Today i want to tell you about the best thing since canned tuna: a fantastic application that extends Finder's functionality to provide you with features like tabs, cut-and-paste, dual-mode, and more. You know, the things that all of us have missed in Finder, one time or another. It's appropriately named TotalFinder (in honor, i'm guessing, of the TotalCommander application).
Here's a rundown of the features that i love and the ones i kind of like, as well as a few suggestions on what could be added or improved: What i kind of like, but would probably change [caption id="attachment_1186" align="alignright" width="150" caption="Tabs"][/caption]
Tabs : It's nice to have the possibility of endless tabs, but i have trouble imagining having more than 2-3 open in any given window. It's not a bad thing, but i think TotalFinder could totally get away with the dual-mode (maybe throwing in a tri-mode into the mix). What i love Cut and paste : Been missing this feature ever since i bought my first mac. I love Apple, but i think sometimes they just assume that people are dumb and fail to provide some tools that we consider basic needs. This is one of them and TotalFinder brings it back to us.
[caption id="attachment_1187" align="alignright" width="150" caption="Dual mode"][/caption]
The dual mode : The ability to look at two different folders in the same window is something that you will never want to live without again. Sure, you can open two finder windows and put them side by side. But it's a much slower process. In TotalFinder all you need to do is press Command + T (opens a new tab, so you have 2) and then Command + U. Presto! Dual mode goodness.
The visor : Combine the dual mode above with the Visor and you have the best Finder experience ever! The visor is something like the Quake terminal (remember? the one that slided into view so you could type all the cheats in? :)); It sits out of sight until you press a global shortcut (typically ALT + `) and then slides from the bottom of the screen. It's the best way to always have a Finder window around.
Folders on top : Call me old fashioned, but i do believe that folders should always be shown before files in any list. I can't explain why, but it just makes sense to me. And if it also makes sense to you, then TotalFinder allows you to set this option :)
[caption id="attachment_1188" align="alignright" width="150" caption="Hidden files/folders"][/caption]
Show hidden/system files : Again, Apple is protecting us from ourselves. I understand the motivation but sometimes i really want to see the hidden files. Especially for developers and powerusers who, from times to times, need to edit those dotSomething files (i.e. .bash_profile) this is a must-have! Suggestions Dual mode button in the bar : It wasn't immediately apparent to me how to activate the dual-mode. I think it would be much simpler if there was a button in the bar, next to the quick-look and view mode buttons. Maybe it's not even possible to implement, due to the Finder's restrictions, so i'm just throwing it out there :)
Quick find folder feature : One thing i keep coming back to, when using file explorers, is the lack of a nice way to find a certain folder. I know i can use Finder's search field, but then i have to specify that i'm searching by filename, and in the entire drive, and bla bla bla. A "find folder by name" feature would be a great addition to Finder, in my opinion. Conclusion TotalFinder is a great addition to your file/folder handling arsenal. It will bring back features that you missed for a long long time and are surprised Apple does not provide out-of-the-box. It's not free. But then again, it's a one man operation building a great product that will definitely give you more than the $15 you'll pay for it. You can also get a 3 pack for $30 and offer 2 licenses to your friends :)
Bottom line: totally worth it!
