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Best Finder alternatives / File managers

I've been a ForkLift user since 2011. I've always been a fan and will be happy to support them with a yearly renewal. Finder is something I use all the time and an upgrade to that experience would be well worth the price they are asking. Also, if they add no compelling features, I don't have to renew; my current copy will continue to function. This is a fair model where I pay for work done.

Unfortunately, as it is now I can't use ForkLift. They lack a single feature that I find indispensable. I wrote them and the response was that they see value in my request and will consider it. And here's that feature...

I almost always use list view. That's the view with the expansion arrows on the left. I often am showing a folder with various subfolders (and subfolders of subfolders) expanded. In Finder, if I select a different favorite (e.g. jump to my downloads folder) and the return to the expanded folder, the expansion shows as how I left it. In Forklift, returning to the folder presents it as completely collapsed.

In fact, Finder retains the expansion states for every folder. I never have to recreate them. This is an immense convenience. Path Finder also provides this convenience. If ForkLift adds this, it will be my full time Finder replacement.

I find it surprising that I seem to be alone in needing this feature; I haven't heard anyone else raise it. Some of the recommended Finder replacements don't even have a list view that supports expansion. Even Windows Explorer lacks it (except for a more limited version in the side bar). I guess we all work differently.
 
So... is there a file manager that I do not have to mess with the system files for it to work or still not?
Any consensus on what is best?

I really would like a file manager that can outstrip metadata from files and export to other formats option from a right click menu.
 
MacBH928 said:
So... is there a file manager that I do not have to mess with the system files for it to work or still not?
Click to expand...

I hope I'm not being dense. 🙂

I didn't mess with any system files when I installed Path Finder or ForkLift. Does that answer the question? I've used both of these programs for years.

MacBH928 said:
Any consensus on what is best?
Click to expand...

I'm not sure on how we could arrive at a consensus since everyone has different experiences; many people haven't even tried the tools that I've tried. Maybe you could start a poll where you list the choices and see what people vote for.
 
svenmany said:
I hope I'm not being dense. 🙂

I didn't mess with any system files when I installed Path Finder or ForkLift. Does that answer the question? I've used both of these programs for years.



I'm not sure on how we could arrive at a consensus since everyone has different experiences; many people haven't even tried the tools that I've tried. Maybe you could start a poll where you list the choices and see what people vote for.
Click to expand...

i swear those filemanager you had to go back and restart the macos and give some sort of special access in the system files from some hidden menu.
 
MacBH928 said:
i swear those filemanager you had to go back and restart the macos and give some sort of special access in the system files from some hidden menu.
Click to expand...
Never had to do that with PathFinder or ForkLift... there were a couple of others that required you to disable SIP to install... but I don't recall them being worth the effort (not that PathFinder is, either, but that's another post for another time).
 
MacBH928 said:
i swear those filemanager you had to go back and restart the macos and give some sort of special access in the system files from some hidden menu.
Click to expand...
You do have to give permission to access certain features and folders in System Preferences. This isn't unique to 3rd-party file managers - same for all sorts of utilities like backup apps, screen capture apps, video conferencing apps, etc. E.g. Zoom app you need to grant access to the microphone, camera, etc.

You generally do not need to restart macOS, and there's nothing unusual or nefarious about it. You should trust the app publisher - don't grant apps permissions without being sure the app is trusted.
 
MacBH928 said:
i swear those filemanager you had to go back and restart the macos and give some sort of special access in the system files from some hidden menu.
Click to expand...

Hmm, maybe I was being dense; now I think I understand what you meant by messing with system files.

In Path Finder there are three options (as far as I remember, and in the older version the last I used): "Set as the default file browser", "Hide Finder's desktop", and "Quit Finder when Path Finder launches". I only used the first and nothing much happened (no restart or re-login or anything). The last two require you to quit Finder, but nothing much else.

I don't recall anything special in ForkLift.
 
dwfaust said:
Never had to do that with PathFinder or ForkLift... there were a couple of others that required you to disable SIP to install... but I don't recall them being worth the effort (not that PathFinder is, either, but that's another post for another time).
Click to expand...

ixxx69 said:
You do have to give permission to access certain features and folders in System Preferences. This isn't unique to 3rd-party file managers - same for all sorts of utilities like backup apps, screen capture apps, video conferencing apps, etc. E.g. Zoom app you need to grant access to the microphone, camera, etc.

You generally do not need to restart macOS, and there's nothing unusual or nefarious about it. You should trust the app publisher - don't grant apps permissions without being sure the app is trusted.
Click to expand...

svenmany said:
Hmm, maybe I was being dense; now I think I understand what you meant by messing with system files.

In Path Finder there are three options (as far as I remember, and in the older version the last I used): "Set as the default file browser", "Hide Finder's desktop", and "Quit Finder when Path Finder launches". I only used the first and nothing much happened (no restart or re-login or anything). The last two require you to quit Finder, but nothing much else.

I don't recall anything special in ForkLift.
Click to expand...

Yes I think @dwfaust says, its the SIP thing that I meant
 
dwfaust said:
Yep. Not worth my time or trouble even if they gave me $6.

Plus, unless you activate more apps in the bundle, it will cost you another $3.5 just to get the deal... now it's almost $10 of headaches.
Click to expand...

which one do you use?
 
I've checked a little the latest Path Finder on colleague's machine. Is there a way to save open set of tabs (from network drives) after restart? The only thing I got is bunch of tabs with his home folder.
 
I had used ForkLift for a while, but the planned business model for ForkLift 4 is a big no-no for me. Luckily, I don't need many features - and, coming from SpeedCommander and Total Commander on Windows, I'm almost happy with Marta, but it lacks native SFTP support which I need more often than not.

Nimble Commander looks like a good alternative. Most other file managers waste too much screen space.
 
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its just too bad that total commander dev is not giving us a macOS version. I have tried nearly all of those finder replacements but they all lack something. Pathfinder - sometimes doesn't update the file list and only a restart fixes that, forklift has no preview like PF and so we could go on. Nearly all of them fail to show iclouddrive completely.

I tried several scripts to get finder open always in dual window but none is working correctly. Albert script is not working, BTT script neither - its so sad.

A double window (panel) finder would be just awesome. xFinder wants me to disable SIP - hmmm
 
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