• Registered: 2008-11-25
  • Posts: 4,363

Topic: Replace pcmanfm in 9.10.01 with Thunar

We often have posts here at the forums about numerous problems with pcmanfm. These range from files not opening properly, permission rights, inability to open external drives and ntfs partitions, through to poor to non-existent search functions. I'm probably fighting a losing battle but I'd like to make another pitch to return to Thunar (with catfish for file searching) as the default file manger in 9.10.01.

I believe lack of tabs is the main thing holding it back (its developers consider this a feature) but weighed up against faultless performance in the other areas mentioned above I believe it would be a better candidate for the majority of users smile

  • Registered: 2008-11-24
  • Posts: 1,858

Re: Replace pcmanfm in 9.10.01 with Thunar

Seconded. smile There's something kind of "amateur" about pcmanfm.

  • rsw
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  • Registered: 2009-08-26
  • Posts: 99

Re: Replace pcmanfm in 9.10.01 with Thunar

I like pcmanfm and thunar, but what about rox-filer?

Last edited by rsw (2009-09-26 21:49:08)

  • qbrick
  • #! CrunchBanger
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  • From: Hannover, Germany
  • Registered: 2009-07-20
  • Posts: 199

Re: Replace pcmanfm in 9.10.01 with Thunar

I suggest something like gnome-commander or even better, if the bloat of the gnome dependency is too much, file runner (a midnight commander based on tcl/tk).
More functionality, more of less - more of everything.

Pcmanfm indeed doesn't behave as a (sleek) file manager should: Incapable of copying bigger files and a noticable lag when deleting files.

  • Toolz
  • #! Die-hard
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  • From: Asia
  • Registered: 2009-02-02
  • Posts: 934

Re: Replace pcmanfm in 9.10.01 with Thunar

I've recently noted the shortcomings with Pcmanfm - it doesn't manage files well and you can't customize it. Thunar seems to fix the issues. I've never got used to using tabs in a file manager so that's not something I'd miss. But managing files really can be a pain with Pcmanfm.

  • From: Gurnee, IL
  • Registered: 2009-07-19
  • Posts: 194

Re: Replace pcmanfm in 9.10.01 with Thunar

I'm 50/50 on either as pcmanfm has it's issues, but thunar has no tabs which a huge problem for me.

  • semko
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  • From: Bosnia and Herzegovina
  • Registered: 2008-12-04
  • Posts: 96

Re: Replace pcmanfm in 9.10.01 with Thunar

Prefer thunar to pcmanfm. In Thunar you can create custom actions. And I like it more than pcmanfm. Never liked the tabs in a file manager.
Regards.

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  • From: Deep in The Swedish Woods
  • Registered: 2008-11-28
  • Posts: 578

Re: Replace pcmanfm in 9.10.01 with Thunar

imho Thunar goes from clarity to clarity.

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  • aim
  • #! CrunchBanger
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  • From: Christchurch, New Zealand
  • Registered: 2009-07-26
  • Posts: 226

Re: Replace pcmanfm in 9.10.01 with Thunar

I love tabs. Although, I installed Nautilus anyway... So... But if the network integration was done in Thunar or any other, I'd switch probably. Nautilus is pretty heavy.

  • From: London, UK
  • Registered: 2009-08-27
  • Posts: 73

Re: Replace pcmanfm in 9.10.01 with Thunar

+1 Thunar. The lack of video thumbs in pcmanfm is a real nuisance.....and it crashes a lot.

  • From: Arkansas US
  • Registered: 2008-11-27
  • Posts: 189

Re: Replace pcmanfm in 9.10.01 with Thunar

+1 thunar, all my #! machines have been converted over to thunar.

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  • From: Texas, USA
  • Registered: 2009-01-26
  • Posts: 501

Re: Replace pcmanfm in 9.10.01 with Thunar

+1 to thunar aswell.

  • tawan
  • #! Junkie
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  • Registered: 2009-01-30
  • Posts: 385

Re: Replace pcmanfm in 9.10.01 with Thunar

pcmanfm ftw

You all have gnome/nautilus hangover and need to see the light.

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  • From: California, USA
  • Registered: 2008-11-29
  • Posts: 8,647

Re: Replace pcmanfm in 9.10.01 with Thunar

You have my vote for Thunar smile

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  • From: Nagoya, Japan
  • Registered: 2009-01-07
  • Posts: 1,724

Re: Replace pcmanfm in 9.10.01 with Thunar

Does anyone like emelfm2? I have to admit I seldom use it right now (thunar mostly), but keep thinking it could be the perfect file manager. Lots of customizable functionality, and the two-pane view is more usable than tabs in my opinion. Any major bugs/problems?

Last edited by johnraff (2009-09-27 05:25:21)

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  • From: Canada
  • Registered: 2009-07-25
  • Posts: 128

Re: Replace pcmanfm in 9.10.01 with Thunar

I'm personally  fan of emelfm2.  I find the two-panel interface a dream to work with.  However, I don't believe that it's a very popular file manager, and I can see the two-panel interface being slightly intimidating to some people that just want a "traditional" file manager to work with.  For this, my vote would go towards Thunar (even though votes don't count, and this isn't exactly a democracy).  It is simple, (in my experience) works better and more consistently than pcmanfm, and strikes me as a more usable product, without the cost of bloat.

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  • From: TX, USA
  • Registered: 2009-06-15
  • Posts: 121

Re: Replace pcmanfm in 9.10.01 with Thunar

Looking at emelfm2 screenshots, the interface reminds me of an ftp program or some sort of backup software. Not something I could use all the time, but I could see how the two panels would be very nice at times.

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  • Registered: 2009-05-28
  • Posts: 241

Re: Replace pcmanfm in 9.10.01 with Thunar

One thing I like about pcmanfm, is that it does tab filename completion as you type, so you can navigate pretty much by typing the filename with tab complete.

It's not perfect, as it is still modal ... I often find I start typing a filename, but pcmanfm is still "stuck" in the bookmarks pane.  I'd really like it to just examine what I type, and make a good guess as to what I want to select, instead of having to manually move between the left pane, the file path box at the top, and the filter in the bottom-right, etc.
How is thunar on this, can you navigate quickly with just the keyboard (without too much pseudo mouse tab, alt-tab commands etc)?

  • Registered: 2009-05-28
  • Posts: 241

Re: Replace pcmanfm in 9.10.01 with Thunar

Hmmm, thunar already installed for me, not sure if I did it. to answer my own questiona boves, thunar seems be as good as pcmanfm for keyboard use, but none of them get it idiot-proof, IMHO.

I've just installed:

sudo apt-get install thunar-thumbnailers
sudo apt-get install ffmpegthumbnailer

Makes a big difference, it now shows PDF and video thumbnails.  I find pcmanfm can only thumbnail images, and even then, it doesn't bother half the time.  However. pcmanfm made much bigger thumbnails for the spacing than thunar does - they're tiny!  And both make a worse job of maximizing the space than nautilus.

I used to have an html thumbnailer under nautilus, not sure if there is none for thunar.


I vote for thunar too, now.

Last edited by jackbang (2009-09-27 09:19:08)

  • From: VIC Australia
  • Registered: 2009-09-15
  • Posts: 33

Re: Replace pcmanfm in 9.10.01 with Thunar

+1 For Thunar, I just set it as my default file manager.

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  • Hanna
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  • From: Finland
  • Registered: 2008-11-29
  • Posts: 752

Re: Replace pcmanfm in 9.10.01 with Thunar

I have been switching back and forth between thunar and pcmanfm. At the moment I'm using Thunar. I really like the tabs in pcmanfm, but the way it handles thumbnails irritates me. In the end Thunar has more pluses and less minuses than pcmanfm and so I think Thunar would be better fm to use in #! in future.

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  • From: Orléans - France
  • Registered: 2009-09-03
  • Posts: 234

Re: Replace pcmanfm in 9.10.01 with Thunar

I have also remplace Pcmanfile by Thunar on my Desktop ...
And in fact, I don't care of the "#! défaut" file manager, it really simple to remplace, so ...:)
(But yes : i prefere to have Thunar by default ! lol)

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  • craigh
  • #! CrunchBanger
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  • From: UK
  • Registered: 2009-08-02
  • Posts: 209

Re: Replace pcmanfm in 9.10.01 with Thunar

I am still using pcmanfm as my file manager but I did try Thunar when I used xfce.

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  • From: Ohio, USA
  • Registered: 2009-04-06
  • Posts: 12

Re: Replace pcmanfm in 9.10.01 with Thunar

I have to agree on this one.  Thunar has the custom actions which are very handy and powerful.  Thumbnail previews are nice.  Drag and drop works from FileRoller, which did not work with pcmanfm for me, so you get a little better integration with another application that is installed with CrunchBang.  +1 for making it the default.  (But even if not, it was easy to install and integrate into the environment)

  • IgorP
  • #! Junkie
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  • From: Zagreb, Croatia
  • Registered: 2009-07-10
  • Posts: 338

Re: Replace pcmanfm in 9.10.01 with Thunar

Thunar rocks!

+1 for Thunar

Because of custom actions, better thumbnail support, wastebasket, .. I don't miss tabs at all.

Regards!

Last edited by IgorP (2009-09-27 12:07:02)

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