QTTabBar is a free application that enables Windows Explorer to sho,’, different directory structures in tabs. We will show you how the tool can be used to increase your efficiency.
INSTALLING AND SETTING UP:
The program you need to download is a free plug-in called ‘QTTabBar’ from the website qttabbar.wikidot.com. On the website, follow the ‘Download’ link and select ‘version 1.2.2.1’. Save the archive ‘QTTabBar’j.2.2.1_glb.zip’ and unpack it to the directory you want. In order to ensure that the tool works, the Microsoft NET Framework from version 2.0 or above has to be installed on your system. You can download the .NET Framework from its official website at www.microsoft.com.
Start the installation by running ‘QTTabBar.exe’. If you are using Vista, right-click on the file and select the command ‘Run as Administrator’ or ‘Run as’, select an appropriate user account with administrator rights and authorize the installation with your password. Now run the setup process and restart your system. Open Windows Explorer and select the menu item ‘View I Toolbars I QTTabBar’ to enable it. Next, uncheck the option ‘View I Toolbars I Lock the Toolbars’ and move the tabs below the address bar.
USING TABBED BROWSING IN EXPLORER:
You can add a new tab by right-clicking on an existing one and selecting the context command ‘Clone this’. This will open up a new tab, which will display the same folder structure as the original one. However, you can move in both of them independent of each other through the folder structure.
If you want a tab to display the contents of a particular folder every time it’s opened, select the context command ‘Lock’. A small lock icon on The tab symbolizes the protection. If you navigate to a new folder in such a ab on the right or left side of the page, a new tab page will be displayed for it automatically. ‘Unlock’ will remove the protection.
Several commands are available for closing the tabs: ‘Close Right Tab’, ‘Close Left Tab’, ‘Close’ and ‘Close all but this’. The last two commands are particularly useful since they close only the current tab or all except the current tab. In order to move or copy a file between two folders opened in different tabs, simply drag and drop its icon from the source tab into the target tab. A small window will inform you about the ‘Move’ or ‘Copy’ action. You can switch between tabs using the [Ctrl] key.
TIP: Copy the entire path of the folder in the current tab to the clipboard using the ‘Copy Path’ context command.
USING ADDITIONAL FUNCTIONS:
You can define folder groups in order to display them simultaneously in different tabs for certain tasks. The easiest way to do this is to open all the required folders in different tabs, right click on any one tab and then select ‘Create New Group’. Name the group in the subsequent dialog box and enable the ‘Add all tabs’ option. Confirm with ‘OK’. To use a group, right click next to the tab, select ‘Groups’ and the desired entry in the subsequent submenu. With ‘Add to Group’, you can add other directories to the ones opened before. You will have to open the ‘@TTabBar options’ dialog box to delete a group. Now select the entry and click on the minus sign on the ‘Groups’ tab.
PURGING THE SYSTEM:
You can delete the following file types from the hard disk without any loss: BAK, CHK, GID, LOG, OLD, PCH, POB, TMP.
Displaying Menus Quickly: Pressing the keyboard combination [ displays the context menu for selected elements, while the key combination [ shows the control menu of the active window.
Explorer Preview for BMP:
The Registry key ‘HKEY_ CLASSES_ROOT\ Paint.Picture\Defaultlcon’ is created with ‘(Standard]’ equals ‘1’ even for BMP files.
Copying Multiple Files: Click ‘No’ in the ‘Confirm File Replace’ dialog box while keeping the [ key pressed; this is applicable to all files.
Installing Screensavers:
The fastest way to install screensavers is by selecting the ‘Install’ command in the context menu of the SCR file from Explorer.
Closing Windows Quickly:
You can close a program window by clicking on the X button at the right or double-clicking the program icon at the top left.
Aborting A Drag & Drop Action:
An incorrectly applied drag and drop action can be cancelled without any consequences by pressing [ while the left mouse button is pressed.
QTTabBar can also do a whole lot more. When you hover your cursor over a folder icon, a blue arrow icon will appear next to it. Windows Explorer will show the subordinate folder structure in a menu when you click on this icon, and when you click on an entry in this menu, Explorer will jump to the selected folder. The ‘QTTabBar Standard Buttons’ icon bar contains buttons for quick access to the program’s standard commands. Select ‘View I Toolbars I DTTab Bar Standard Buttons’ to open the bar.
