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Using the Command Bar
The Command Bar provides a quick way to enter FileBoss commands directly by typing. And it keeps a record of the last significant commands entered so that you can simply select the command in the drop down list box and click the button at the right to execute the command.
Using the command bar can really speed up some tasks as it can perform some actions without having to invoke a dialog, go to the appropriate field, enter the data and then click on the OK button.
How to Display the Command Bar
Press F8, select Window | Command Bar from the main menu or right-click on any toolbar and select Command Bar from the popup menu. All three methods will display the Command Bar if it is hidden. F8 will display the bar if hidden and will shift the input focus directly to the bar so you can just start typing.
Hint: Even if the Command Bar is visible just press F8 to move the input focus to the Command Bar so you can enter a command without having to use the mouse to get there first.
Pressing F8 while in the Command Bar will select / deselect all the text currently in the bar.
(Pressing Ctrl+F will display the command bar and enter Find as the command.)
Entering Commands Directly
While the Command Bar accepts many different commands - all detailed below - the three most common uses are:
Setting the Explore View to a Specific Folder
Type or paste the full path of the folder into the command bar. Meta-variables representing paths can be used, e.g. <md>\FileBoss would display the FileBoss data folder in the user's documents folder.
You can also enter bookmarks you have added to the Favorites list, just enclose the bookmark title between the angle brackets. For instance if you have a favorite named Dog Pictures just enter <dog pictures> and you will be taken to that folder.
To force the folder to open in a new tab use the Explore command followed by the path, e.g.:
Explore C:\Pictures\Animals\Dogs
For more about this command and meta variables see Displaying a Specific Folder.
Finding files in the current view
To find and go to a specific file, or one of matching a file pattern, type in Find followed by a partial name or file pattern, e.g.
Find fido*.jpg
Find fido
To to go to the next or previous matching files press F3 or Shift+F3 respectively or click one of the arrows on the Command Bar.
(Pressing Ctrl+F will display the command bar and enter Find as the command allowing you to start typing the file pattern immediately.)
Turning file filters on and off
To set a temporary file filter just type Show followed by one or more file patterns, e.g.
Show *.jpg ; *.jpeg ; *.gif
Running in Administrator mode
To start a new instance of FileBoss running in Administrator mode enter:
Run as Admin
Selecting Files
For example if you want to select all files having the extensions bmp, jpeg and gif simply type
select *.bmp | *.jpeg | *.gif
and then press the Enter key.
Chaining Multiple Commands
Starting with FileBoss version 1.5 commands can be chained together so that they are executed one after the other. To chain commands type " <> " between them.
For example consider the following Command Bar entry:
goto <md>\FileBoss Data <> show *.fbopts* <> select files
The three commands are separated by <>:
goto <md>\FileBoss Data
Tells FileBoss to display the folder <md>\FileBoss Data in the current Explore View (or create a new Explore view if necessary). (Note that <md> is a meta-folder representing the current user's My Documents folder.
show *.fbopts*
Tells FileBoss to set a filter so only files matching the following pattern are displayed.
select files
Tells FileBoss to select all visible files. (Note that step two can be skipped by making this command select *.fbopts*.)
There is no limit to the number of commands that can be chained other than the line can not be more than 32,000 characters long.
Navigation and Viewing Commands
In the following examples:
Commands shown with upper case letters followed by lower case letters can be entered with only the upper case part. For instance to enter the command to select all files you can enter sel files or select files.
sel refers to the selected entries in the Contents window
cur refers to the highlighted entry in the Contents window
nav refers to the highlighted folder in the Navigation window (this is the folder whose contents are displayed in Contents Widow
<pathname> must be a fully qualified path to a folder such as C:\FileBoss\Testimonials or \\CORP\c\FileBoss
<pattern> is a file specification typically using one or more of the wildcards, * and ?. Such as *.jpeg or 00??.doc
<pathname>, e.g. c:\FileBoss\Testimonials
If an Explore view is active the contents of <pathname> is displayed in it. If another view is active a new Explore view is created and set to <pathname>.
This is exactly the same as entering the command view <pathname>
<pattern>, e.g. *.jpg | *.bmp
Sets a temporary filter of the view. The temporary filter will remain until it is changed with another command, turned off (filter off) or the View is closed. Unlike permanent filters, these temporary filters only apply to the View for which they were set.
If a view has a local filter it can be turned off and on using filter on and filter off.
This is exactly the same as entering filter <pattern>.
VIEW <pathname>
If an Explore view is present it is set to show the contents of <pathname>. If another type of view or no view is active a new Explore view is created and set to <pathname>.
This is exactly the same as just entering <pathname> on the command line all by itself.
To force the folder to be displayed in a new Explore view use the command explore <pathname>.
Compare to EXPLORE view. For a full list of meta folders .
ex:
explore C:\Windows
explore <pf>
explore <md>\My Docs
EXPlore ( cur | nav | <pathname> )
NEW ( cur | nav | <pathname> )
Creates a new Explore View and displays <pathname>. If <pathname> points to a file rather than a folder FileBoss will simply display the folder itself..
To display a different folder in a current Explore view use
the VIEW command.
ex:
explore C:\Windows
explore cur
explore <pf>
explore <md>\My Docs
NEW FOLder or NEW DIR ( <folder name> )
CREATE FOLder or CREATE DIR ( <folder name> )
Creates a new folder below the current folder in the Navigation Window renaming it to <folder name> if specified. For Explore Views this is the folder displayed in the Contents window on the right.
ex:
create folder vacation pictures
new folder
FILTer or F ( <pattern> | on | off )
Temporarily filters what is displayed according to the
specified pattern. These filters only apply to the current
view and are not stored unlike the normal, persistent, global filters.
ex:
filter *.bmp | *.jpeg | *.gif | Pics*.doc
filter off
(Also see SHOW)
SHOW or S ( <pattern> | all | files | folders )
Shows specific types or groups of files
If a pattern is specified a temporary filter is set that filters
what is displayed. Temporary filters only apply to the current
view and are not stored unlike the normal, persistent, global filters.
ex:
show *.bmp | *.jpeg
show all
Compare to HIDE
HIDE (<pattern> | files | folders | selected | reverse | off )
Hides files and folders by type or by a pattern
Hides the specified files or changes the status
of hidden files (reverse | off)
ex:
hide *.bak | *.tmp | ~*
hide files
hide folders
hide off (same as using the 'SHOW ALL')
FOLders (on | off | top | bottom )
Display Folder in Explore View
Tells FileBoss where to display the folder entries
in an Explore View's Contents window. This command
correlates to the "Explore | Display Folders At..." main menu.
Applies to this and all Explore Views.
ex:
folders off
folder top
fol bottom
GOTO or GO to or G ( <pattern> | selected | error | folder )
Move to a specific file or type of file
Moves the highlight in the Contents window to the
next entry that matches the pattern or specified type
ex:
goto *.jpeg
goto sel
SELect ( <patterns> | all | files | folders | reverse | off )
Select Files & Folders
With no arguments displays the Select dialog
Selects the specified entries in the contents window.
If no argument is given the Select Files dialog is displayed.
ex:
sel *.bak | ~*
sel * | -*.bak | -*.tmp
sel files
sel none
sel (will display the select dialog)
DESelect ( <patterns> | all | files | folders )
Deselect Files & Folders
Deselects the specified entries in the contents window.
If no argument is given the Deselect Files dialog is displayed.
ex:
des *.bak | ~*
des files
des all
UP
Moves up one folder in the navigation tree.
Available only in Explore Views
UP
BACK
Moves back one folder in the navigation tree.
Available only in Explore Views.
BACK
FORward
Moves forward one folder in the navigation tree.
Available only in Explore Views.
FORward
SEArch (cur | nav | sel | <fullpath>)
Search and a Create Virtual Folder
Opens the Create Virtual Folder (Search) dialog and sets
the folder(s) to search to those specified.
ex:
search cur
search sel
search <md> (the 'My Documents' folder)
search c:\Accounts
CLOse
Closes the current view
Same as selecting File | Close from the main menu.
CLOSE ALL or CLOSEALL
Closes all open views.
Same as selecting Window | Close All Windows from the main menu.
Action Commands
The Actions commands are comparable to the commands found on the Actions main menu.
COPY
MOVE
REFresh
DUPlicate or STAMP
These invoke the same action dialogs as their equivalent items on the Actions menu, e.g. Actions | Copy To... on the main menu.
COPY
Displays the Copy To dialog.
Requires that entries be selected first.
MOVE
Displays the Move To dialog.
Requires that entries be selected first.
Make Copies of Files & Folders
DUPlicate / STAMP
Makes copies of the selected items in the same folder
as they are in first displaying a dialog where the names for
the copies can be specified.
Requires that entries be selected first.
ex:
duplicate
stamp
REFresh
Copies selected files to a specified destination
only if the destination files exist and are older
than the source files
(Requires selected files or folders)
ex:
refresh
COPY TREE or COPYTREE or TREE
Copies the structure of the selected folders to a destination
you provide. While the structure is copied no files are copied.
ex:
copy folder
copy tree
DELete ( current | nav | selected )
Deletes the specified entry or entries.
ex:
Delete nav
Delete selected
RECycle ( current | nav | selected )
Send the specified entries to the Recycle Bin. If no argument is specified selected is assumed.
ex:
Recycle nav
Recycle selected
DROP or DROP ZONE or DZ
Displays or hides the List of Drop Zones.
ex:
drop zone
DOS ( cur | nav | <pathname> )
Opens a DOS window (cmd.exe or command.com) and sets the active directory to the specified path if given.
If no argument is given nav is assumed.
ex:
dos c:\program files\fileboss
dos <pf>\fileboss
dos cur
dos
OPEN or EXEcute or X or RUN ( cur | nav | <pathname> )
Opens the specified files or executes the specified programs as appropriate.
ex:
execute nav
execute sel
run regedit
execute c:\program files\fileboss
NEW ( cur | nav | <pathname> )
If no arguments are given opens new explore window to the last folder.
ex:
new c:\My Pictures
HELp or ? (command)
Displays full help for the command bar.
HELP GUIDE or GUIDE or HELPG
Displays (or hides) the floating Help Guide for finding
how to accomplish specific tasks in FileBoss.
LAST
Repeats the last significant Action command, e.g. Copy, Move, Rename, etc.
ex:
LAST
REN ( sequential | replace | transform | advanced | manual | again )
Rename Selected Entries
Displays the Rename Dialog for renaming the
selected files. If one of the optional rename types
is given the appropriate renaming page will be
displayed, e.g. sequential, search and replace,
transform or advanced. If the option is 'manual'
the selected files will be displayed one by one
for renaming.
ex:
ren seq
ren advanced
(Also see RENS, RENA, RENT, RENM, RENQ)
RENS / REN SEQ
Rename Selected Entries Sequentially
RENS / REN SEQ
Displays the Rename Dialog for renaming the selected
files with the Sequential panel open.
Same as REN REP.
ex:
rens
RENA / REN ADV
Displays the Rename Dialog for renaming the
selected files with the Advanced panel open.
Same as REN ADV.
ex:
rena
RENT / REN TRANsform
Rename selected entries using transformations
Displays the Rename Dialog for renaming the
selected files with the Transform panel open.
Same as REN TRANS.
ex:
rent
RENM / REN MANUAL
Rename selected entries manually
Presents each selected entry in the Rename box
one by one where they can be manually given
new names or skipped as appropriate.
Same as REN MANUAL.
ex:
renm
RENQ
Rename Selected Entries Sequentially
Displays the Rename Dialog for renaming the
selected files with sequential numbers
Same as REN SEQ.
ex:
renq
CHAnge
Change Times and Attributes
Changes selected entries through a dialog interface
ex:
change
Set Accessed to ( modified | created | now )
Set Created to ( modified | accessed | now )
Set Modified to ( accessed | created | now )
Set the selected file's specified times (modified/accessed/created)
to another one of its times or to the current time.
Equates two of a file's times. In the following example each selected file will have its created time set to its modified time making them the same.
ex:
set created to modified
TOUch
Touch Selected Entries
Touches selected entries changing
specified attributes and file times
ex:
touch
Commands to set Options and Settings
The Actions commands are comparable to the commands found on the Actions main menu.
Turn Modeless Copy ( ON | OFF )
When turned on FileBoss can still be minimized or used for other actions when copying.
When turned off FileBoss will not allow any other actions until the copy process is complete.
Turn Modeless Find ( ON | OFF )
When turned on FileBoss can still be minimized or used for other actions when searching for files.
When turned off FileBoss will not allow any other actions until the search operation is complete.
Turn RecycleBinCheck ( ON | OFF )
Turns on or off the check for the Recycle Bin window being open before moving more than fifty files and/or folders to the Recycle Bin (deleting).
complete.
Miscellaneous Commands
Run As Admin
Normally only useful in Windows Vista issuing this command will start a new instance of FileBoss running with administrator privileges.
LogS, LogD, LogE <text string>
Enters the give text string into the applicable history window, i.e. Summary, Details, or Errors. Most meta-variables can be used, e.g. <user>, <today>, etc.
Turn Tab Shad(ing) ( ON | OFF )
Turns tab shading on or off. Tab shading is used to darken inactive tabs..
Time by A(ge) ( ON | OFF )
Turns the By Age File Time Display Mode on or off.
Turn Time by C(alendar) ( ON | OFF )
Turns the By Calendar File Time Display Mode on or off.
Turn Time by D(ate) ( ON )
Turns the normal File Time Display Mode on.
Available Commands and Arguments
select
Selects or deselects as appropriate the specified files. Files can be specified by patters or by group (e.g. folders, files, none, all, etc)
Arguments:
Alternative commands: create and explore.
Ref: H_TOOBAR_CUSTOMIZE
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