1. A FileManager?

I work with a lot of documents — graphic files, html documents, RTF and text files — both my own and those I download from the web. I always keep them as a rule in C:\\Documents and Settings\user\My Documents in sub-directories I create. Eventually, I would be copying a lot of these files into the localhost server of my computer (C:\\Program Files\xampp\htdocs\subdirectory/). The files I’ve created and modified after two years are so many that sometimes I take a long time searching for them. Thing is, I can only move through my Windows XP by going Start >> My Documents >> Folders. Or if I have to go to my HTDOCS directory, Start >> My Computer >> Folders >> C:// >> Program Files >> XAMPP >> HTDOCS. In other words, I click a lot of folder icons before I can get to a particular file I need, whether it is to edit it or upload it on the web (this is true for graphic files especially). I also use "Search" very often to find my files. But when one is in a hurry (like when on is on the web and is about to upload a picture whose location one has forgotten), a search can lead to frustrating results.

But if your desktop can be made to look like this, then the search for a file becomes a cinch:

2. More Than A File Manager

AccelMan is more than a FileManager. Just look at the features:

• it has a media player
• it has a search function
• it allows you to see just the files you want
• it can bookmark a folder for you
• it offers different options for looking at your files directories

…and a lot more.

I’ve been working with AccelMan for about two weeks now and I still have not discovered all the possibilites that it offers. I’ve mentioned that it makes it easier to locate a file. It does that simply by allowing you to "break" the view of your disk into smaller windows giving you a multiple view of the insides of your computer. This is very useful specially if your computer is like mine, upgraded from Win98 to WinXP: it has two "My Documents" folders, one from the old Win98 structure, the other from the new WinXP. I have old files in the "My Documents" of Win98 and a new batch at C:\\Documents and Settings\user\My Documents. With AccelMan, I can just open up two Managers, point one to the old "My Documents" and the other to the new one, and look at both with one glance. There is no longer any need for my to go Start >> My Documents >> and then open up a new folder view to double back to Start >> My Computer >> C:\\My Documents. AccelMan offers several interfaces to choose from. You can even add your own.

The other way is to do the search from its toolbar panel. It offers so many more options that one finds in WinXP

Then to make it easier for one to go back to a file, there is also the Bookmark function. This allows one to keep a "Favorites" panel as one would with a web browser. This makes things easier for one to find a folder that contains the files that one often goes back to, don’t you think?

If you think that the Bookmark feature is cool, how about marking particular files with a color that you can customize? Below is a view into my My Documents folder with all the text files in it. I have marked some text files in different colors so that I can immediately see for what they were intended in the first place.

Finally, if one would like to make a list of the files one has in a folder, AccelMan can do the job. Below is a list of the RTF files that AccelMan generated for me under "Manage –> Make List File". Certainly, this is something that Windows Explorer won’t be able to do for one.

3. File Viewer

AccelMan’s FileViewer allows one to view text files and specially formatted files like PDF, Excel, DOC and graphic files (of different extensions).

The File Viewer actually allows one to read texts as they appear in their respective applications. For programmers, the viewer also gives a HEX view of a binary file. I especially like the ability of the viewer to show HTML pages as these appear on the browser or as ASCII text (in which case it can also be edited). Graphic files can be viewed in a slide show if you wish.

4. Media Player

The AccelMan Media Player can also play different media files depending on the kind of drivers you have in your system. I have only MP3s, WAV and AVI files in my hard drive and the media player has no problems with them. I like listening to MP3 music when I take a break from work and AccelMan makes it unnecessary for me to open up another application to hear my favorite songs.

5. Other Features

Do you like working with the C prompt? No need to go to Start –> Accessories –> Shell Prompt. That can be a very long way if you are working for a deadline. But you can easily go to Window’s Command Prompt through AccelMan.

Do you want to make File Associations? You simply customize file associations through AccelMan.

Do you wish to create a compressed archive or a self-extractor for distribution? AccelMan can do that for you too.

Are you dissatisfied with the way AccelMan looks? Customize. The application allows you to make modifications in the way it looks. To describe this here is just too much. I just refer you to the well documented Help file.

6. AccelMan Help

One of the nice features of the program is the Help documentation. It is practically a whole e-book that tells you a lot of things about how to make Accelman work for you. The Help file itself is written well and is very organized. Whatever is not in the Help file is or can be provided by the Flexigen website which has facilities for accepting questions of a "How To" nature.

Summary

AccelMan is a filemanager and more than a filemanager. Once you have it running in your machine, you’d find that it renders some installed applications redundant. And it also cuts down your computer work time for performing tasks (like file searching) thereby helping you become more efficient. I know; I speak from experience. AccelMan is like your Man Friday, performing tasks no other FileManager can do for you.