QuickFile Version 0.9.1 (Jun. 20, 2000)
By Jason Ginchereau <jg5@cs.wustl.edu>
Introduction
This plugin allows easy and fast opening of files and switching between many open files in a directory tree, such as a Java package hierarchy, or a website. It adds a pane to one side of the jEdit window, or a separate frame, that displays a tree-style or list-style view of files and directories. Currently open files can be identified at a glance and switched to with a click. New files can be opened with a double-click. The root directory of the tree can easily be changed, using a history list. Also the files shown in the tree can be filtered using glob-style expressions.
 
This version requires jEdit version 2.5pre5 or later.
The Three View Styles
The QuickFile panel shows you lists of files and directories. There are three different styles you can use to view these lists:
  • Tree View - The "classic" QuickFile view style that displays all files and directories in a tree, so that each directory is a branch, and each file is a leaf. The root of the tree is the current QuickFile directory. The tree starts out mostly collapsed, but you can easily expand one folder at a time.
  • List View - This view style consists of two lists: the top list is all the directories under QuickFile's current directory, and the bottom list is all the files in the directory that is selected in the top list.
  • Explorer View - This is the most versatile view style. The top half is a tree of directories, while the bottom half is a list of files in the directory selected in the tree.
Selecting and Opening Buffers
The main intention of QuickFile is to make it easy and fast to open and switch between files in a directory tree. This is accomplished through two basic features:
  • Filenames in bold are currently open buffers in jEdit. Clicking on a bold file will cause its buffer to become the current buffer.
  • Double-clicking on a file that is not bold (not opened) will open that file in jEdit, and make it the current buffer.
Changing the Root Directory
There are as many as six ways to change QuickFile's root directory:
  • Type the path to a directory in the text field just above the directory tree/list. The change will take effect when you hit Enter.
  • Right-click on the same text field to get a popup list of directory paths that have been previously entered.
  • Click the Choose Directory button to get a standard "Open" dialog box to browse for a new directory.
  • Select a directory in the tree/list, the click the GoTo button (if option is enabled).
  • Double-click a directory in the tree/list (if option is enabled).
  • Click the Synchronize button to display the directory's content of the current jEdit buffer (if option is enabled).
Filtering Displayed Files
The filter text field at the top of the QuickFile panel allows you to use glob-style expressions to filter the list of files shown. The filter patterns will be familiar to users of unix shells. Note that directories are not filtered. Here are some useful example filter expressions:
  • * - show all files
  • *.java - show all Java source files
  • *.{java,txt,jar,props} - show all files with the given list of filename extensions
Other File Operations
Refresh - click the Refresh button to reload the list of files and directories.
 
Right-Click Menus -by right-clicking on a file or directory in QuickFile's tree or list, you have access to some of the following file operations, depending on context. A menu item shown in bold is the default double-click operation.
  • Open - open this file in jEdit.
  • Close - close this file in jEdit.
  • GoTo - make this directory the new QuickFile root.
  • New Directory - create a new directory under the selected directory.
  • Rename - rename a file or directory.
  • Delete - delete a file or directory. A directory must be empty to be deleted.
ToDo
These features are being considered for future releases of QuickFile:
  • Support Kevin Burton's HoldablePlugin interface.
  • Other file operations..?
  • Drag n Drop. (Requires JDK 1.2)
Feedback
Please send bug reports, feature requests, or other comments to <jg5@cs.wustl.edu>.