Far Manager is a console file manager for Microsoft Windows operating systems. The program provides a convenient user interface for working with file systems (real and emulated) and files: view files and directories, edit, copy and rename files, and much more.
The author of the program is Evgeny Roshal. Since June 18, 2000 the FAR Group has been developing FAR Manager. Since version 2.0 the program is distributed under a modified BSD license. Previous versions had a proprietary license, according to which commercial use of the program was paid.
Far Manager inherits a two-window ideology, a standard color scheme and a command system (keyboard control) from the famous file manager Norton Commander.
The program can work both in windowed and full-screen mode. Some interface drawbacks, similar to DOS programs in windowed mode (inability to arbitrarily change the text resolution of windows, problems with closing on shutdown), appear in Microsoft Windows 9x and are absent in the Microsoft Windows NT family.
Far Manager supports long file names, file attributes of the NTFS file system, various text encodings, can use system functions to copy files, has a multilingual interface and a help system.
The file manager Far Manager has been focused on the Microsoft Windows platform from the very beginning. From time to time, users have made requests to make versions for other platforms (Linux and Mac OS X). The developers argue that the program code is too specific for Microsoft Windows, and porting to another platform would require major changes.
Plugins for Far Manager
Far Manager's capabilities are significantly expanded thanks to plugins for various purposes:
- Management of printers, both connected to a computer and networked.
- Syntax highlighting in the source code of programs.
- Work with FTP-servers (with support for access through various types of proxies, automatic resume, etc.).
- Working with SFTP servers (plugin).
- Search and replace characters simultaneously in multiple files using regular expressions.
- Tools for renaming groups of files with the ability to use complex compound masks from wildcards and patterns.
- NNTP / SMTP / POP3 / IMAP4 clients and sending messages to a pager.
- Work with non-standard text screen sizes.
- Recoding of texts taking into account national code tables.
- Manipulation of the contents of the Recycle Bin.
- Process priority management on a local or networked computer.
- Word completion in the editor and work with templates.
- Editing the Windows Registry.
- Create and modify Windows shortcuts.
- All kinds of manipulations with files and text, making it comfortable to work with Fidonet materials.
- Encoding and decoding files in UUE format.
- Symmetric and asymmetric file encryption.
- Program control and modification of MP3 file comments.
- Viewing and editing the content of resources of various games.
- Working with various servers via ODBC + working with Oracle servers via OCI.
- RAS service management.
- Launching external programs (compilers, converters, etc.) when editing texts in the Far editor.
- Displays the contents of Windows Help files (.hlp and .chm).
- Calculators with different capabilities.
- Various games.
- Spell checking functions when processing text in the Far editor.
- Working with file-disk images for ZX Spectrum and Vector-06Ts pc.
- Preparing a catalog of removable drives and much more.
- Calculation and verification of CRC and cryptographic hash values of files (SHA-1; SHA-2; Whirlpool and others).
- Displays the hidden file system on SonyEricsson phones.
Some important plugins (for example, for working with FTP, printing, comparing files, working with archives, network) are included in the Far Manager distribution. But the vast majority of plugins are available for download on the Internet, the user can install them in accordance with their tasks. Currently, there are over 700 plugins for Far Manager.
Most plugins are written in C / C ++ and Pascal using the original FAR API. There are modern alternatives: FarNet provides APIs and tools for writing .NET modules; PowerShellFar module implements support
Far Manager is a console cross-platform file manager for Windows of various versions. The utility is executed in a convenient and simple interface and allows you to work with real or virtual file systems and the files themselves. The user can download Far Manager in Russian using the official developer link from our website at the bottom of the review.
Functional
- work with directories and files;
- converting, deleting, assigning new names and making copies of files;
- work with a usb-drive;
- work in full screen or windowed mode;
- support for all versions of Windows;
- connecting plugins.
Advantages and disadvantages
Far Manager is a popular file manager for Windows OS. It allows you to manage files, folders, operating system archives. The user has access to such functions as editing, moving, making copies, deleting, renaming.
Far Manager was originally created to work with operating system files. But many plugins have been written for the program, when connected, the user will be able to work in the very depths of the operating system, open system files, encrypt and decrypt their contents.
The utility works in both full screen and windowed modes. Several original plugins are available in the main version of the program, but you can find and download more than seven hundred additional modules on the Internet. They allow you to solve certain tasks at the discretion of the user.
The program has been translated into many languages, which has made it popular in a number of different countries.
For more convenience and to familiarize yourself with the utility, help is provided.
When performing multiple tasks, you can prioritize the most important ones first.
The user has access to encoding and decoding of files.
The utility allows you to run third-party applications.
Built-in support for servers via ODBC.
The program works in text mode, therefore control is performed using the keyboard.
Far Manager's interface is made in the DOS style, translated into many languages and is easily customizable to the needs of users. For easy navigation, use color highlighting and sorting files into groups. Initially, using the program is very unusual, but literally after a while you can get used to it, after which it will seem convenient and practical.
The program is freely available, you can download Far Manager for Windows completely free of charge. All versions of the operating system are supported.
The utility works not only with real, but also with virtual files created using emulators.
Far Manager works from USB stick. Thanks to this solution, you can download the executable file of the program to a USB flash drive and run it on other people's computers. This solution will be especially convenient for system administrators who manage large corporate networks.
The program allows you to connect various plugins for various actions.
The utility checks the spelling of commands for errors.
The disadvantages of the program, some users refer to the interface, as well as separate commands intended only for professionals.
System requirements
OS: Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, Windows 10, Vista, Windows XP
Feedback on the program
The program has been popular among users for over twenty years and during this time it has received many positive reviews. Many experienced programmers have studied using this utility. Far Manager is very similar to Norton Commander: both programs have the same set of commands and identical menus.
If at first the interface of the utility seems incomprehensible, then after a while users note that it is very convenient and easy to use.
The utility provides many options for working with files, including system ones. Supports copying, deleting, moving, assigning a new name, etc.
System administrators talk about such a convenient program option as working from a usb drive. This allows them to use Far Manager on all computers in the network they serve.
Thanks to the many third-party modules, the program's capabilities can be significantly expanded.
The program is freely available, so the ability to download Far Manager for free is also widely appreciated by users.
Should I install
Far Manager is a popular file manager for Windows with an unusual but very user-friendly interface. Initially, it was intended for working with files in the operating system, but thanks to the many plug-ins, the program's capabilities become much wider. To get acquainted with the utility's capabilities, it is recommended to download the latest version of Far Manager from the link at the bottom of the article.
Far Manager is a console-type file manager adapted for use in the Windows operating system from Microsoft. Various early versions of the program had a paid license, but now far manager can be downloaded for free and can be successfully used not only at home, but also in the work of large companies and corporations absolutely officially.
The Far Manager file program can function equally effectively in both economical windowed and full-screen modes. The functionality of FAR Manager is quite wide: from supporting multi-character names to working with the NTFS system with different file attributes, as well as any encoding of their content. The multilingual, clear interface with the ability to quickly and easily configure, as well as the far manager help system in Russian, turn its use into a simple and comfortable action.
Far Manager provides the ability to view, independently edit, rename, move and copy files and directories of any format. Accessible navigation, high-contrast highlighting and grouping when sorting are convenient and save time when processing information.
The increase in the scope of functions of the Far Manager program became possible due to the connection of external DLL-modules in the format of ordinary plug-ins. This feature is implemented using a set of special built-in interfaces. The standard package also includes plug-ins for working with archives and an FTP client.
Features of the FAR Manager program:
- definition of network and local printers;
- group renaming of files by masks;
- transcoding of texts;
- decoding UUE files;
- editing descriptions of MP3 files;
- launching auxiliary utilities for text processing in Far;
- detection of spelling errors in the editor Far.
The most convenient and multifunctional FAR Manager will be especially pleasant and useful to users nostalgic for the DOS 6.22 operating system and disrespectful to Windows Explorer with its rather modest capabilities for viewing and editing files of various types and their attributes.
Among many other file managers, one cannot fail to highlight the FAR Manager program, developed on the basis of the cult Norton Commander program and having been a worthy competitor for some time. Despite the rather simple console interface, the functionality of the FAR Manager is quite large, which favors the popularity of this application in a certain circle of users. At the same time, some of them, despite the intuitive interface of this file manager, do not know some of the nuances of working with it. In this article, we will give the most detailed answer to the question of how to work in the program in question.
Let's consider the main scenarios for using this popular analogue. "Explorer".
Installation of the Russian-language interface
Before starting work in the FAR Manager program, it would be rational for a domestic user to install the Russian interface language.
Navigating the file system
Folder names are white, hidden folders are dull white, and files can be marked with different colors depending on the extension.
Actions on files and folders
Various actions with files can be performed using the buttons on the bottom panel of the program. But for experienced users it is much more convenient to use keyboard shortcuts.
Program interface management
There are also additional options for managing the FAR Manager interface.
To return the appearance of the panels to the default state, simply repeat the commands entered.
Work with text
FAR Manager supports viewing text files using the built-in viewer.
In order to select all the text, you need to press the keyboard shortcut Shift + A, and copying text to the clipboard occurs as usual - using the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + C.
Plugins
A set of plugins available "out of the box" allows you to significantly expand the functionality of the FAR Manager program.
- In order to open the list of installed plugins and run the required one, press the button "Plugin" in the bottom bar of the program or the key F11 on keyboard.
- As you can see, a list of plugins preinstalled in the program opens.
- The most important ones are represented by the following positions:
As you can see, despite the rather powerful functionality of the FAR Manager program, enhanced by plugins, it is quite easy to work with it. It is thanks to the convenience and intuitive interface that it attracts many users.
