Qtfileexplorer
Version: 0.2 Web: https://github.com/ Lightjohn/qtfileexplorer
Rumour has it that once upon a time, the Dolphin file manager had support for Miller columns, but it was removed due to problems in maintaining the code. Miller columns are a kind of visual representation of a filesystem, where each subdirectory is opened in a new column next to its parent. While the way you want your directory structure to be shown is definitely a matter of taste, Miller columns view proved to be very intuitive for non techsavvy computer users. Finder in macos, Pantheon Files and Ranger in Linux support this, but we’ve discovered another application which is truly committed to such a column view. Qtfileexplorer is a sleek file manager with an emphasis on simplicity and ease of use. Wherever you’re browing in your filesystem, you can always understand what is where and how you can get back. In a way, the Miller column view in Qtfileexplorer is just a kind of rotated tree view, where you always see a parent of your current directory to the left, and a child directory to the right. Qtfileexplorer sports quite an unusual layout, with a file preview area at the top and the column view below it. Browse to a directory and select a graphic file, such as PNG or JPEG. The upper part of the Qtfileexplorer window shows a small preview of the file, and also its name, dimensions, type and size. Hit Space to see a larger preview in a separate floating window, or hit Enter to open the file in the default application associated with that kind of files.
We found that Qtfileexplorer is particularly useful for browsing large image libraries, with lots of rasterised files distributed among different directories and subdirectories. The way the application displays the filesystem prevents you from getting lost. Qtfileexplorer is probably not packaged for your Linux distribution yet, so feel free to build it from sources.