Dragonfly Navigator is a general-purpose file supervisor written in Python and Qt. It’s simple to put in, simple to make use of, and an important instance of what Python can do.
Python is a well-liked language for a number of causes, however I believe one among its major strengths is that it is equally helpful to beginner-level programmers and to skilled coders. There’s one thing thrilling a few language you may take from drawing basic geometric shapes to scraping the web to programming a zombie apocalypse video game, or writing desktop purposes you need to use daily. And that is what Dragonfly Navigator is: a desktop utility that everybody can use.
To set up Dragonfly Navigator, first obtain the supply code from its Git repository. If you are on Debian Linux or related, obtain the .deb file. If you are utilizing Fedora, CentOS, Mageia, OpenMandriva, or related, then obtain the .tar.gz file.
Dragonfly Navigator has a number of dependencies. Because you are not putting in it by means of your bundle supervisor, it is as much as you to resolve these. There are simply two, so use your bundle supervisor (dnf or apt) to search out and set up them:
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PyQt5, additionally known as
python-qt5 -
Python PIL, additionally known as
pillow
To launch Dragonfly Navigator, both set up the .deb file (on Debian-based methods) or unarchive the .tar.gz file:
$ tar xvf dragonfly*gz
On Debian-based methods, Dragonfly Navigator seems in your software menu. ON different methods, you will need to launch it manually until you manually install it.
For now, I’m not putting in it, so I launch it manually:
$ cd dragonfly
$ ./dragonfly
(Seth Kenlon, CC BY-SA 4.0)
Dual pane
Dragonfly Navigator is a two-panel file supervisor, that means that it is all the time exhibiting you two directories. At launch, each directories occur to be your house listing. You can flick thru recordsdata and folders in both panel. They operate precisely the identical, and it solely issues which panel you are “in” while you begin copying or transferring recordsdata.
Open a listing
To open a listing, double-click it. By default, the listing opens in that very same pane. If you wish to make the most of the two-panel format, although, maintain down the Ctrl key as you double-click to show its contents within the different panel.
Open a file
To open a file, double-click or right-click on it.
Yes, you may right-click a file to open it. That takes some getting used to, in case you’re used to a right-click citing a contextual menu. There is not any contextual menu in Dragonfly Navigator, although, and also you may be stunned at how a lot time you’re feeling such as you’re saving your self while you scale back the quite common motion of opening a file to only one click on. It could appear foolish now, however belief me you may develop to cherish it.
Quick preview
Some recordsdata can be found for a fast preview so you do not have to open them in any specific software. To preview a file, hover your mouse over it and press the Alt key in your keyboard. A preview seems within the reverse panel.
(Seth Kenlon, CC BY-SA 4.0)
Copying and transferring recordsdata
To copy or transfer a file from one listing to a different (or a listing to a listing), there are a number of steps.
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In one panel, navigate to the vacation spot listing. This is the placement you wish to copy a file to.
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In the opposite panel, choose the file you wish to copy.
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Click the Copy button within the center strip of Dragonfly Navigator.
For transferring a file, comply with the identical steps however click on the Move button as a substitute.
If you are not used to a dual-panel file supervisor, this feels unfamiliar at first. But if you concentrate on it, there are a number of steps required to repeat a file in your normal file supervisor (discover the file, open one other window, drag-and-drop, and so forth.) After you do it a number of instances, it turns into second nature.
Selecting recordsdata
Normally, you click on a file or folder to make it your energetic choice. That’s most likely no totally different than your present file supervisor, or at the very least to some file supervisor you have used prior to now.
To choose a number of gadgets in a variety, click on one file, after which maintain the Shift key and click on one other file. All gadgets between the 2 recordsdata you clicked are additionally chosen.
To choose a number of arbitrary recordsdata, maintain the Ctrl key and click on on the recordsdata you need chosen.
The energy of Qt and Python
The Qt toolkit is a robust programming utility, and Python is able to creating nice purposes with it. I’ve solely coated the fundamentals of Dragonfly Navigator on this article, so obtain it, learn the docs, click on round, discover it, and perhaps you may have discovered a enjoyable new file supervisor.