UI Directory and File Panel

Directory and File Panel

The Directory and File Panel displays the contents of the active image's filesystem. It presents files and directories in a structured, sortable grid and provides visual indicators for modification state, errors, and special conditions.

The view is read-only by default and updates automatically when the active image changes.

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Layout and Organization

Files are displayed in a tabular grid and are grouped by directory.

• The root directory is always shown and labeled (Root)
• Subdirectories are listed in the order they are enumerated in the image
• Each directory group displays:
  • The directory name
  • The number of entries it contains

Directory Group Labels

Examples:

• (Root) (112 entries)
• (Root) (112 entries, Additional Data)
• (Root) (112 entries, Boot Sector)
• (Root) (112 entries, Boot Sector, Additional Data)

These labels indicate the presence of non-filesystem data, such as embedded boot sector copies or other additional data stored within the directory area.

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Columns

All columns in the file view are sortable.

Status

• Appears as the leftmost column
• Does not have a text header; the header contains a checkbox
• The checkbox acts as a check / uncheck all toggle
• File entries display:
  • A # if the file has been modified
  • Blank if the file is unmodified

This column provides a quick visual indicator of modification state.

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Name

• File name
• Displays the short (8.3) filename

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Ext

• File extension

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Size

• File size in bytes

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Last Written

• Last written (modified) date of the file

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Cluster

• Starting cluster number for the file

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Err

• Displays cluster chain errors when present
• Only shown if an error exists

Possible values:

• CL — Cross-linked cluster
• CC — Circular cluster chain

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Attrib

• Displays file attributes using single-letter flags:
  • A — Archive
  • R — Read-only
  • S — System
  • H — Hidden
  • D — Directory
  • V — Volume Label

Attributes are displayed as letters when set or - when not set.

For example, A - - - - - indicates that only the Archive attribute is set.

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CRC32

• CRC32 checksum of the file contents

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Created

• File creation date
• Column appears only if at least one file in the image has a creation date

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Last Accessed

• File last accessed date
• Column appears only if at least one file in the image has a last accessed date

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Long File Name

• Displays the long file name associated with the file
• Column appears only if at least one long file name exists in the image

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Sorting

• All columns are sortable
• Sorting applies within the current directory grouping
• Directory order remains fixed based on enumeration order in the image

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Context Menus

The Directory and File View provides context-sensitive menus that operate on either a directory header or individual file entries.

These menus can be opened using the standard context menu action (for example, right-click), regardless of input method.

Menu contents and availability adapt based on what is selected.

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Directory Header Context Menu

Invoking the context menu on a directory header displays options that operate on the directory as a whole.

Available Actions

• View Directory
  Opens the directory in the hex editor.

• Import Files
  Opens the Import Files dialog and imports files into the selected directory.

• New Directory
  Opens the File Properties dialog and creates a new subdirectory under the selected directory.

  See File Properties

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Directory Entry Context Menu

Invoking the context menu on a directory entry (including files, directories, or volume labels) displays actions that operate on the selected item or items.

Menu options are enabled or disabled based on selection type and context.

File Operations

• Edit File Properties
  Opens the File Properties dialog for viewing and modifying file metadata, timestamps, and attributes on the currently selected file or files.
  See File Properties

• Export File
  Exports the selected entry.

  Disabled for:

  • 0-byte files
  • Directories
  • Volume labels

  When multiple entries are selected, this becomes Export Selected Files.

• Replace File
  Opens the Replace File dialog, which replaces the contents of an existing file in the image with data from an external file.

  Disabled for:

  • 0-byte files
  • Directories
  • Volume labels

  Disabled entirely when multiple entries are selected.

  See Replace File

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Directory Navigation

• View Root Directory / View Parent Directory
  Opens the containing directory in the hex editor.

  • View Root Directory appears when the selected entry resides in the root directory
  • View Parent Directory appears when the selected entry resides in a subdirectory
    Enabled only when all selected entries are in the same directory.

• View Directory
  Appears only when the selected entry is a directory.
  Opens that directory in the hex editor.

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File Viewing

• View File
  Opens the selected entry in the hex editor.
  Disabled for:

  • 0-byte files
  • Directories
  • Volume labels
  • Multi-file selections

• View File as Text
  Opens the selected entry in the text viewer.
  Disabled under the same conditions as View File.
  The text viewer is read-only.

• View Crosslinked Files
  Appears only when the selected file shares one or more clusters with another file (cross-linked cluster chain, shown as CL in the Err column).
  Opens a view listing every other file that shares clusters with the selected file, allowing the cross-link to be investigated.
  Hidden for multi-file selections.

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Importing and Directory Creation

• Import Files
  Opens the Import Files dialog and imports files into the same directory as the selected entry.
  Enabled only when all selected entries are in the same directory.

  See Import Files

• Import Files Here
  Opens the Import Files dialog and inserts files immediately before the selected entry.
  Disabled for multi-file selections.

• New Directory
  Opens the File Properties dialog and creates a new subdirectory under the same directory as the selected entry.
  Enabled only when all selected entries are in the same directory.

  See File Properties

• New Directory Here
  Creates a new directory immediately before the selected entry.
  Disabled for multi-file selections.

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Deletion and Removal

• Delete File
  Marks the file as deleted using DOS-style deletion. The directory entry is retained, but the first character is replaced with 0xE5.
  When multiple files are selected, this becomes Delete Selected Files.
  Hidden for entries that are already deleted.

  See Delete File

• Undelete File / Undelete Directory
  Appears only when the selected entry is already deleted.
  Restores the directory entry by prompting for the first character of the original file or directory name, which was overwritten with 0xE5 during deletion.
  The caption automatically changes between Undelete File and Undelete Directory based on the entry type.
  Disabled when the entry cannot be safely undeleted (for example, when its clusters have been reused by another file).
  Hidden for multi-file selections.

  See Undelete File

• Remove File
  Completely removes the file from the directory.
  If the file has not already been deleted, the Delete File dialog is shown first.
  When multiple files are selected, this becomes Remove Selected Files.

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File Repair

• Fix File Size
  Appears only when the selected file has a stored size that does not match its actual cluster allocation.
  Updates the directory entry's size field to match the true allocated size.
  Hidden for multi-file selections.

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Multiple Selection Behavior

When multiple files are selected:

• Edit File Properties opens a multi-file dialog
• Export File becomes Export Selected Files
• Replace File is disabled
• View File and View File as Text are disabled
• View Crosslinked Files is hidden
• View Root Directory / View Parent Directory is enabled only if all files are in the same directory
• Import Files is enabled only if all files are in the same directory
• Import Files Here is disabled
• New Directory is enabled only if all files are in the same directory
• New Directory Here is disabled
• Delete File becomes Delete Selected Files
• Undelete File / Undelete Directory is hidden
• Remove File becomes Remove Selected Files
• Fix File Size is hidden

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Double-Click Behavior

Double-clicking a file entry automatically determines whether the file contains text or binary data:

• Text files are opened in the text viewer
• Binary files are opened in the hex editor

This behavior applies only to single-file selections.

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Notes

• The file view always reflects the active image
• Modification indicators are informational and do not imply saved changes
• Presence of additional data or boot sector copies does not imply corruption
• Column visibility adapts automatically based on filesystem features
• Context menu behavior is consistent with equivalent Menu Bar and Toolbar actions
• Availability of options reflects selection type and filesystem state
• All actions operate on the active image

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See Also

• UI Overview
• Summary Panel
• Checksums Panel