LaxyFile User Manual

Welcome to LaxyFile - the next-generation file manager that combines the power of SuperFile with advanced AI capabilities, modern UI design, and comprehensive file management features.

Table of Contents

1. Getting Started
2. Interface Overview
3. Basic File Operations
4. Advanced Features
5. AI Assistant
6. Customization
7. Keyboard Shortcuts
8. Troubleshooting

Getting Started

Installation

Quick Install (Recommended)

# Install from PyPI
pip install laxyfile

# Or install from source
git clone https://github.com/your-repo/laxyfile.git
cd laxyfile
pip install -e .

Platform-Specific Installation

Windows:

• Download the MSI installer from the releases page
• Run the installer and follow the setup wizard
• LaxyFile will be available in your Start Menu

macOS:

# Using Homebrew
brew install laxyfile

# Or download the .app bundle from releases

Linux:

# Ubuntu/Debian
sudo apt install laxyfile

# Arch Linux
yay -S laxyfile

# Or use the AppImage
chmod +x LaxyFile-x86_64.AppImage
./LaxyFile-x86_64.AppImage

First Launch

When you first launch LaxyFile, you'll be greeted with:

1. Welcome Screen: Introduction to key features
2. Configuration Wizard: Set up your preferences
3. AI Setup: Configure AI assistant (optional)
4. Theme Selection: Choose your preferred theme

System Requirements

• Minimum: Python 3.8+, 2GB RAM, 100MB disk space
• Recommended: Python 3.11+, 4GB RAM, 500MB disk space
• For AI Features: Internet connection, OpenRouter API key (optional)

Interface Overview

LaxyFile features a modern, SuperFile-inspired interface with several key components:

Main Layout

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                    LaxyFile v2.0                            │
├─────────────┬───────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│   Sidebar   │              File Panel                       │
│             │                                               │
│ • Bookmarks │  📁 Documents/                               │
│ • Recent    │  📄 file1.txt        1.2KB   2024-01-15     │
│ • Drives    │  📁 Projects/        --       2024-01-14     │
│ • Tree      │  🖼️ image.jpg        2.5MB   2024-01-13     │
│             │  📊 data.csv         856B    2024-01-12     │
│             │                                               │
├─────────────┼───────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│   Preview   │              Status Bar                       │
│   Panel     │  📁 5 items • 3.7MB • AI: Ready             │
└─────────────┴───────────────────────────────────────────────┘

Key Components

1. Sidebar

• Bookmarks: Quick access to favorite locations
• Recent: Recently visited directories
• Drives: Available storage devices
• Directory Tree: Hierarchical folder navigation

2. File Panel

• File List: Main file and folder display
• Icons: File type indicators with Nerd Font support
• Metadata: Size, date, permissions
• Selection: Multi-select with visual feedback

3. Preview Panel

• File Preview: Content preview for selected files
• Metadata: Detailed file information
• AI Insights: Smart analysis and suggestions

4. Status Bar

• Current Path: Active directory location
• Selection Info: Selected items count and size
• AI Status: Assistant availability and activity
• System Info: Performance and resource usage

Navigation Modes

LaxyFile supports multiple navigation modes:

Classic Mode (Default)

• Traditional file manager layout
• Keyboard and mouse navigation
• Context menus and toolbars

SuperFile Mode

• SuperFile-inspired interface
• Vim-like keyboard shortcuts
• Minimal, efficient design

Dual-Pane Mode

• Side-by-side file panels
• Easy file comparison and transfer
• Independent navigation

Basic File Operations

File Selection

Single Selection

• Click: Select a single file
• Arrow Keys: Navigate and select
• Enter: Open file or enter directory

Multiple Selection

• Ctrl+Click: Add/remove from selection
• Shift+Click: Select range
• Ctrl+A: Select all files
• Ctrl+D: Deselect all

Selection Patterns

# Select by pattern
*.txt          # All text files
image.*        # All image files
[Dd]ocument*   # Files starting with Document or document

File Operations

Copy and Move

Copy:   Ctrl+C → Navigate → Ctrl+V
Move:   Ctrl+X → Navigate → Ctrl+V

Advanced Copy Options:

• Smart Copy: Automatically handles conflicts
• Progress Tracking: Real-time operation status
• Pause/Resume: Control long operations
• Verification: Ensure data integrity

Delete Operations

Delete:         Delete key or Ctrl+D
Secure Delete:  Shift+Delete
Move to Trash:  Ctrl+Delete (platform-specific)

Delete Options:

• Confirmation: Prevent accidental deletion
• Undo Support: Recover deleted files
• Secure Wipe: Permanent data removal

Archive Operations

Create Archives:

1. Select files/folders
2. Right-click → "Create Archive"
3. Choose format: ZIP, TAR, 7Z, RAR
4. Set compression level and options

Extract Archives:

1. Select archive file
2. Right-click → "Extract"
3. Choose destination
4. Handle conflicts automatically

Supported Formats:

• ZIP: Universal compatibility
• TAR/GZ: Linux standard
• 7Z: High compression
• RAR: Read-only support

Search and Filtering

Quick Search

Ctrl+F: Open search bar
Type query and press Enter

Advanced Search

Name:     filename contains "document"
Content:  file content contains "important"
Size:     size > 1MB and size < 10MB
Date:     modified in last 7 days
Type:     type is image or video

Search Operators

AND:      document AND important
OR:       .txt OR .md
NOT:      NOT .tmp
REGEX:    /^[A-Z].*\.pdf$/

Filtering

• File Type: Show only specific types
• Size Range: Filter by file size
• Date Range: Filter by modification date
• Attributes: Hidden, read-only, executable

Advanced Features

Batch Operations

Rename Multiple Files

1. Select files to rename

2. Press F2 or right-click → "Batch Rename"

3. Choose rename pattern:

   Pattern:     Document_{counter:03d}
   Result:      Document_001.txt, Document_002.txt
   
   Pattern:     {name}_backup
   Result:      file1_backup.txt, file2_backup.txt
   

Batch File Operations

• Change Permissions: Apply to multiple files
• Change Timestamps: Modify creation/modification dates
• Add Metadata: Bulk metadata editing
• Convert Formats: Batch file conversion

File Monitoring

LaxyFile automatically monitors directories for changes:

• Real-time Updates: File list updates automatically
• Change Notifications: Visual indicators for changes
• Conflict Detection: Handle external modifications
• Sync Status: Track synchronization with cloud services

Advanced Navigation

Breadcrumb Navigation

Home > Documents > Projects > LaxyFile > docs

• Click any segment to navigate
• Right-click for context menu
• Drag files to breadcrumb locations

Quick Navigation

Ctrl+L:     Go to location (type path)
Ctrl+H:     Go to home directory
Ctrl+R:     Go to root directory
Alt+Left:   Navigate back
Alt+Right:  Navigate forward

Bookmarks and Favorites

Ctrl+B:     Add current location to bookmarks
Ctrl+1-9:   Quick access to bookmarks 1-9

File Comparison

Visual Diff

• Compare text files side-by-side
• Highlight differences
• Merge changes interactively

Binary Comparison

• Compare binary files
• Show hexadecimal differences
• Detect file corruption

Network and Cloud Integration

Remote File Systems

• FTP/SFTP: Connect to remote servers
• SMB/CIFS: Windows network shares
• WebDAV: Web-based file access

Cloud Storage

• Google Drive: Direct integration
• Dropbox: Sync status and management
• OneDrive: Microsoft cloud integration
• Custom: Configure additional providers

AI Assistant

LaxyFile's AI assistant provides intelligent file management capabilities:

Getting Started with AI

Setup

1. Go to Settings → AI Assistant

2. Choose AI provider:

   • OpenRouter: Cloud-based (recommended)
   • Local Models: Ollama, GPT4All
   • Custom: Your own API endpoint

3. Configure API key (if using cloud service)

4. Test connection and select model

AI Providers Comparison

AI Features

File Analysis

Right-click file → "Analyze with AI"

Analysis Types:

• Quick: Basic file information and suggestions
• Comprehensive: Detailed analysis with insights
• Security: Security vulnerabilities and risks
• Performance: Optimization recommendations

Example Analysis:

📄 report.pdf (2.3MB)

📊 Analysis Results:
• Document Type: Financial Report
• Language: English
• Pages: 15
• Contains: Charts, tables, financial data
• Security: Password protected
• Suggestions:
  - Archive older versions
  - Consider OCR for searchability
  - Backup to secure location

Smart Organization

Select files → Right-click → "AI Organization"

Organization Features:

• Auto-categorize: Sort files by type and content
• Duplicate Detection: Find and manage duplicates
• Cleanup Suggestions: Remove unnecessary files
• Folder Structure: Optimize directory organization

Example Organization:

📁 Downloads/ (messy)
├── document1.pdf
├── image.jpg
├── setup.exe
└── music.mp3

↓ AI Organization ↓

📁 Downloads/ (organized)
├── 📁 Documents/
│   └── document1.pdf
├── 📁 Images/
│   └── image.jpg
├── 📁 Software/
│   └── setup.exe
└── 📁 Media/
    └── music.mp3

Content Search

Ctrl+Shift+F: AI-powered content search

Search Capabilities:

• Natural Language: "Find documents about budget from last month"
• Semantic Search: Understand meaning, not just keywords
• Content Analysis: Search inside files (PDF, DOC, etc.)
• Image Recognition: Find images by content

File Recommendations

The AI assistant provides contextual recommendations:

• Related Files: Find files related to current selection
• Next Actions: Suggest what to do with files
• Workflow Optimization: Improve file management habits
• Security Alerts: Warn about potential risks

AI Chat Interface

Accessing AI Chat

F1: Open AI assistant
Ctrl+Shift+A: Quick AI query

Example Conversations

You: "Help me organize my Downloads folder"

AI: I can help you organize your Downloads folder. I found:
• 45 files taking up 2.3GB
• 12 different file types
• Several duplicates

Would you like me to:
1. Create folders by file type
2. Remove duplicates
3. Archive old files
4. All of the above

You: "All of the above"

AI: Perfect! I'll organize your Downloads folder:
✅ Created 6 category folders
✅ Moved 45 files to appropriate folders
✅ Found and removed 8 duplicates (saved 156MB)
✅ Archived 15 files older than 6 months

Your Downloads folder is now organized and 156MB smaller!

AI Settings and Privacy

Privacy Controls

• Local Processing: Keep data on your device
• Data Retention: Control how long AI remembers context
• Opt-out Options: Disable specific AI features
• Audit Log: See what data was sent to AI

Performance Tuning

• Model Selection: Choose speed vs. accuracy
• Cache Settings: Balance performance and storage
• Batch Processing: Handle multiple files efficiently
• Background Processing: Non-blocking AI operations

Customization

Themes and Appearance

Built-in Themes

LaxyFile includes several SuperFile-inspired themes:

• Catppuccin: Soothing pastel colors
• Dracula: Dark theme with purple accents
• Nord: Arctic-inspired color palette
• Gruvbox: Retro groove colors
• Tokyo Night: Dark theme with neon highlights
• One Dark: Atom editor inspired
• Solarized: High contrast, easy on eyes

Theme Customization

Settings → Appearance → Customize Theme

Customizable Elements:

• Colors: Background, text, accent colors
• Fonts: File list, UI elements, monospace
• Icons: File type icons, UI symbols
• Layout: Panel sizes, spacing, borders
• Animations: Transition effects, timing

Creating Custom Themes

{
  "name": "My Custom Theme",
  "version": "1.0",
  "colors": {
    "background": "#1e1e2e",
    "foreground": "#cdd6f4",
    "accent": "#89b4fa",
    "selection": "#313244",
    "border": "#45475a"
  },
  "fonts": {
    "ui": "SF Pro Display",
    "monospace": "JetBrains Mono"
  }
}

Keyboard Shortcuts

Default Shortcuts

Navigation:
Ctrl+L          Go to location
Ctrl+H          Home directory
Ctrl+R          Root directory
Alt+Left        Back
Alt+Right       Forward
Ctrl+Up         Parent directory

File Operations:
Ctrl+C          Copy
Ctrl+X          Cut
Ctrl+V          Paste
Delete          Delete
F2              Rename
Ctrl+A          Select all
Ctrl+D          Deselect all

Search and Filter:
Ctrl+F          Quick search
Ctrl+Shift+F    AI content search
Ctrl+G          Go to line/file
Ctrl+H          Find and replace

View Options:
F3              Preview toggle
F4              Edit file
F5              Refresh
F6              Dual pane toggle
F9              Menu toggle
F11             Fullscreen

AI Assistant:
F1              Open AI chat
Ctrl+Shift+A    Quick AI query
Ctrl+I          Analyze file
Ctrl+O          AI organization

Custom Shortcuts

Settings → Keyboard → Customize Shortcuts

Shortcut Categories:

• Navigation: Moving around the interface
• File Operations: Copy, move, delete, etc.
• View: Display options and modes
• AI: Assistant functions
• Custom: User-defined actions

Shortcut Profiles

Create different shortcut sets for different workflows:

• Default: Standard file manager shortcuts
• Vim: Vim-like navigation
• SuperFile: SuperFile-compatible shortcuts
• Custom: Your personalized shortcuts

Plugin System

Installing Plugins

Settings → Plugins → Browse Plugins

Popular Plugins:

• Git Integration: Version control in file manager
• Image Tools: Advanced image manipulation
• Text Editor: Built-in code editor
• Cloud Sync: Enhanced cloud storage support
• Archive Plus: Additional archive formats

Plugin Development

# Example plugin structure
from laxyfile.plugins import BasePlugin

class MyPlugin(BasePlugin):
    name = "My Custom Plugin"
    version = "1.0.0"

    def on_file_select(self, file_path):
        # Handle file selection
        pass

    def add_menu_items(self):
        return [
            ("My Action", self.my_action),
        ]

    def my_action(self):
        # Custom action implementation
        pass

Configuration Files

Main Configuration

# ~/.config/laxyfile/config.yaml
ui:
  theme: "catppuccin"
  font_size: 12
  show_hidden: false
  dual_pane: false

ai:
  provider: "openrouter"
  model: "anthropic/claude-3-haiku"
  enable_analysis: true
  cache_responses: true

performance:
  cache_size: 1000
  lazy_loading: true
  background_processing: true

shortcuts:
  copy: "Ctrl+C"
  paste: "Ctrl+V"
  # ... more shortcuts

Theme Configuration

{
  "name": "Custom Theme",
  "colors": {
    "background": "#1e1e2e",
    "text": "#cdd6f4",
    "accent": "#89b4fa"
  }
}

Keyboard Shortcuts Reference

Essential Shortcuts

Advanced Shortcuts

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

LaxyFile Won't Start

Symptoms: Application fails to launch or crashes immediately

Solutions:

1. Check Python Version:

   python --version  # Should be 3.8+
   

2. Verify Installation:

   pip show laxyfile
   pip install --upgrade laxyfile
   

3. Check Dependencies:

   pip install -r requirements.txt
   

4. Reset Configuration:

   rm -rf ~/.config/laxyfile/
   

Slow Performance

Symptoms: Sluggish interface, slow file operations

Solutions:

1. Reduce Cache Size:

   # config.yaml
   performance:
     cache_size: 500 # Reduce from default 1000
   

2. Disable AI Features:

   ai:
     enable_analysis: false
     background_processing: false
   

3. Enable Lazy Loading:

   performance:
     lazy_loading: true
     background_processing: true
   

4. Check System Resources:

   • Close other applications
   • Ensure sufficient RAM (4GB+ recommended)
   • Check disk space

AI Assistant Not Working

Symptoms: AI features unavailable or not responding

Solutions:

1. Check Internet Connection:

   • AI requires internet for cloud providers
   • Test with: ping api.openrouter.ai

2. Verify API Key:

   # Test API key
   curl -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY" \
        https://openrouter.ai/api/v1/models
   

3. Try Local Models:

   ai:
     provider: "ollama"
     model: "llama2"
   

4. Check Logs:

   tail -f ~/.config/laxyfile/logs/ai.log
   

File Operations Failing

Symptoms: Copy, move, or delete operations fail

Solutions:

1. Check Permissions:

   ls -la /path/to/file
   chmod 755 /path/to/file  # If needed
   

2. Verify Disk Space:

   df -h
   

3. Check File Locks:

   • Close other applications using the files
   • Restart LaxyFile

4. Use Safe Mode:

   laxyfile --safe-mode
   

Performance Optimization

For Large Directories

performance:
  lazy_loading: true
  max_files_display: 1000
  background_processing: true
  cache_size: 2000

For Slow Systems

ui:
  animations: false
  preview_auto: false

performance:
  cache_size: 500
  max_concurrent_operations: 2

For AI-Heavy Usage

ai:
  cache_responses: true
  cache_ttl: 3600
  max_concurrent_requests: 3
  background_analysis: true

Getting Help

Built-in Help

• Press F1 for context-sensitive help
• Use Ctrl+Shift+? for keyboard shortcuts
• Check Settings → Help for tutorials

Online Resources

• Documentation: https://laxyfile.readthedocs.io
• GitHub Issues: https://github.com/your-repo/laxyfile/issues
• Community Forum: https://community.laxyfile.com
• Discord: https://discord.gg/laxyfile

Reporting Bugs

When reporting issues, include:

1. System Information:

   laxyfile --version
   python --version
   uname -a  # Linux/macOS
   

2. Configuration:

   cat ~/.config/laxyfile/config.yaml
   

3. Log Files:

   tail -n 50 ~/.config/laxyfile/logs/laxyfile.log
   

4. Steps to Reproduce:

   • Detailed steps to trigger the issue
   • Expected vs. actual behavior
   • Screenshots if applicable

This manual covers the essential features of LaxyFile. For advanced topics and latest updates, visit our online documentation at https://laxyfile.readthedocs.io