interface is simple, columnar, like the Norton Commander file manager from MS-DOS, the forefather of Windows.
Where to download Far Manager
Far Manager is distributed free of charge, you can download the program version on the official website: http://www.farmanager.com/download.php?l=ru. Below we will describe how to change the interface language to Russian.
Installing and configuring Far Manager
Does not require special settings or assembly. You simply download the installer and install Far Manager as a regular program. However, you can always make your own adjustments. For example, by default, the font in the interface is quite small.
List of abbreviations and their meanings:
- RMB - right mouse button;
- LMB - left mouse button.
To increase it, you need to go to the properties of the shortcut on the desktop, find and increase the font (RMB (right mouse button) on the shortcut - Properties - Font)
- Selecting the font Lucida Console
- A new font size scale will appear. Choose the size according to your taste, for example, 20
As a result, the interface will become more convenient
Now you can change the interface language to Russian. To do this, open Far Manager and press F9 - Options - Languages. In the window that appears, select Russian language
In general, at this stage the initial setup is complete. Next, we will learn how to use this program, or rather, read and perceive the interface.
How to use Far Manager
To begin with, about the interface design of this program.
The interface consists of columns in the central area, a control panel at the bottom and an information panel at the top. The speakers in the center are two global compartments. Each compartment can have one or more columns, by default two.
A bay is a file-level system of a specific disk. To move higher in the level, you need to move the cursor using the arrows on the keyboard or the mouse to the highest position on the symbol.. and press Enter. To go to a subdirectory of the current directory, move the cursor to it and press Enter. You can also use your mouse; double-clicking on the catalog will take you to it. To change the drive, you need to use the hotkeys Alt + F1 or Alt + F2. Now in more detail about the interface and with illustrations:
About the control panel - the numbers are indicated there. Each number means a panel index with F1-F12 on the keyboard
- F1 - help - reference for Far Manager. At least briefly study the reference book, many questions will disappear by themselves
- F2 - custom menu. An unnecessary option at first
- F3 - view file contents. Catalogs show their size
- F4 - edit files. On directories, calls up a menu for changing attributes
- F5 - copy selected files and folders (directories). Selection is made using the Insert, Ins or RMB button (right mouse button). Also, you can copy files by dragging and dropping
- F6 - transfer selected files and folders (directories). Selection is made using the Insert, Ins or RMB button. Also, you can hold Shift and transfer files with LMB (left mouse button)
- F7 - create a directory (folder) in the current directory (folder)
- F8 - delete a folder or file. You can delete several files and folders at the same time by first selecting them with Insert or RMB
- F9 - mentioned this command. Calls up the options menu at the top. Study it, it may be useful
- F10 - close Far Manager
- F11 - brings up a list of Far Manager plugins with the ability to further configure (for example, change the encoding of file contents), as well as some other additional functions.
- F12 - built-in screens. Far Manager allows you to use multiple copies of the file viewing and editing program. This button allows you to quickly switch between them, displaying full list open screens. Use F1 to learn more about this feature. This option is for advanced users
By the way, it is worth noting that Far Manager has the ability to control the mouse. Thus, the entire control panel below is easily controlled by LMB. Personally, I don’t use this option, because I find it more convenient and faster to use hotkey combinations, but I admit that for some people it will be more convenient to control the mouse.
Also, if you hold down Alt or Shift, additional buttons will appear in the control panel. Thus, the hotkeys are collected, additional commands in Far Manager.
Far Manager Commands
Or, as it would be more correct to say, the hot keys on the keyboard that you most often have to use:
- Ctrl + O - show or hide the panel and console contents
- Tab , Shift + Tab move between left and right compartments
- Shift + 2 - change the number of columns in the global compartment. Instead of 2, you can use any button from 1 to 9. Default is 2
- Alt + F9 - switch from windowed mode to full screen and vice versa
- Home — move to the beginning of the list of files and subdirectories of the current directory
- End — move to the end of the list of files and subdirectories of the current directory
- PageUp - move to the top of the list of files and subdirectories of the current directory
- PageDown — move to the bottom of the list of files and subdirectories of the current directory
- Ctrl + PageUp - move to the directory 1 level higher
- Ctrl + F1, Ctrl + F2 - move to the directory 1 level higher in the left (Ctrl + F1) and right (Ctrl + F2) compartments
- Ctrl + A - shows the properties of a file or folder (directory, directory). You can immediately change and save changes. For example, you can change the file creation date
- Insert, Ins, RMB - selecting files one at a time for mass manipulation of them (transfer, copy, delete)
- Shift + PageUp, Shift + PageDown - selecting files for subsequent mass manipulation (transfer, copy, delete)
- Alt + F6 - create a symbolic link
- Shift + F1 - pack selected files and directories into an archive
- Shift + F2 - unpack the selected archive into the specified directory
- Alt + F1, Alt + F2
A dialog box opens with suggestions for selecting a disk, as well as other options; as a rule, the list is compiled by plugins (NetBox, WinSCP, registry editor, folder for temporary files, network access, list of processes)
- Alt + F7 - search among files in the current directory
It is better to leave the file mask free *.*, then the search will take place in all files. If you need to search, for example, only among php files, that is, those with the .php extension (for example, index.php and db.php), use the *.php mask.
You can change it at your discretion.
You can also select the Insert button on the keyboard. necessary files and folders (directories), then place the cursor on one of them to search only within them. - Alt + Insert - useful if you want to copy text from the console
While in the console, you simply press the hot keys Alt + Insert (the cursor will change its shape), then use the mouse or use the arrows and, holding Shift, select the desired piece of text and copy it using Enter
Plugins for Far Manager
Plugins can quite significantly expand the functionality of Far Manager, turning it from a file manager into a multifunctional processor.
A complete list of plugins can be found in Far Manager PlugRing
First of all, we need . This plugin allows you to connect to servers on Linux OS: Ubuntu, Debian, Freebsd, Centos via SCP (obsolete), SSH (SFTP), FTP, WebDav protocols.
NetBox - plugin for connecting to a remote server via SSH, FTP, WebDav
NetBox is a plugin for Far Manager, a successor to the WinSCP tradition, which implements the client side of the SCP (Secure Copy Protocol, obsolete), SFTP (SSH File Transfer Protocol), FTP (Files Transfer Protocol) and WebDav protocols. Designed for connecting to a remote server on Linux OS: Ubuntu, Debian, Freebsd, Centos - via , FTP or WebDav and managing it: creating, editing, copying, deleting files using the above protocols, transferring them between your computer and servers that support these protocols , in our case, website hosting servers. With its help, we will interact with the hosting file system where your sites are located: upload and download files, .
How to install NetBox
Currently Far Manager comes with Netbox pre-installed, but you can Download NetBox in Plugring Far Manager.
Unpack the downloaded file into the plugins folder
(Start - Run - %ProgramFiles%\Far Manager\Plugins)
At this point, the installation of NetBox in Far Manager is complete, you just need to restart the latter.
Connecting to a remote server via SSH, FTP, WebDav using NetBox, WinSCP
Press the combination Alt keys+ F1 or Alt + F2, in the menu that opens, select NetBox, it is numbered 2.
Now we need to create a connection to our server. Let's say you have information for connecting via SSH:
Login: root, password: pass, server IP: 127.0.0.1, port 22
As suggested to create a new session, press Shift + F4 and enter the data:
Connect to the server. Now we can copy files from the computer to the server and back (using F5, described in more detail above), change them (F4), and also, if you have your own server, use the console to manage it.
If you need to connect via FTP or WebDav protocol, simply select the one you need from the drop-down list in the Protocol field
We continue our series of articles about the programs I use at work. Today it is one of the oldest programs I use, FAR. Despite the venerable age of 15 years and the unpretentious interface, in the form of two blue text windows. FAR is one of the most powerful file managers today, and uses many features of modern operating systems. Windows systems Vista and Windows 7. And the number and quality of plugins written for it allows you to make almost anything out of it. In addition, as of version 2.0, FAR is free and open source.
File managers and what they are used for
Once upon a time, when the trees were big, the sky was bluer, and computers were weaker than modern ones cell phones. Most Popular operating system was MS DOS. Its receiver is now the Windows console or cmd. In those distant times Windows times was an add-on to DOS and the vast majority of users did not use it. And in 1986, one of the first file managers, Norton Commander (aka Norton, from just NC) was released. It was he who first showed the whole world 2 blue windows. It was this format that became the basis for a huge number of file managers, its layout and commands became textbook, and the speed and ease of working with it were remembered by many. Many users who have experienced all the benefits of working with it still use its analogues. And quite a few of them have appeared since that time. Volkov Commander, which had a small size with basic capabilities, DOS Navigator, which had great capabilities, etc.
But then Windows 95 came into the world and changed it. It was no longer an add-on to DOS, it was an independent OS providing enormous capabilities. File managers also began to be developed for it. One of which was File and Archive Manager or simply FAR.
Far Manager today
Today FAR Manager is a free, BSD-licensed file manager. It is constantly being developed on the project page http://www.farmanager.com There is also a forum and a database of plugins for it. It works great with everyone Windows versions, including in mode Server Core
x32 and x64 versions are available for download. There are stable and daily or builds (despite the name they are also very stable) downloading is also available in the form of a 7z archive or an msi package (May be useful for deploying software via GPO)
Many people are wondering. Why do you need x64 version in such a simple program as a file manager? It does not consume large resources and does not need high performance. To answer this question, go to the Windows\System32\Drivers folder with any x32 manager, in any x64 system, and remember the number of files you saw, and then go there with a simple explorer. And you will see that there are much more of them there. But working with files and folders is the main function for any file manager
It comes with a large number of plugins that allow you to work with FTP and the network. There is a built-in process manager and archive manager. It allows you to copy with the mouse and use the Windows context menu with the right button. To call the context menu you need to hold down the key for 3-5 seconds
The Emenu plugin is used for this.
From additional functions there is support for working with User Account Control(UAC)
And dynamic display of copying and other actions in Windows icon 7
I note that FAR remains a console program and allows you to use all the features Windows console right in it. In addition, it has memory for using console programs
Plugins for Far Manager
Attention: The version of the plugins used depends on the version of FAR Manager; for the x64 version you must use x64 versions of the plugins. All the plugins I described have x64 versions. Plugin compatibility with different versions listed in a special topic
All plugins are installed in the Far\Plugins folder by unpacking them and then restarting FAR
A must have plugin. Significantly expands the capabilities of configuring and using FAR Manager and more. It is a console emulator. If upon startup it finds the far.exe file, it launches it and works in its environment. I'm using conemu as the main bootloader for FAR. Its possibilities are enormous
- Run multiple copies of FAR and more, can work with any console program or PowerShell, cmd, telnet, etc.
- Run programs as an administrator or any other user, there is UAC support
- Allows you to view console output in long FARs. Which cannot be viewed as standard. Useful when viewing large listings
To enable console input, use the CtrlO_View.reg macro located in the ConEmu\ConEmu.Addons folder. By default it is set to Ctrl+O, but I recommend using another combination such as Ctrl+S by editing the line
to the one you need
- Additional coloring and modification appearance FAR and the fonts it uses
The setup is started by pressing right key on the top bar and select settings
- Perform copy/paste from the FAR console
- and much more
Archiver for FAR based on free 7-zip. FAR already has a built-in archiver, but to use it you need many console versions of the original programs. This plugin uses the capabilities of the well-known archive manager 7-zip (http://www.7-zip.org/) and, in my opinion, is more convenient to use
Attention: For the plugin to work, you only need the 7z.dll library located in the folder in the installed archiver, I usually copy it to the folder with the plugin
Allows you to organize syntax highlighting in the built-in editor, has support for many languages, is convenient
Allows you to use the power of .NET and PowerShell environments directly from FAR. Unfortunately, this seriously increases the startup speed and resources consumed by FAR Manager.
First the plugin is installed FarNet. Then the plugin is installed in the Far\FarNet\Modules folder PowerShellFar
FarSniffer, FarHexitor and other system utilities(http://code.google.com/p/farplugs/downloads/list)
A small network sniffer and HEX editor. things like that never hurt
And many others. Far Manager has programs for working with communicators based on WinMobile and Android or mobile phones. Watching video pictures and listening to music. And many more.
Conclusion
As you can see today, Far Manager is a modern and constantly evolving program, in addition, free, open source code and virtually unlimited configuration possibilities. All this allows me to recommend it to anyone who needs to make their work easier
plugin program operating key
A plugin is a module for a program that is created separately and, if necessary, can be connected to an already running application. The main task of the plugin is to expand the functionality of the main program.
Installing the plugin
- 1. Download the plugin from the Internet.
- 2. Copy the folder along the path c:Program FilesFar ManagerPlugins.
- 3. Restart Far Manager so that the plugin is fully integrated into the program.
- 5. To configure this plugin, we need to go to the program menu, select Options, then Plugin Options.
- 6. In the window that appears, select the plugin that we need to configure and press Enter.
- 7. Now we see a window with the parameters of the plugin we need. We customize it to suit your needs and click OK.
How to create a plugin.
FAR is distributed with a complete set of files for writing the plug-in yourself on any C compiler for Windows. The topic of this article is writing these modules yourself in Visual C++ (I used Visual C++ 5.0).
- 1. Launches VC, create a new project of the "Win32 Dynamic-Link Library" type named SimpleFP. Creates a file simplefp.cpp - here, in fact, we will write. Copy the header file plugin.hpp from the PlugDoc.rar archive into the SimpleFP directory (edit: starting from FAR 1.70 beta 5, examples are installed in a separate PlugDoc directory).
- 2. Now we need to make a .def file - this is a file that describes the functions that are called from external modules. We must describe the Far functions that we will use in our module. Let's do text file simplefp.def, in which we write:
- 3. LIBRARY
- 4.EXPORTS
- 5. GetPluginInfo=_GetPluginInfo@4
- 6. OpenPlugin=_OpenPlugin@8
SetStartupInfo=_SetStartupInfo@4
Here we describe 3 functions that will be useful to us. Now let’s add simpledef.def to the project files (Project - Add to project - Files - simplefp.def).
7. Now we write the plug-in itself - we work with the simplefp.cpp file. I decided to give the text of the program itself with comments - you can copy it into C++ and start tinkering with it. But first, some basics.
Far works on the same principles as Windows - you reference in the program those functions already available on the system that you want to use. Far provides functions for working with screen forms in console application mode. When the plug-in is launched, Far launches the OpenPlugin function; we will consider it as an analogue of main() or WinMain(). But besides this, we also need to provide Far with information about our plug-in. This is done by the GetPluginInfo function.
- * SimpleFP - a simple plug-in to Far. (C) 2000 Phoenix, Moscow
#include
#include
#include "plugin.hpp" // for Far functions
#define PLUGIN_NAME "Open windows" // Name of the plug-in
#define WINDOW_HEAD "Open windows list" // Header of the menu we will make
// Describe the Far functions we work with.
void WINAPI _export SetStartupInfo(struct PluginStartupInfo *Info);
HANDLE WINAPI _export OpenPlugin(int OpenFrom,int Item);
void WINAPI _export GetPluginInfo(struct PluginInfo *Info);
static struct PluginStartupInfo Info; // Information about our plug-in
// Information about the module is defined by us in the Info structure
void WINAPI _export SetStartupInfo(struct PluginStartupInfo *Info)
// This function is called to get information about the plug-in.
// We must fill out the fields of the Info structure.
void WINAPI _export GetPluginInfo(struct PluginInfo *Info)
Info->StructSize=sizeof(*Info); // Size of the Info structure
Info->Flags=0; // We don't need this
Info->DiskMenuStringsNumber=0; // We don't need this either
// Define a string with the name of the module
static char *PluginMenuStrings;
PluginMenuStrings= PLUGIN_NAME;
// Define the name of the plug-in module
Info->PluginMenuStrings=PluginMenuStrings;
Info->PluginMenuStringsNumber=
sizeof(PluginMenuStrings)/sizeof(PluginMenuStrings);
Info->PluginConfigStringsNumber=0; // We don't need this
// This function is called when the plug-in module starts.
HANDLE WINAPI _export OpenPlugin(int OpenFrom,int Item)
HWND hwnd; // Use it to get handle
char p, o; // To create menu bars
int i=0; // Counter
struct FarMenuItem MenuItems; // Description of the menu that Far will create for us
memset(MenuItems,0,sizeof(MenuItems)); // Initialize our menu
MenuItems.Selected=TRUE;
hwnd = GetDesktopWindow(); // Get handle for desktop
hwnd = GetWindow(hwnd, GW_CHILD); // Get its handle
while (hwnd !=0) // While it's not the last one
hwnd = GetWindow(hwnd, GW_HWNDNEXT); // get window handle
GetWindowText(hwnd,p,128); // and its title
if (strlen(p)>0) // if there is a header
sprintf(o,"%0.8xld %s", hwnd, p); // make a line
strcpy(MenuItems.Text, o); // copy this line to the MenuItems array
// call the menu we created, get the number of the selected item - MenuCode
int MenuCode=Info.Menu(Info.ModuleNumber,
FMENU_AUTOHIGHLIGHT|FMENU_WRAPMODE,
return(INVALID_HANDLE_VALUE);
Compile, copy into FarPlugin and restart Far. In Far, press F11 - this is a list of plug-in modules. Now the line Open windows should appear in it. Look at the result.
Description of some plugins
Clipboard Copy, Clipboard Copy Alt.
These plugins are designed for the common Windows, but previously unavailable in FAR Manager, use of the clipboard for copying and moving files and folders. It is permissible to copy (move) both from Windows to FAR and vice versa. In itself, such a feature greatly facilitates ordinary copying and moving operations, but it cannot be said that it is implemented very conveniently (if in Windows it is enough, as you know, to right-click and select required action, then in FAR you have to perform the combination F11FClipboardFCopy (Move/Cut or Paste). True, one cannot demand the impossible from plugin authors: this is precisely the path that is assumed based on the very logic of the plug-in modules. This idea was originally implemented in the Clipboard Copy plugin, but was not fully developed: when trying to copy some files, the program gives an error file system. Much later, the Clipboard Copy Alt plugin, similar in functionality, appeared, in which we did not encounter any error situations. It is very likely that this feature will soon be implemented in the file manager itself through the built-in “Explorer Context Menu” module. Clipboard Copy plugin; works starting from version FAR1.60, Clipboard Copy Alt plugin; works starting from version FAR1.65.
File list creator.
Designed, as the name suggests, to create a file in the current directory containing a list of names of selected files. Although there is, of course, the usual possibility of copying the names of selected files to the clipboard by pressing Ctrl+Ins and then pasting from the clipboard into a text file, this plugin also in some cases quite convenient. It allows you to copy files with paths (entering long paths manually for a group of files is an extremely dubious pastime), as well as supplementing the created list of files with new files and processing subfolders (of course, if they are selected). There are situations when it is simply irreplaceable (for example, the author of this article, as a teacher, often requires it when creating independent assignments). Works starting from version FAR1.60.
Regular Expression Search and Replace.
A very useful plugin designed to search for files based on the expressions they contain, that is, in situations where you urgently need a file with certain information, but you don’t remember its name or location on the disk. The search is very fast, and is possible both on the entire hard drive and in a specific folder. It is possible to automatically replace expressions found in the text of files. Works starting from version FAR1.65.
Edit Swap.
In fact, this plugin represents two modules: “Paired brackets” and “Rus”<->Lat", intended, naturally, for editing a file in text editor FAR. The first module is responsible for searching and highlighting single and double paired brackets various types. The plugin was written for version FAR1.63, which did not provide such an option. Version 1.70b2 of the FAR program already includes a built-in Brackets plugin that performs the same functions. As for the Rus module<->Lat", then it can still only be connected manually and provides a very useful ability to recode the selected block according to the QWERTY rule<->YTSUKEN, and such a need arises all the time if you simply forgot to switch the alphabet, and naturally you don’t have much desire to type the text again. Although the plugin was written for version FAR1.63, it works perfectly in subsequent versions of the program. True, the function of searching and highlighting brackets turns out to be duplicated.
Special Folders.
Provides fast access to special Windows folders: “Main Menu”, “My Documents”, “Network Neighborhood”, “Desktop”, “Printers”, “Programs”, etc. (Fig. 3), thereby relieving the user of the need to remember their location on the disk, and then have a long and tedious journey to get to them. In this case, you can get to the special folder in two ways: standard for plug-ins: by F11 and through the FAR drive menu, for example, by Alt+F1, Alt+F2 (you should select the additionally appearing Special Folders item in the menu). Archive: Works starting from version FAR1.63.
Uninstall.
The plugin allows you to uninstall programs from FAR Manager in the same way as it is usually done from control panel. Works starting from version FAR1.65.
FAR Navigator (ProxyFtp).
This module allows you to work not only with ftp servers (downloading or deleting files and directories from the server, copying your files to the server), like a standard FTP client plugin, but also with http servers (downloading from the server). If the connection is lost, files can be resumed. As for downloading files to a computer, there are, of course, more convenient options provided by download managers specially designed for this (there is a more conveniently organized resuming of downloads, and work according to a schedule, and downloading at the highest possible speed, etc. ), so this direction, in general, is not for everyone. And if we talk about the reverse operation, then the plugin’s functions should be of interest to a wide audience. Works starting from version FAR1.65.
Web Editor.
This plugin allows you to create and edit HTML files in the built-in FAR text editor by inserting templates of a fairly wide range HTML tags(Fig. 4), CSS attributes, PHP structures (Fig. 5), etc. The process of completely creating Web pages in this way requires a considerable investment of time and effort and is not very inspiring, especially if you remember the ones specially designed for this purpose. software products. However, this module can be very useful in the process of debugging a page, when you need to make minimal changes, save and immediately check the result. In addition, some tags (necessary, for example, for the successful promotion of your page) still have to be inserted manually, and the Web Editor helps to significantly speed up the entire process. Works starting from version FAR1.7.
FAR plugins programming Help Encyclopedia of Developer.
It is an encyclopedia in Russian PlugRinG Help for plugin developers. In principle, there is a help file in the FAR Manager distribution, but it is quite short. Therefore, the authors of this plugin decided to write a real Help encyclopedia, which discusses in detail the technology of plugin development in relation to C/C++ and Pascal (structures, service functions, exported functions, etc.), gives specific recommendations in this area and provides numerous examples. In addition, articles from various authors regarding the pitfalls they encountered at various stages of developing their plugins are published here. In other words, this encyclopedia is a great help for those who decide to join the ranks of plugin authors. To launch the encyclopedia, just click on the pluginsr.chm file. Focused on version FAR1.7b3.
PlugRinGviewer.
The plugin is designed to work with a database of plugins - PlugRing. For a general user, it may be of interest to organize a targeted viewing of plugins by category. The advantage of this plugin is that you don’t need to study the entire plugin database long and hard if you need to find out, for example, what plugins exist for working with the Internet or with a printer. However, the functionality of PlugRinGviewer is much broader: it includes downloading plugins from the database, updating, and adding new plugins. But this feature is aimed primarily at plugin authors. Works starting from version FAR1.65.
However, despite all its versatility, FAR does not do everything. For example, it is not able to work with the registry or edit unicode files normally. It's good that there are fans who have written a lot of plugins and additions for this useful program. You can easily find their complete list, including almost half a thousand items, at plugring.farmanager.com. By tradition, we selected the ten best from them. If you bought the magazine with a disk, then you don’t have to download anything: we have already downloaded the most interesting additions for FAR and placed them on the DPK-CD.
Installing most of them should not cause you any problems. Typically, you need to create a subfolder with the name of the module in the directory C:Program FilesFarPlugins and then unpack all the files from the plugin archive into it. That's it - after restarting the program, FAR will recognize the extension and will work with it.
Far Navigator
| Far Navigator |
The second name of this module is ProxyFTP. Undoubtedly, the most useful plugin for those who often access the Internet and work with FTP servers. Features include the ability to connect to the server even through a proxy, which is not available in the standard FAR module; ability to move and copy files on different servers without first uploading them to user computer(read: several times faster and without wasting traffic); support for unusual authorization modes; attachment processing and everything you could want from any commercial FTP client. Moreover, it is absolutely free. Wonderful, isn't it?
7-zip
Built-in support for archives in FAR through the MultiArc module is, of course, universal, but it is implemented exclusively through external programs, which is not always convenient and is certainly inferior in speed to separate archivers. Plus the need to search for executable files of different archivers, and then configure them. To be honest, this doesn’t upset us very much, but if there is more convenient solution- why not use it? 7-zip already contains support for ZIP, RAR, GZIP and TAR, which is enough for most users.
Registry Browser
Editing system Windows registry- an unpleasant, but, unfortunately, quite common operation. For example, you can get rid of the notorious error 1311 when installing your favorite game only by editing the registry. If for this you are too lazy to exit FAR and run regedit.exe- use Registry Browser. With it, you can edit any necessary data directly through the file manager interface. Moreover, copying keys and entire branches is no more difficult than duplicating files and folders.
Background File Copy
The main advantage of some paid file managers over FAR has always been stated to be background copying, which allows you to simultaneously perform a number of operations on files without launching several FAR windows. Well, this advantage is negated by the Background File Copy module, which allows our favorite program to do the same thing, not only with copying, but also moving, deleting and even editing files. The main thing is to carefully read the included installation instructions and note: the module does not work under Windows 98/Me.
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| Right Click + Right Click Menu Activator |
The second (and final) useful feature of conventional file management programs is the standard Windows right-click context menu. In FAR, as you know, a banal file selection occurs instead. If you want to have access to context menu, install both plugins: one of them will create the actual window with a list of commands, and the second will assign its call to right button mice. And don’t ask me why it couldn’t be done in one module - this is a mystery, shrouded in darkness. The only drawback is the lack of beautiful pictures next to some menu items.
WEB Editor
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| WEB Editor |
If you are more or less seriously interested in creating Web sites or this is your main occupation, then you probably know that almost all existing HTML editors they make what is called dirty code, which takes up more space and looks messy. As a rule, pages are polished in a regular text editor, for example in the same FAR. And together with the WEB Editor module, this operation has become even simpler and more convenient. Among its pleasant features is automatic insertion HTML tags and even PHP functions, convenient creation embedded images, menus and various forms.
Plugin Calculator
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| Plugin Calculator |
There is always a need for a convenient calculator with support for expressions and automatic conversion of results into hexadecimal, decimal and binary systems. This is especially true for those who are involved in programming or simply like to delve into saved game files for the purpose of slightly modifying them. Plugin Calculator is built into FAR and allows you not only to perform simple calculations, but also converts units of measures and weights from one system to another. This will certainly come in handy when solving physics problems and reading classic American literature, which is full of feet and inches.
FAR Mail
Those of you who for some reason do not use Outlook Express (well, let's say, for religious reasons) and who find alternative clients like The Bat or Mozilla Mail not “cool” enough, should install FAR Mail. The ability to send and receive letters in text and HTML formats in absolutely any encoding, support for attached files, The address book and many email accounts (SMTP, IMAP and, of course, POP3). Even filtering of letters is available. However, to imagine that someone would prefer this program to separate mail clients, it’s very difficult for us.
Multimedia Viewer
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| Multimedia Viewer |
The need to use external utilities to view pictures and video files is an unpleasant feature of almost all file managers. However, in our case, this problem can be solved very simply - just install the Multimedia Viewer module to see all the pictures directly in the FAR window. Moreover, the plugin even allows you to listen to melodies without leaving the program interface. The main thing: don't forget to download the additional library (located on our disk) to make it all work correctly.
Tetris
And finally, the most useless plugin for FAR. No, rather, even the most harmful. This add-on, as you probably guessed yourself, makes it possible to play the famous “Tetris” directly in the program window. In this case, work risks being put on the back burner until better times. Readers nostalgic for the DOS era will probably remember that the creation of Alexander Pa-zhitnov was built into the ancient DOS Navigator file manager and even then interfered with important matters.
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