The process to copy files into another folder for instance is not optimized at all, and users may have to navigate a lot in one explorer window, or use two Windows Explorer instances for the job.

Filer Frog is a free Windows Explorer shell extension that improves the file browser in this regard.

The previously commercial application is now offered for free at the developer site. Both a 32-bit and 64-bit edition are available, which add the same feature set to Windows Explorer.

filerfrog

All new features become available in the right-click context menu after installation.

The new features can be loosely divided into file operations and image manipulations.

File Operations

Filer Frog adds the following file operations to Windows Explorer:

• Extract From Folder: Moves all files of a folder to its parent folder, with options to delete the empty folder afterwards.
• Extract To Folder: Creates a new folder and moves the selected files into it.
• Copy / Move: Like the Copy To, Move To commands. Opens a folder browser after selection where the selected files and folders will be moved or copied to.
• Delete Empty Files and Folders: Empty files and folders that have been selected will be deleted after executing this command.
• Copy Path To Clipboard: copies the path of the current folder to the Windows Clipboard.
• Invert Selection: Inverts the current selection in the folder.
• Split and Join: Option to split large files into smaller ones, and to join them again.
• List of Files: Creates a text or html file that contains a list of all selected files and folders. Option to create a simple or detailed listing.
• Encrypt and Decrypt: Option to encrypt or decrypt files and folders.
• Renaming: Option to rename files and folders in bulk, available are: Find Replace, Auto Numbering, Alphabetize, Append, Auto Numbering with Append (Links to Auto Numbering), Alphabetize with Append (Links to Alphabetize), Make All Same Name, Truncate

Image Manipulation Operations:

Three main features are provided by Filer Frog, they are:

• Image Manipulation – Resize: Option to immediately resize selected images in Windows Explorer. Selection includes custom sizes, presets, and the selection of the image quality.
• Image Manipulation – Put Logo On Image: Adds a logo to all selected images. Option to overwrite the existing images, or add the manipulated images to another folder.
• Image album: Filer Frog can create a basic image album which is saved as a pdf document in the same folder.

Some of the options provided by Filer Frog are already available in some Windows operating systems. Still, several of the file operations can be helpful in speeding up operations in Windows Explorer. The software does not need to run in a background process, which means that it does not put a strain on the system’s resources.

Filer Frog is available for download at the developer website.

The standard way of dealing with file access rights is to change them so that files can be edited in Windows. This is done by right-clicking the file or folder, selecting properties from the context menu that is appearing and switching to the Security tab in the window that opens afterwards.

This window displays a list of user names and groups and their file access rights. Setting the file permissions this way is a lengthy process that becomes more than a nuisance if it has to be done for a lot of files and folders.

Take Ownership is a portable software program for Windows Vista and Windows 7 that can add an entry to take ownership of the selected file or folder to the context menu of Windows Explorer.

Changing ownership of a file or folder basically gives the new owner full file access rights so that the files can be modified. It is possible to change file ownership in the Properties menu as well but this requires quite a few clicks before the changes can be made.

Take Ownership simplifies that process making it extremely easy to change the owner of a file or folder.

The program will display a small window upon execution that can be used to install the shell extension so that the Take Ownership context menu entry appears in Windows Explorer. The application will automatically switch the install to an uninstall button after installation which can be used to uninstall the shell extension again.

The software program is mostly helpful for users who encounter file access rights errors regularly in their operating system. Take Ownership can be downloaded directly from the developer’s website.

HashTab adds a new tab to the Windows file properties dialog that displays various hashes that have been calculated by the software. These hashes can then be compared with the values provided by their source to verify the file integrity and make sure that the file has not been tampered with.

This method works nicely when downloading software and files from various popular software portals as these usually display at least one sort of hash on the download page so that the users can verify the file integrity. But that is just one example. It can also be used to verify files after downloading them from friends or colleagues.

The hashes that are displayed can be altered in the program’s options. It is theoretically possible to add all 15 different algorithms to the tab. Another interesting option is the ability to compare a file on the same computer system which takes only a few seconds as a second file has to be selected from a local hard drive.

HashTab is still one of the best software programs to verify the file integrity of files on a computer system. Let us know if you find a changelog or information about the changes that the developer has made in the new version.

A practical example would be to store files and directories in a different location than they have to reside in. This could be the Firefox profile directory, a Skype directory or the Windows Documents and settings folder. You basically tell Windows to look into the original folder but also in the linked folder for files.

NTFS Link offers three ways of creating hard links and junctions. The first and probably easiest way is by dragging and dropping a file or folder with the right mouse button to another location. The others are by making use of the New parameter in the right-click menu in Windows Explorer while the last works by right-clicking on an empty folder only.

The drag and drop function proves to be really useful and an uncomplicated way of creating hard links and junctions. It should however be noted that NTFS Links works best when run in pre-Vista operating systems as Windows Vista comes with its own possibilities to create symbolic links.

A hash is just a string that has been computed with the use of an algorithm. That hash is always the same as long as the file that has been checked is not modified. This leads directly to many uses of hash values. They can be used to check that a file is still the same on one computer, that a file that has been uploaded to a remote computer is the same as the file on the source computer or that a download from an Internet website is not corrupt.

Hash Tab is a Windows shell extension that adds a tab in the File Properties window that is displaying has values of various algorithms like MD5, CRC32 or SHA-512.

One interesting feature of Hash Tab is the ability to compare hashes in the File Properties dialog. It is possible to select a second file on the hard drive and compare it with the first one or to paste a hash into one of the forms and compare the files that way. The second option is obviously thought for comparing files that are not located on the same computer. Helpful after downloading files on the Internet or transferring files to a remote computer.

Hash Tab is only one review that was posted by Demetris at his blog. He lists Fifteen useful shell extensions for Windows with lots of screenshots and information on his website.

Users installing the software need to have administrator rights to do so and should note that only NTFS drives support the creation which means that it cannot be used on partitions formatted with FAT file systems. It should also be noted that Link Shell Extension is compatible with 64-bit editions of Windows XP and Windows Vista.

The type of link that is created depends on the source that is picked by the user. Picking files will create hardlinks, folders will create junctions and a partition will create a volume mountpoint. The benefit of creating that file system is that files and folders can be accessed in multiple places instead of just the source location.

In addition to the three link types specified above the Windows Vista version of Link Shell Extension supports the creation of Symbolic Links which have been introduced in the operating system.

The creation of remote links within SMB mapped network NTFS drives is supported by the software program as well. The easiest way to get an overview of the capabilities of Link Shell Extension is to visit the homepage which lists all supported modes and functions.