File Manager – User Guide

Version 1.5 5-27-2026

Welcome to File Manager, a high-performance, multi-pane file explorer designed for power users and organized workflows. This guide covers everything you need to know to master your file system, including the newly introduced native Markdown Editor and Viewer features.

1. Getting Started

Running from EXE

File Manager Vibe is distributed as a standalone Windows executable (.exe). Simply double-click the file to launch. No installation is required.

First-Run License

The first time you run the application, you will be presented with a license agreement. You must accept this agreement to proceed. The application will remember your choice and won't prompt you again.

2. The Interface

The interface is designed to maximize visibility and productivity.

Main Work Areas

1. Sidebar (Left): Contains Bookmarks (common locations and system folders) and Favorite Apps (your custom shortcuts).

2. File Panes (Center): Your primary workspaces. You can have 1 to 4 panes open at once.

3. Status Bar (Bottom): Displays the last index scan time and a "Scan Now" link to refresh the search database.

Layout Modes

Switch layouts via the Layouts menu to fit your current task:

• 1 - 4 Panes: Vertical, Horizontal, or Grid arrangements.

• + Props: Layouts ending in "+ Props" include a dedicated Properties Pane for instant file metadata viewing.

3. Navigation & Power Shortcuts

Breadcrumbs & Path Editing

• Breadcrumbs: Click any folder name in the top path bar to jump directly there.

• Path Edit: Click the "..." button or press Ctrl+L (where supported) to type a path manually. Press Esc to return to breadcrumbs.

"This PC" & Drive Selection

• Drive Dropdown: Quickly switch between connected drives (C:, D:, etc.) using the dropdown menu in each pane.

• This PC View: Access a summary of all mounted volumes, showing used/free space and file system types.

Terminal Integration

Need a command prompt? Every pane has quick-access buttons:

• PS: Opens PowerShell at the current folder.

• CMD: Opens a Command Prompt at the current folder.

4. File Operations

Basic Actions

• Copy/Cut/Paste: Standard shortcuts (Ctrl+C, Ctrl+X, Ctrl+V) work both within and between panes.

• Rename: Press F2 or right-click to rename a file or folder.

• Delete & Safe Trash: Press Del. Files are moved to an internal "App Trash" first. You can Undo (Ctrl+Z) a deletion immediately. The trash is only permanently emptied (to Windows Recycle Bin) when you exit the app.

Drag & Drop

• Between Panes: Drag files to Copy or Move them.

• To Sidebar: Drag a folder to Bookmarks to save it for later. Drag an .exe to Favorite Apps to create a quick-launch shortcut.

• Pane Linking: Drag a pane's title bar onto another pane to sync their locations.

Advanced Context Menu

Right-click any file to access:

• Compress to Zip: Quickly bundle files.

• Extract: For .zip files, choose "Extract Here" or "Extract to [Folder Name]".

• Send To: Integrated with your Windows "SendTo" menu (Desktop, Documents, etc.).

• Create SendTo Destination: Add the current folder as a new destination in your system-wide "Send To" menu.

• Edit in...: Quick links for Notepad, Notepad++, or your custom-defined editor.

• View Mark Down File: Intercepts .md files to open our beautiful internal viewer/editor.

5. Native Markdown Editor & Viewer

File Manager Vibe (v1.5+) features a robust, reactive, and highly readable built-in Markdown Editor and Viewer.

Opening a Markdown File

• Right-Click Menu: Right-click any .md file in the tree or list view and select "View Mark Down File".

• Double-Click Association: Go to Options > Settings... and check the box "Use Internal Markdown Viewer/Editor". Once enabled, double-clicking any .md file instantly launches the built-in viewer instead of opening external defaults.

Reader Mode (Standard View)

When first opened, the file loads in a single-pane Reader Mode:

• The document is rendered using high-fidelity native HTML styling custom-matched to your active theme (Light or Dark).

• Hyperlinks are fully operational and open in your default external web browser.

• The bottom action row is kept clean, hiding the Save, Save As, and Help buttons.

Edit Mode (Dual-Pane Layout)

Click the checkable "Edit" button on the top toolbar to toggle Edit Mode:

• A side-by-side horizontal QSplitter layout is created: Rendered Preview (Left) and Plain Text Code Editor (Right).

• Real-time Render Syncing: As you type in the right editor pane, the left preview pane dynamically re-renders the document in real time.

• Scroll Memory: Scroll positions are cached and restored on each keypress, eliminating jumpy scrollbar issues while writing.

• Dynamic Bottom Action Buttons: Buttons for Save, Save As..., and Help slide into view on the bottom row.

Inline Search Panel

Click the "Search" button on the toolbar to open a search drawer below the toolbar:

• Supports incremental live search highlighting matching terms as you type.

• Includes "Next" and "Previous" wrapping search buttons.

• Smart target recognition: Searches in the Editor pane if Edit Mode is active, otherwise searches the Rendered browser view.

Syntax Help Dialog

In Edit Mode, click the bottom "Help" button to open the Markdown Help Dialog:

• Launches a mini, read-only dual-pane view showing a Markdown formatting guide (markdowdownhelp.md) side-by-side (rendered preview left, raw syntax right) so you can consult formatting rules without leaving your text editor.

Close Protection

If you have unsaved changes and attempt to close the Markdown Viewer, a warning prompt will guard your data: "You have unsaved changes. Do you want to save them before closing?" (supports Yes / No / Cancel).

6. Searching with Advanced Syntax

File Manager Vibe uses a background indexer for near-instant search results. Type in the search box above any pane and press Enter.

Filters

Combine these tokens to narrow your results:

Filter

Syntax

Example

Extension

ext:

ext:jpg or report ext:pdf

Size

size:

size:>100MB or size:<5KB

Modified Date

modified:

modified:>2024-01-01

Created Date

created:

created:<2023-12-31

Exact Match

name:

name:Config.ini

7. Customization & Settings

Themes

Go to Options > Settings... to toggle between Light Mode and Dark Mode. All styled components (including the Markdown viewer document) adapt immediately.

View Modes

Located in the View menu:

• Narrow: Filenames only (best for multi-pane layouts).

• Detailed: Full columns (Size, Type, Date, etc.).

• Images: Large thumbnails and icons.

Field Profiles

Don't like the default columns?

1. Go to Options > Fields....

2. Define Profiles with specific columns for the File List and the Properties Pane.

3. Support for advanced metadata:

   • Images: Resolution, ISO, Camera Model, Date Taken.

   • Music: Artist, Album, Duration, Bitrate.

8. Keyboard Shortcut Reference

Shortcut

Action

Ctrl + N

New File

Ctrl + Shift + N

New Folder

Ctrl + C / X / V

Copy / Cut / Paste

Del

Delete (to Safe Trash)

Ctrl + Z

Undo last operation

Ctrl + Y

Redo last operation

F2

Rename

F5

Refresh view

9. Help Menu Features

• Documentation: Opens official documentation links in your system browser.

• Check for Updates: Check for updates and download new versions.

• Change Log: Displays the complete version change log dynamically loaded from ChangeLog.md.

File Manager - Get Productive Fast.