Tempus
Content plugin for Total Commander.
Version: 1.01 (2013.09.27)

Description
The plugin perfomrs 4 functions. Each of these functions can be used separately:

1. Updates folder date according to date of the most recent file inside.
   Having this function, when a folder and the most recent file have the same date, you will always see whether recent or old files are inside the folder at any depth.
   As you might have noticed, without the plugin you usually see a quite random (not a "real") folder date. The system may set to the folder the date when you, for example, delete a file inside that folder.
   
   The plugin makes it easier to navigate your projects, to notice a new file which may occur in some subfolder without you knowing, and so on. All in all, it allows you to stay informed about changes in your folders without going into each of them.
   
   The function runs in the background while you navigate through the folders.
   By default, the calculation is carried out on one level deepth into the folder (it's customizable).
   To get not only a date of the folder but dates of all subfolders at any level depth, you can press the space bar on the folder
   (the calculation in the background simultaneously with the calculation by pressing the space bar works since version 7.55 of TC).
   
   During the calculation of folder, next to the field of Age there appears statuses (can be customized):
      · (Dot) — a folder waiting to be processed;
      • (bold dot) — the folder date has got changed to a newer or an older one;
      x — unable to change the folder date (the folder is being in use by another process/program);
   
   Using the file Settings.ini, it's possible to customize folders-exclusions, to disconnect the calculation on flash drives or network drives, to cache values, etc.
   
   

2. Shows age of folders and files.
   This is another useful feature that makes the TC interface more concise and neat without sacrificing convenience and informational content.
   For most recent files the age is displayed in minutes (5 m) or hours (5 h), for files older than 24 hours — in days (5 days), and for files older than 3 months — in the following form: 2013.02 (all of this is customizable).
   And it's really good! The use of age instead of the full date makes it easier to compare the neighboring files on what's new, and allows you to avoid the long date format like '2013.09.10 12:30'.
   
   It's possible to switch between age formats without changing settings: you just need to update the panel with the 'Shift + Ctrl + R' (it's customizable). By default, the second and third formats are the date (2013.09.10) and the time (12:30) in default format respectively.
   
   
3. Sorts files and folders by attributes and groups.
   You can customize what type of files and folders will be displayed above others or/and at the end of the list.
   So, if the sorting by column Type is enabled, the files and folders you need will be shown at the top of the list, and you will see them in the first place while going into the folders.
   By default, the hidden files and folders are sorted to the end of the list, and the frequently executable files (.exe, .com, .bat) are sorted to the top of the list right after the folders.
   
   
4. Shows file attributes more concisely.
   The column (in the picture below) shows file attributes in a brief but still informative way:
      – disables the display of an archive attribute (which is actually not used in Windows according to its initial idea);
      – disables the display of 'a---' and '---' rows for the files with no attributes (which are just distracting and nothing more);
      – marks the grouped files (for example, mentionated above .exe, .com, .bat files) with a dot.
   All the parameters in this column are also customizable in the Settings.ini
   
   

Installation

1. Automatically: enter the archive Tempus.zip using TotalCommander, which will offer to automatically install the plugin.
   Manually: menu "Configuration" → Options... → section "Plugins" → Content Plugins (.WDX) → button "Configure" → button "Add", specify the path to Tempus.wdx
   
   
2. Next, start editing the current panel view: menu "Show" → Custom Columns Mode → Configure custom columns... → then create a new configuration or select the editing of an existing one.
   
   Create two new columns:
   1. Age (which essentially replaces the date/time display). Type into the input box on the right:
   
   [=tempus.Age Sort:0][=tempus.Age (Update Dirs)]
   (!) make sure that you use both fields next to each other — 'Age Sort' and 'Age' — for correct file sorting by age.
   
   2. Attr (for sorting files by attributes and grouping by type). Type into the input box on the right:
   
   [=tempus.Type Sort:0][=tempus.Type]
   (!) make sure that you use both fields next to each other — 'Type Sort' and 'Type' — for correct file sorting.
   
   This's done!
   
   

Description of fields

1. Age
   Display of age of files and folders.
   It's possible after dot mark to specify the date format that will appear in the archives and FTP-servers (where the calculation of age is not working), for example:
   
   [=tempus.Age.Y.M.D]
   
   
2. Age (Update Dirs)
   Display of age of files and folders, plus the calculation of folder dates according to the most recent files inside folders.
   In the same field there are displayed the processing statuses of folders. It's possible to specify the date format for archives and FTP (as well as for the field of Age), for example:
   
   [=tempus.Age (Update Dirs).Y.M.D]
   
   In case of using an older version of TotalCommander than 7.55, the update mode of folders in the background and the update mode of folder by pressing the space bar can't work simultaneously. Thus, one of the settings in the Settings.ini — ProcessDirsOnChangeDir or ProcessDirsOnDemand — must be disabled.
   
   
3. Age Sort
   This field should be placed next to the field 'Age' or 'Age (Update Dirs)' for correct file sorting by age. Otherwise, Total Commander will calculate, say, the age of '1 day' less than age '5 hours'. To use this field, you should add to the column settings: (menu "Show" → Custom Columns Mode → Configure custom columns ...) the following:
   
   [=tempus.Age Sort:0][=tempus.Age (Update Dirs)]
   Thus, the field 'Age Sort' won't be displayed (due to the ':0'), but sorting will take place on it.
   
   
4. Type
   Display of attributes and mark for grouped files/folders.
   
   
5. Type Sort
   This field should be placed next to the field 'Type' for correct file sorting by attributes and file groups:
   
   [=tempus.Type Sort:0][=tempus.Type]
   
   
6. Group Name
   Extra field: display of a group name when grouping files (names of groups, as well as the groups themselves are defined in the Settings.ini).
   
   
7. Update Dirs Only
   Extra field: calculation of folder dates according to most recent files inside the folders, but without showing the age, in contrast to 'Age (Update DIrs)'. For example, if you don't need other functions of the plugin, except updating the folder dates, this field will suit you fine.
   (!) You shouldn't use this field next to the field 'Age (Update Dirs)' in one panel (nothing bad will happen, but there may be errors when displaying the processing status of folders and re-processing of the same folder).
   
   

History of changes

Contact details