Pane Bonanza: 4Pane File Manager

Productivity Sauce
There are three things that set 4Pane apart from other file browsers: speed, lack of bloat, and a four pane interface. Indeed, 4Pane is lightning fast, and this quality alone makes it a worthy alternative to whatever file manager you currently use. A complete lack of fancy trimmings means that 4Panes lets you focus on what's important (i.e., managing files), while the four-pane interface gives you a lot of room for juggling files and directories.
At first sight, 4Pane looks like a rather bare-bones file manager, but beneath its unassuming appearance hides a wide array of genuinely useful features. For starters, the file manager supports tabs, so you can open as many panes as you need. The bookmarking feature allows you to save and quickly access often-used directories, while 4Pane's filtering functionality can come in handy when you want to narrow the current view to files that match specific criteria.
Right-click on a file or a directory, and you can access a list of commands and actions that you can perform on the selected file or directory. Better yet, 4Pane lets you add your own custom actions. For example, you can add an action for unpacking tarballs. To do this, choose Options | Configure 4Pane, and switch to the Tools | Add a Tool section. Enter the tar xzvf %f command (%f is a placeholder replaced by the currently selected file or archive), choose the existing menu or create a new one, and press the Add the Tool button. Press then Apply and Finish, and you can access the added tool by choosing the Tools | Run a Program menu.
The file manager also offers shortcuts to often-used editors, and you can easily replace the default editors with your own preferred applications. Choose Options | Configure 4Pane, switch to The Display | Misc section, and press the Configure toolbar editors button. You can then add your favorite applications.
These are just a few of 4Pane's highlights, and the file manager offers a slew of other nifty features that can help you to manage files and directories efficiently.
comments powered by DisqusIssue 272/2023
Buy this issue as a PDF
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Support Our Work
Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you've found an article to be beneficial.
News
-
Armbian 23.05 is Now Available
Based on Debian 12, the latest version of the ARM/RISC-V distribution is now available to download and install.
-
Linux Mint Finally Receiving Support for Gestures
If you use the Linux Mint Cinnamon desktop, you'll be thrilled to know that 21.2 is getting support for gestures on touchscreen devices and touchpads.
-
An All-Snap Version of Ubuntu is In The Works
Along with the standard deb version of the open-source operating system, Canonical will release an-all snap version.
-
Mageia 9 Beta 2 Ready for Testing
The latest beta of the popular Mageia distribution now includes the latest kernel and plenty of updated applications.
-
KDE Plasma 6 Looks to Bring Basic HDR Support
The KWin piece of KDE Plasma now has HDR support and color management geared for the 6.0 release.
-
Bodhi Linux 7.0 Beta Ready for Testing
The latest iteration of the Bohdi Linux distribution is now available for those who want to experience what's in store and for testing purposes.
-
Changes Coming to Ubuntu PPA Usage
The way you manage Personal Package Archives will be changing with the release of Ubuntu 23.10.
-
AlmaLinux 9.2 Now Available for Download
AlmaLinux has been released and provides a free alternative to upstream Red Hat Enterprise Linux.
-
An Immutable Version of Fedora Is Under Consideration
For anyone who's a fan of using immutable versions of Linux, the Fedora team is currently considering adding a new spin called Fedora Onyx.
-
New Release of Br OS Includes ChatGPT Integration
Br OS 23.04 is now available and is geared specifically toward web content creation.