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Navigation

DCommander’s dual-pane layout rewards muscle memory. Think source → destination: the active pane is the source; the inactive pane is the target.

Legend: ⌘ Command · ⌥ Option · ⌃ Control · ⇧ Shift · ⏎ Return · Space

Pane focus​

  • Switch panes with ⇥ Tab or click inside a pane.
  • Directionality: F5 Copy and F6 Move go active → inactive.
  • Lynx-like navigation (optional): ← goes to parent, → opens selection.

Open folders, containers, and archives​

  • Open a selected item with ⏎ (or double-click).
  • The top entry .. navigates to the parent.
  • Containers (e.g., .app bundles) behave like folders—browse and manage interior files (permissions permitting).
  • Archives open like folders for browsing/preview and copying out. To modify, extract → edit → recompress.

Drives (local, external, remote)​

  • Local: internal volumes (e.g., Macintosh HD).
  • External: USB/Thunderbolt.
  • Remote: SMB/AFP/FTP/SFTP/WebDAV via Connection Manager.
  • Drive Bar (top of each pane). Right-click a drive to Unmount (if possible) or Scan for new drives.
  • Drive Info Bar (under the Drive Bar): shows name, free/total space, and shortcuts to root (/) and parent (..).
  • Favorites/Hotlist (⌘D) for one-click jumps.
note

Permissions: First access to some locations may prompt for Files & Folders or Full Disk Access. See First-run Setup.

Tabs & history​

  • Tabs (per pane): ⌘T new, ⌘W close, ⌥⌘←/→ previous/next.
    Right-click a tab to Duplicate, Close, Copy to other panel, Lock, or Lock (allow folder changes).
  • History: Back/Forward buttons; long-press either to open the full history list.

Breadcrumbs & Hotlist​

  • Breadcrumbs: click any path segment to jump directly without leaving the list.
  • Folder Hotlist: button at the right end of the breadcrumbs (or ⌘D) opens your jump list. Add frequently used paths and reorder them.

List navigation & selection​

  • Move the selection with ↑/↓; ⏎ opens; ⌫ goes up (or ←/→ with Lynx-like nav).
  • Select multiple:
    • ⇧+click or ⇧+↑/↓ for a range
    • ⌘+click to pick individual items
    • Space toggles the current item
  • Inline rename: click the Name or Extension column, or press ⌥⏎; ⇥ switches between name/extension.

Columns, sorting, and status​

  • Columns: right-click headers to toggle; drag to resize/reorder. Common set: icon, name, extension, size, date, kind, permissions/attr.
  • Sort: click a column header to toggle ascending/descending.
  • Info bar: below the list, shows selected/total files & folders, and selected/total size—great for quick checks.

Context menu (quick actions)​

Right-click (or ⌃+⏎) for: Open, Open With, Show in Finder, Rename, View, Quick Look, Edit, Delete, Compress, Duplicate, Make Alias, Copy Full Path, Copy/Paste, New empty document, New folder, New file from clipboard, Get Info, View checksums, and color Tags.

Speed tips​

  • Keep one pane destination-pinned and work from the other.
  • Sort by Date or Kind before large selections.
  • Use Hotlist for recurring paths and Lock tabs that should not drift.
  • ⌥↑ / ⌥↓ jumps to top/bottom of long lists.

Troubleshooting​

  • Unexpected destination? Check which pane is active (highlight). Use ⌘U (swap) or ⌘E (equalize) to reset orientation.
  • Removable drive not showing? Right-click the Drive Bar and Scan for new drives; verify macOS mounted the volume.
  • Access denied? Grant permissions and retry the operation.

Learn precise File Operations or take the Quick Start for a guided exercise.