FAQ and How-Tos¶

This guide provides task-based quick references and answers to frequently asked questions about using ATBCmder.

General Usage¶

How do I switch between the left and right panels?¶

Press the Tab key to toggle focus between the active and inactive panels.

How do I view all files in a directory and its subdirectories at once?¶

Use Branch View (Flat View). Press Cmd+B to activate or deactivate it. This will show a flat list of all files recursively. Press Esc or Backspace to return to standard directory browsing.

How do I find out what a button or option does?¶

Hover your mouse over the button, menu item, or input field. ATBCmder features highly informative tooltips that explain the feature's function, provide the associated keyboard shortcut, and offer advanced help where applicable.

File Operations¶

How do I copy, move, or delete files?¶

ATBCmder uses classic Double Commander shortcuts for primary file operations:

Copy: Select files and press F5.
Move/Rename: Select files and press F6.
Make Directory: Press F7.
Delete: Select files and press F8.

How do I preview files without opening an external application?¶

Select the file and press F3. ATBCmder includes specialized built-in viewers for audio, PDFs, and text, allowing you to preview content directly within the application.

How do I listen to multiple audio files?¶

Select multiple audio files (like .mp3, .flac) and press F3. The built-in Audio Player will automatically build a playlist. You can click the "Background" button to minimize the player to the right panel and continue working while the music plays. To add more songs, select them and press F3 while the player is backgrounded.

Advanced Search & Commands¶

How do I use natural language to find files?¶

ATBCmder features a Semantic Command input:

Press / or Cmd+F to open the input at the bottom of the active panel.
Type a command in natural language, such as "Select all files larger than 1MB" or "Find PDF files modified today".
By default, it searches the current directory. To perform a global Spotlight search, prefix your command with // (e.g., //today modified pdf).
Type /help for examples or /history to replay recent commands.

Archives and Network File Systems¶

How do I extract an archive?¶

You don't necessarily have to extract it! ATBCmder treats archives (.zip, .tar, .7z) as Virtual File Systems (vfs://). Simply select the archive and press Enter to navigate inside it as if it were a regular folder. If you still want to extract files, you can copy (F5) them from inside the archive to a standard directory in the other panel.

How do I modify a file inside a ZIP archive?¶

Navigate into the archive, open the file you want to edit, and save your changes. ATBCmder's RepackWorker will detect the modifications and automatically prompt you to repack the file back into the archive.

How do I connect to FTP, SFTP, WebDAV, or Samba?¶

Use the Network Virtual File System (VFS) feature. Once connected, the remote file system will appear in your panels, and you can interact with it—copying, moving, renaming, and deleting files—just as you would with local directories. Connections are managed securely without saving passwords to configuration files.

Troubleshooting & Configuration¶

Why aren't the file panels updating when a file changes on disk?¶

ATBCmder has an Auto-refresh feature that might be configured differently. Check your settings under the Options dialog:

Ensure Auto-refresh is enabled.
Check if it's set to disable when ATBCmder is in the background.
Verify that the directory you are in hasn't been added to the excluded paths list.

How can I test new configurations without breaking my setup?¶

You can run ATBCmder in an isolated test environment. Use the ATBCmder_test.sh script, which loads a separate .test_config profile. This allows you to experiment with internal cm_* commands and hotkeys safely.