FAR Manager
Encyclopedia
FAR Manager is an orthodox file manager for Microsoft Windows
and a clone
of Norton Commander
. FAR Manager uses the Win32 console
and has a keyboard-oriented user interface (although limited mouse operation, including drag-and-drop
, is possible).
Originally, FAR Manager was written by Eugene Roshal
(the creator of WinRAR
), but since 2000 the development is carried on by a team called the FAR Group. The project's Unicode
branch (2.0) is open-source (under the revised BSD license). FAR Manager is often viewed as a very customizable file manager and text editor, and a free alternative to Total Commander
.
FAR Manager's default interface combines two file panels with a command prompt. Panels may be fully customized as to which columns are shown and in which order, and operations may be done to and from either panel. The file panels support wildcard selection, advanced filtering, sorting and highlighting. The file panels and the command prompt are both active at the same time (they are interacted with using different keys), and most features can be accessed using keyboard shortcuts (the key bar at the bottom displays the function key
actions for the currently held down modifier key
s).
, Windows network, extensible archive file
support and temporary panel (sandbox) virtual file systems, a process list, print manager, filename case converter, and several editor plugins to format, wrap, and otherwise alter text.
Third-party plugins are available from the PlugRing repository and plugin announcement forum (in Russian). Some popular plugins include regular expression
search and replace (both in the text editor and across multiple files), syntax highlighting
and auto-completion
for the text editor, SFTP
/SCP
and Windows Registry
virtual file systems, 7-zip
integration, a hex editor
and a picture viewer (which overlays a DirectX surface over FAR's console window). It is worth noting that wrappers are available which allow using some Total Commander
plugins with FAR Manager, and vice-versa. Plugins can be authored using the native C/Pascal API, or using wrappers which permit plugin development in other platforms and languages, such as .NET (including PowerShell), and Lua.
Originally, FAR Manager was available as 40 days shareware
for everyone except for citizens of the former USSR countries, who could use it as freeware for non-commercial use only. On October 26, 2007, the source code for the Unicode development version (1.80, later renamed to 2.0) was released under the revised BSD license. On May 17, 2010, the 1.x branch has also been released under the revised BSD license, albeit without source code.
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
and a clone
Clone (computer science)
In computing, a clone is a hardware or software system that is designed to mimic another system. Compatibility with the original system is usually the explicit purpose of cloning hardware or low-level software such as operating systems...
of Norton Commander
Norton Commander
Norton Commander was a prototypical orthodox file manager , written by John Socha and released by Peter Norton Computing . NC is a file manager which provides a text user interface on top of DOS. It was officially produced by Symantec between 1986 and 1998...
. FAR Manager uses the Win32 console
Win32 console
Win32 console is a text user interface implementation within the system of Windows API, which runs console applications. A Win32 console has a screen buffer and an input buffer, and is available both as a window or in text mode screen, with switching back and forth available via Alt-Enter...
and has a keyboard-oriented user interface (although limited mouse operation, including drag-and-drop
Drag-and-drop
In computer graphical user interfaces, drag-and-drop is the action of selecting a virtual object by "grabbing" it and dragging it to a different location or onto another virtual object...
, is possible).
Originally, FAR Manager was written by Eugene Roshal
Eugene Roshal
Eugene Roshal is a Russian software engineer best known as developer of:* FAR file manager * RAR file format * WinRAR file archiver...
(the creator of WinRAR
WinRAR
WinRAR is a shareware file archiver and data compression utility developed by Eugene Roshal, and first released in autumn of 1993. It is one of the few applications that is able to create RAR archives natively, because the encoding method is held to be proprietary.-Developer:The current developer...
), but since 2000 the development is carried on by a team called the FAR Group. The project's Unicode
Unicode
Unicode is a computing industry standard for the consistent encoding, representation and handling of text expressed in most of the world's writing systems...
branch (2.0) is open-source (under the revised BSD license). FAR Manager is often viewed as a very customizable file manager and text editor, and a free alternative to Total Commander
Total Commander
Total Commander is an Orthodox File Manager software for Windows, Windows CE, and Windows Mobile. Some features include a built-in FTP client, file compare, archive file navigation, and a versatile multi-rename tool with regular expression support....
.
Features
FAR Manager features an internal viewer and editor, customizable user menus, tree views, file search, compare, integrated help, and a task switcher for its tools. Its standard functionality can be expanded with macros (which allow limited scripting) and plugins.FAR Manager's default interface combines two file panels with a command prompt. Panels may be fully customized as to which columns are shown and in which order, and operations may be done to and from either panel. The file panels support wildcard selection, advanced filtering, sorting and highlighting. The file panels and the command prompt are both active at the same time (they are interacted with using different keys), and most features can be accessed using keyboard shortcuts (the key bar at the bottom displays the function key
Function key
A function key is a key on a computer or terminal keyboard which can be programmed so as to cause an operating system command interpreter or application program to perform certain actions...
actions for the currently held down modifier key
Modifier key
In computing, a modifier key is a special key on a computer keyboard that modifies the normal action of another key when the two are pressed in combination....
s).
Extensibility
FAR's standard functionality can be greatly extended with macros (limited scripting language, primarily used to record keypress sequences) and plugins. Standard plugins installed by default include FTPFile Transfer Protocol
File Transfer Protocol is a standard network protocol used to transfer files from one host to another host over a TCP-based network, such as the Internet. FTP is built on a client-server architecture and utilizes separate control and data connections between the client and server...
, Windows network, extensible archive file
Archive file
An archive file is a file that is composed of one or more files along with metadata that can include source volume and medium information, file directory structure, error detection and recovery information, file comments, and usually employs some form of lossless compression. Archive files may be...
support and temporary panel (sandbox) virtual file systems, a process list, print manager, filename case converter, and several editor plugins to format, wrap, and otherwise alter text.
Third-party plugins are available from the PlugRing repository and plugin announcement forum (in Russian). Some popular plugins include regular expression
Regular expression
In computing, a regular expression provides a concise and flexible means for "matching" strings of text, such as particular characters, words, or patterns of characters. Abbreviations for "regular expression" include "regex" and "regexp"...
search and replace (both in the text editor and across multiple files), syntax highlighting
Syntax highlighting
Syntax highlighting is a feature of some text editors that display text—especially source code—in different colors and fonts according to the category of terms. This feature eases writing in a structured language such as a programming language or a markup language as both structures and...
and auto-completion
Autocomplete
Autocomplete is a feature provided by many web browsers, e-mail programs, search engine interfaces, source code editors, database query tools, word processors, and command line interpreters. Autocomplete involves the program predicting a word or phrase that the user wants to type in without the...
for the text editor, SFTP
SSH file transfer protocol
In computing, the SSH File Transfer Protocol is a network protocol that provides file access, file transfer, and file management functionality over any reliable data stream...
/SCP
Secure copy
Secure Copy or SCP is a means of securely transferring computer files between a local and a remote host or between two remote hosts. It is based on the Secure Shell protocol....
and Windows Registry
Windows registry
The Windows Registry is a hierarchical database that stores configuration settings and options on Microsoft Windows operating systems. It contains settings for low-level operating system components as well as the applications running on the platform: the kernel, device drivers, services, SAM, user...
virtual file systems, 7-zip
7-Zip
7-Zip is an open source file archiver. 7-Zip operates with the 7z archive format, but can read and write several other archive formats. The program can be used from a command line interface, graphical user interface, or with Microsoft Windows shell integration. 7-Zip began in 1999 and is actively...
integration, a hex editor
Hex editor
A hex editor is a type of computer program that allows a user to manipulate the fundamental binary data that makes up computer files. Note that computer files can be very small to very large...
and a picture viewer (which overlays a DirectX surface over FAR's console window). It is worth noting that wrappers are available which allow using some Total Commander
Total Commander
Total Commander is an Orthodox File Manager software for Windows, Windows CE, and Windows Mobile. Some features include a built-in FTP client, file compare, archive file navigation, and a versatile multi-rename tool with regular expression support....
plugins with FAR Manager, and vice-versa. Plugins can be authored using the native C/Pascal API, or using wrappers which permit plugin development in other platforms and languages, such as .NET (including PowerShell), and Lua.
Licensing
FAR Manager is available under the revised BSD license.Originally, FAR Manager was available as 40 days shareware
Shareware
The term shareware is a proprietary software that is provided to users without payment on a trial basis and is often limited by any combination of functionality, availability, or convenience. Shareware is often offered as a download from an Internet website or as a compact disc included with a...
for everyone except for citizens of the former USSR countries, who could use it as freeware for non-commercial use only. On October 26, 2007, the source code for the Unicode development version (1.80, later renamed to 2.0) was released under the revised BSD license. On May 17, 2010, the 1.x branch has also been released under the revised BSD license, albeit without source code.