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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) - User interface
- How do I keep Total Commander from re-reading the directories in the file windows each time I switch to Total Commander? With network drives this can take quite some time!
- How can I quickly switch to an often used directory?
- Is there a simple way to make Total Commander display the disk space used by all directories in the current directory individually?
- In the file lists, Total Commander doesn't display the right icons for files associated with programs! It displays the *.ICO file type icon for all!
- How can I add a program to the button bar?
- How can I delete or change a button in the button bar?
- How can I access the context menu from Total Commander? A right click only selects the file.
- Total Commander saves the last 20 command lines, but since I often enter passwords and other confidential information, I would like to disable this function.
- Why does the frame around the current file disappear if I type something in the command line?
- After the execution of a DOS command such as DIR the window is closed so quickly that the output of the program is unreadable!
- For very big files, the 'size' column is too small to display the number. Can this be changed?
- Why are only files sorted by date/time, but not directories?
- How can I access the Windows desktop?
- Can I display files with special attributes, directories etc. in a different color?
- How can I display images other than BMP in lister (F3) or the Quick View window (Ctrl+Q)?
- Can the slow scrolling through file lists be accelerated?
- Back to overview
Q: How do I keep Total
Commander from re-reading the directories in the file
windows each time I switch to Total Commander? With
network drives this can take quite some time!
A: Put the following line in the file wincmd.ini
below [Configuration]: Noreread=HIJ Where HIJ are your
network drives. The directory can always be re-read by
pressing F2.
Q: How can I quickly
switch to an often used directory?
A: Either use the directory hotlist (CTRL+D), or
create a button in the button bar or an entry in the
start menu. The directory hotlist allows to add/remove
the currently active directory. To add a dir to the
button bar, select the directory, hold down the SHIFT
key, and drag the directory to the button bar. A new icon
will appear. You can also create a menu item in the
"Start Menu" using the command cd c:\dirname.
(Total Commander requires you to specify the whole path).
Q: Is there a simple way
to make Total Commander display the disk space used by
all directories in the current directory individually?
A: Yes! Simply press ALT+SHIFT+ENTER on a
directory. Instead of <DIR> the size of this
directory and all its subdirectories will be shown! This
will only work in full view (i.e. all file details are
shown).
Q: In the file
lists, Total Commander doesn't display the right icons
for files associated with programs! It displays the *.ICO
file type icon for all!
A: That occurs in 32-bit versions if you
increased or decreased the title-bar height in Windows.
If possible, restore the size to 18, which is the
default. If you want to keep the customized title-bar
height, you need to change each icon (only xxx.ICO files)
for each file type by a different one, contained in a DLL
or ICL icon-library; you can choose icons in any *.EXE
program file too. Then, Total Commander will display the
right icons everywhere!
Q: How can I add a
program to the button bar?
A: Simply press and hold down the SHIFT key,
then drag the program to the desired position.
Q: How can I delete or
change a button in the button bar?
A: Click with the right mouse button on the bar
and select 'Change' or 'Delete' from the popup menu.
Q: How can I access
the context menu from Total Commander? A right click only
selects the file.
A: You have to press and hold down the right
mouse button for about 1 second to make the menu appear.
Alternative: Press Shift+F10 or the menu key on a Windows
keyboard.
Q: Total Commander
saves the last 20 command lines, but since I often enter
passwords and other confidential information, I would
like to disable this function.
A: This can be disabled in Configuration -
Options - Operation - Save on Exit - Old command lines.
This must be unchecked.
Q: Why does the frame
around the current file disappear if I type something in
the command line?
A: Windows doesn't allow the active selection
(cursor) to appear in multiple windows simultaneously.
Q: After the execution of
a DOS command such as DIR the window is closed so quickly
that the output of the program is unreadable!
A: You can start the program with SHIFT+ENTER
instead of ENTER. This leaves the window open after the
program terminates.
Q: For very big files,
the 'size' column is too small to display the number. Can
this be changed?
A: Yes, move the column delimiter in the header
on the left side of the size field a bit to the right.
Afterwards, choose configuration - save position to
permanently save the new width.
Q: Why are only files
sorted by date/time, but not directories?
A: This is the default setting in Total
Commander. However, it can be changed in Configuration
- Options - Display - Like files (also by time). If
you need to change this multiple times, you may create a
button in the button bar with the command
cm_SwitchDirSort .
Q: How can I access the
Windows desktop?
A: Create a button in the button bar with the
command cm_OpenDesktop
A corresponding icon can be found in the file shell32.dll
in the Windows directory (simply type this file name in
the field 'icon file' and press ENTER).
Q: Can I display
files with special attributes, directories etc. in a
different color?
A: Yes, choose Configuration - Options -
Color - Define colors by file type - Add. Now,
instead of typing a file type like *.txt , press the
button "Define". This gives you almost the same
options as when searching for files, except for the
search for text. You can search for file attributes on
the second page of the dialog box.
Q: How can I display
images other than BMP in lister (F3) or the Quick View
window (Ctrl+Q)?
A: For file types not directly supported by
Total Commander, you need to either install a Lister
plugin, or one of the tools Irfanview or Xnview. You can
find Irfanview and Xnview on our addons
page. After installing it, you need to define it as a
plugin. This is done through Configuration - Options -
Edit/View - Configure internal viewer.
Q: Can the slow
scrolling through file lists be accelerated?
A: This so-called 'Smooth scrolling' is a
'feature' of newer Windows versions.
In Windows XP, this can now be changed in Control
Panel-System-Advanced-Performance (without the need for
TweakUI).
In Windows Vista/7/8/10, the option is in Control Panel -
System - Advanced system settings - Advanced -
Performance - Settings - Visual effects. You need to
uncheck the option "Smooth-scroll list boxes".
You may also increase the keyboard repetition rate
(Control panel- Keyboard).