[Maemo 5] File manager only sees MyDocs. Is there a better file manager?
 

I just realized the file browser sucks. I had to use the GPE file manager for that. is there a way to make the default browser see all files, or what browser is recommended? I found GPE to hide everything too. had to type in the location. Is this a joke?? On a computer?

Re: Dialcentral 1.0
 

Well Windows file manager sucks too and it's on a computer. =P. But I agree for a Linux system the file manager hides way to much in its attempt to not be confusing to people. Don't know what alternatives exist on the n900 yet. On the n800 I use emelFM2

Re: Dialcentral 1.0
 

how does explorer suck? I can view any file on my system with explorer. maemo 5's file explorer blocks the entire system.

Any alternative ways around this? Along with lack of flv support, this is another deal breaker. I can't believe how stupid Nokia was in doing that

Re: Dialcentral 1.0
 

I see it both ways. For "this is a phone" people, the file browser is nice. An end user who just had "Extras" enabled probably doesn't need to know anything about ".*" filed.. For "this is a hackable toy" its not good. We can create alt file managers but too bad there isn't a good way to have a plugin for simple/advanced file browser dialogs.

Re: Dialcentral 1.0
 

How does the Windows file manager suck?
I'm running Win7 and it does pretty much everything I need.
The native file manager in maemo does indeed suck though - but EmelFM2 often saves the day.

Re: Dialcentral 1.0
 

it seems toonly support My Docs, so call it a My Docs File browser, or add an option for full access. I doubt anyone coming from another OS will like it. Who used the Symbian file browser? nO one. everyone used Xplore, Jukka, or Activefile.

what are you guys using? GPE seems made for N810, and hides stuff, but tocan type in locations, just not browse

Re: Dialcentral 1.0
 

I use the command prompt :)

Re: [N900] File manager only sees MyDocs. Is there a better file manager?
 

The stealth post mover strikes again!

He must have had a hand in the File Manager development.

:p

Re: [N900] File manager only sees MyDocs. Is there a better file manager?
 

You edit the MYDOCSDIR variable. Doing so, however, is not only stupid but may cause problems. Anyway, since the File Manager runs as "user", how do you propose to manipulate files outside of /home/user?

Re: [N900] File manager only sees MyDocs. Is there a better file manager?
 

The discussion had little to do with DialCentral, is of general concern, and will find more eyeballs out here on its own.

That done, I was never here. *whoosh*

Re: [N900] File manager only sees MyDocs. Is there a better file manager?
 

I don't disagree with the motive, O Furtive One. Just remember payback is usually hell (oblique reference to Thanks on my 8000 posts post)

:p

Re: [N900] File manager only sees MyDocs. Is there a better file manager?
 

Welcome to Linux. Most users don't have access to files outside of their home directory anyways, so it doesn't realy make sense to give them a default file manager that can see all that stuff since they will just be given permission denied errors constantly.

Re: [N900] File manager only sees MyDocs. Is there a better file manager?
 

You don't have to manipulate (as in 'edit/modify'), you may just want to find and inspect. Most root-owned files are visible to the user. And in any case, isn't it looking in /home/user/.documents, not in /home/user proper? There will be lots of user files outside of /home/user/MyDocs/, if appliacations on the earlier releases are anything to go by.

EDIT: Corrected .documents to MyDocs, .documents would be inside MyDocs.

Re: [N900] File manager only sees MyDocs. Is there a better file manager?
 

I didn't get an answer in the other thread, so I'll re-ask here.

What, exactly, is it that you need access to?

Re: [N900] File manager only sees MyDocs. Is there a better file manager?
 

This originated in me asking him to post "/home/user/.dialcentral/gv_cookies.txt" so not the typical file an end-user would be grabbing but in this case he was helping me debug a program in Extras-Testing.

Re: [N900] File manager only sees MyDocs. Is there a better file manager?
 

But most files on Linux (see e.g. /usr/share/) _are_ accessible to users, as in read only. The file manager isn't normally used for editing files, most people would use it to find and inspect files. There are lots of files on the system that would be easier to find with a file manager, for most people.

Then again most of the files outside /home/user will only be confusing to many people. But it's not really true that you would get permission denied errors just by looking at them - there are quite few of those. In any case the file manager should allow access outside of /home/user/MyDocs/.

Re: [N900] File manager only sees MyDocs. Is there a better file manager?
 

The default windows manager hides system files and extensions, you have to go through options to enable them. The later ones in Vista and 7 use breadcrumbs though you can switch it to addresses.

I prefer xyplorer on windows myself.

Re: [N900] File manager only sees MyDocs. Is there a better file manager?
 

Still having emelfm2 or midnight commander is useful. Anybody with the device can test if one or both are able to run from diablo repos? Or recompile? Thanks :)

Re: [N900] File manager only sees MyDocs. Is there a better file manager?
 

Re: [N900] File manager only sees MyDocs. Is there a better file manager?
 

I never stated that you would get permission denied errors for looking at files. I'm talking about doing stuff with them (saving, moving, deleting, etc...)

Re: [N900] File manager only sees MyDocs. Is there a better file manager?
 

Yep, but my impression is that the file manager is by far mostly used to find files, followed by reading them (well, clicking on them and getting them opened by an app).

Re: [N900] File manager only sees MyDocs. Is there a better file manager?
 

I personally wish that the /home/user directory was exposed (even if it isn't the default location), and that there was a (not necessarily easy to get to) setting somewhere that would show hidden files and directories.

I also wish the file manager would stop mangling the names of directories. "DCIM" doesn't look anything like "Camera". Maemo 5 is actually worse in this regard than Maemo 4.

Re: [N900] File manager only sees MyDocs. Is there a better file manager?
 

How does that make the windows file manager suck?

Re: [N900] File manager only sees MyDocs. Is there a better file manager?
 

Does anyone know if emelFM2 is being ported to Maemo 5?

(It would be near the top of my list for what I'd want.)

Re: [N900] File manager only sees MyDocs. Is there a better file manager?
 

personaly if i want an access outside of MyDocs, it's just for hacking so i use the terminal with sudo rights and optionally Midnight commander.

remember that the N900 is made for 'normal' users, it's not a geek toy, even if it can become it easily....

Re: [N900] File manager only sees MyDocs. Is there a better file manager?
 

Re-read my post? You don't have to agree with me but what I posted is why I think windows explorer sucks. Oh and in Vista there was that slow file transfer speed when copying and pasting files but I believe that was fixed in service pack 2 so that's no longer an issue.

Re: [N900] File manager only sees MyDocs. Is there a better file manager?
 

so Windoze's FM suxxxxxx for many reasons :

- no tabs
- no paned view
- extensions hidden by default
- really slow
- adress bar really bad done : if it shows "My Documents" if you go to parent you come on "Desktop" (noob and really boring way) and if it show "C:\Users\XXXX" and you go to parent, you come "Users " (normal way)

many other reasons ...

Best FM is Dolphin-Kde4 even if i don't like KDE, or maybe Nautilus 2.28 with paned-view plugin ...

Re: [N900] File manager only sees MyDocs. Is there a better file manager?
 

Ok..so to you win file manager sucks because there is an option to switch if you want to see hidden files or not. To each his own........

Re: [N900] File manager only sees MyDocs. Is there a better file manager?
 

It sucks that you have to ask. I'm actually trying to figure why flv videos won't play, but don't want to be told, I wanted to see if I could learn myself. Basically I want access to what I paid for.

Maemo Freak is a community of hackers and modders. Without full system access, we'll always have to beg guys here for help. We'd like to investigate the firmware and do custom boot videos, etc. I get sick of hearing "If you don't know X you shouldn't do Y" like I'm 6. Most of my crew are advanced enough to deal with this stuff.

I know the command line works, but I'm a big boy. I'm more proficient with Windows, and prefer a GUI based file browser. I don't know many computers today without one. Is there a GUI based browser for the N900 with ability to browse all files or no? And if not, how much cash must I gather to have one coded up? Or, ideally, can the defalt browser be modded to show all files?

Re: [N900] File manager only sees MyDocs. Is there a better file manager?
 

this has little to do with Windows, and some of the OP was moved from another thread, so its out of context. Lets keep this in the N900 lane for now...

Re: [N900] File manager only sees MyDocs. Is there a better file manager?
 

More reasons then that, for example I prefer dual pane, it doesn't always remember which view you like, no ssh integration last time i tried without another program, and other reasons. But to get back to the main point. Yes the n900's file manager system sucks and I hope there's more options from other file managers.

Re: [N900] File manager only sees MyDocs. Is there a better file manager?
 

No one here's saying that you and your community aren't advanced enough to do whatever it is you want to do and deal with the ramifications. We're simply explaining to you why the file manager was made the way it was - it's meant for average use cases.

I know there was a few GUI file browsers for previous tablets. I wouldn't be surprised if they would just run on the N900 as is until a proper port could be done. I just never really used them so I don't remember their names offhand.

Chris, if you try running an OS2008 GUI file browser and it works, post back and let us know.

Re: [N900] File manager only sees MyDocs. Is there a better file manager?
 

Is the source for the built-in file browser open source? Maybe somebody could add a "red-pill mode" for the file browser, as well, allowing you to escape MyDocs and browse the whole filesystem.

Re: [N900] File manager only sees MyDocs. Is there a better file manager?
 

That's pretty much my dislike of most default file managers. Fine until you need to do something that's not average use.

Anyway there was emelFM2, dual pane and really powerful but teeny tiny interface. GPE file manager which you tried. And Midnight Commander which I heard was good but never tried.

Re: [N900] File manager only sees MyDocs. Is there a better file manager?
 

emelFM2 filled a need for those of us who aren't adept at command line, or prefer a sophisticated GUI, but are beyond being "normal" users. I get immense use out of it in Maemo 4. And it has something of a safety switch since you have to launch it from root to access or edit some files.

Re: [N900] File manager only sees MyDocs. Is there a better file manager?
 

Hey, you really need to make up your mind on what you want to be.

All of the GUI is about easy access to things, which means users can avoid some of the complexity of the whole system.

But if you really want to be a hacker/modder, then you are explicitly going for "outside" the provided-as-preinstalled stuff. You want more. Hey, that's fine. N900 is hackable and you will have the power to do that. But it means you have to deal with the complexity that comes from going over the border.

Even if the file manager would allow you to navigate the folders you want (it doesn't), you'd immediately hit another lack-of-functionality-bump in the GUI land. It just doesn't provide what hackers need. Never was meant to.

...

What you need is already there in plain sight. And that's called "X Terminal". Yes, it has more complexity than GUI. But it also has extreme power. Power that hackers and modders need. So just take a deep breath and dive, you'll be enjoying it immensively afterwards. Command line isn't such an impossible thing to learn, especially for hacker/modder types.

Or if you are not willing to learn, then find a fellow hacker and ask him to write a GUI for you. But I'll tell you already that it's waste of everybody's time.

Re: [N900] File manager only sees MyDocs. Is there a better file manager?
 

I wasn't implying anyone's opinion of MF's technical advancement. It was a direct reply to GA only. And I don't even agree that all Linux file browsers lock you out of the system. My distro doesn't, and its a pretty common one, as is Nautilus, from what I hear.

I really haven't heard any realistic reason from anyone. Exactly how can a device be meant for geeks and hackers but have training wheels. I'm actually pretty offended, to be honest. This is Symbian S60 3rd Edition Unhacked BS all over again. We'll stomp over this roadblock in due time, but it sucks, and I just want anyone listening to know.

A simple setting to allow full access with a disclaimer would've sufficed. Calling this a file browser is misleading, and should be called a Personal File Browser. LCG XPlore is a file browser. ActiveFile is a file browser. YBrowser if a file browser. This is utter s**t, and I mean that. Don't make excuses for that mess. Maemo should've had a real file browser out of the box, period.
:mad:

Putting the N900 down and allowing myself to vent. NOKIA, quit messing stuff up all of the time! GOD DA**IT! If you want to make computers, use Apple, Microsoft, and Canonical as models, not VTech, Fisher Price, and Mattell. I'm grown, and want a grown up's device, not an idiot box.

Re: [N900] File manager only sees MyDocs. Is there a better file manager?
 

The more I see threads like this, the more I think that we were right back in the day when the SDK's got dissected and there were people that said that things like this would be an issue...

Re: [N900] File manager only sees MyDocs. Is there a better file manager?
 

I don't need your help making choices or decisions. I've made one already, and have asked for an alternative to the default. What gives you the idea I have trouble making up my mind?

Look, I've been doing mobile hacking on two systems for years now. This is my third. I don't expect everything to be handed to me. I'm just shocked that Nokia still sees fit to have tethers, walls, and limits on a Linux system, unlike most Linux systems. And I asked for an alternative, ie a third party browser or default file browser hack, not the preinstalled one.

A GUI file manager with full access isn't some new invention, nor something only hackers and modders enjoy. It is a basic feature enjoyed by most mainstream computers.

And what unexpected "functionality bump" would I encounter with a GUI-based file browser? How do you even know what functionality I seek? I only want to look without using the CLI. I'm not asking for a hacker toolkit, but a common computer feature. Simple as that.

Can you provide one? If not, could you please provide a useful response to the thread title? That's all I'm concerned with. No offense. I'm experienced enough to know I'm not the only one wanting something like this. The fact previous builds had similar apps is testament to that, so I'm on another road altogether. I'm passed whatever you're talking about.

I hope I don't seem rude. I'm not trying to be. I'm just wanting the same experience OS 2008 users had for the N900, and am a bit frustrated that Nokia doesn't get what we need. Linux is made for modifying and adjusting. Why is Maemo breaking rank?

I'm well familiar with CLI and Xterm,and keep a quick guide site of common commands on the N900 and my desktop. But this isn't how previous builds of Maemo have had to operate. We have developers everywhere, and a GUI based full access file browser has existed for previous builds. Just because I'm a geek doesn't mean I can't want an easier way of working. This is 2009, not 1999.

If Xterm suits you, then fine. But with today's technology, I don't have to.

Re: [N900] File manager only sees MyDocs. Is there a better file manager?
 

Someone definitely needs to make an Advanced File Manager app. Better than the default FM, but much more simple than EmelFM.