# 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](#getting-started) 2. [Interface Overview](#interface-overview) 3. [Basic File Operations](#basic-file-operations) 4. [Advanced Features](#advanced-features) 5. [AI Assistant](#ai-assistant) 6. [Customization](#customization) 7. [Keyboard Shortcuts](#keyboard-shortcuts) 8. [Troubleshooting](#troubleshooting) ## Getting Started ### Installation #### Quick Install (Recommended) ```bash # 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:** ```bash # Using Homebrew brew install laxyfile # Or download the .app bundle from releases ``` **Linux:** ```bash # 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 ```bash # 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 | Provider | Pros | Cons | Best For | | ---------- | --------------------------- | ------------------------ | --------------- | | OpenRouter | Fast, accurate, many models | Requires internet, costs | General use | | Ollama | Private, free, offline | Slower, requires setup | Privacy-focused | | GPT4All | Easy setup, free | Limited capabilities | Basic tasks | ### 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 ```json { "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 ```python # 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 ```yaml # ~/.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 ```json { "name": "Custom Theme", "colors": { "background": "#1e1e2e", "text": "#cdd6f4", "accent": "#89b4fa" } } ``` ## Keyboard Shortcuts Reference ### Essential Shortcuts | Action | Shortcut | Description | | ------------------- | ---------------- | --------------------------- | | **Navigation** | | Go to location | `Ctrl+L` | Type path to navigate | | Home directory | `Ctrl+H` | Go to user home | | Parent directory | `Ctrl+Up` | Go up one level | | Back/Forward | `Alt+Left/Right` | Navigate history | | **File Operations** | | Copy | `Ctrl+C` | Copy selected files | | Cut | `Ctrl+X` | Cut selected files | | Paste | `Ctrl+V` | Paste files | | Delete | `Delete` | Delete selected files | | Rename | `F2` | Rename selected file | | **Selection** | | Select all | `Ctrl+A` | Select all files | | Deselect all | `Ctrl+D` | Clear selection | | Invert selection | `Ctrl+I` | Invert current selection | | **Search** | | Quick search | `Ctrl+F` | Search in current directory | | AI search | `Ctrl+Shift+F` | AI-powered content search | | **View** | | Refresh | `F5` | Refresh current view | | Preview toggle | `F3` | Show/hide preview panel | | Dual pane | `F6` | Toggle dual pane mode | | **AI Assistant** | | AI chat | `F1` | Open AI assistant | | Quick AI query | `Ctrl+Shift+A` | Quick AI question | | Analyze file | `Ctrl+Shift+I` | AI file analysis | ### Advanced Shortcuts | Action | Shortcut | Description | | ----------------------- | -------------- | ----------------------- | | **Advanced Navigation** | | Bookmark current | `Ctrl+B` | Add to bookmarks | | Quick bookmark | `Ctrl+1-9` | Go to bookmark 1-9 | | Recent locations | `Ctrl+R` | Show recent directories | | **File Operations** | | Batch rename | `Ctrl+F2` | Rename multiple files | | Properties | `Alt+Enter` | Show file properties | | Create folder | `Ctrl+Shift+N` | New folder | | Create file | `Ctrl+N` | New file | | **Advanced Selection** | | Select by pattern | `Ctrl+Shift+S` | Pattern-based selection | | Select by type | `Ctrl+T` | Select files by type | | **View Options** | | List view | `Ctrl+1` | Detailed list view | | Icon view | `Ctrl+2` | Large icons view | | Tree view | `Ctrl+3` | Directory tree view | | **System** | | Settings | `Ctrl+,` | Open settings | | Help | `F1` | Show help | | Exit | `Ctrl+Q` | Quit application | ## Troubleshooting ### Common Issues #### LaxyFile Won't Start **Symptoms:** Application fails to launch or crashes immediately **Solutions:** 1. **Check Python Version:** ```bash python --version # Should be 3.8+ ``` 2. **Verify Installation:** ```bash pip show laxyfile pip install --upgrade laxyfile ``` 3. **Check Dependencies:** ```bash pip install -r requirements.txt ``` 4. **Reset Configuration:** ```bash rm -rf ~/.config/laxyfile/ ``` #### Slow Performance **Symptoms:** Sluggish interface, slow file operations **Solutions:** 1. **Reduce Cache Size:** ```yaml # config.yaml performance: cache_size: 500 # Reduce from default 1000 ``` 2. **Disable AI Features:** ```yaml ai: enable_analysis: false background_processing: false ``` 3. **Enable Lazy Loading:** ```yaml 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:** ```bash # Test API key curl -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY" \ https://openrouter.ai/api/v1/models ``` 3. **Try Local Models:** ```yaml ai: provider: "ollama" model: "llama2" ``` 4. **Check Logs:** ```bash tail -f ~/.config/laxyfile/logs/ai.log ``` #### File Operations Failing **Symptoms:** Copy, move, or delete operations fail **Solutions:** 1. **Check Permissions:** ```bash ls -la /path/to/file chmod 755 /path/to/file # If needed ``` 2. **Verify Disk Space:** ```bash df -h ``` 3. **Check File Locks:** - Close other applications using the files - Restart LaxyFile 4. **Use Safe Mode:** ```bash laxyfile --safe-mode ``` ### Performance Optimization #### For Large Directories ```yaml performance: lazy_loading: true max_files_display: 1000 background_processing: true cache_size: 2000 ``` #### For Slow Systems ```yaml ui: animations: false preview_auto: false performance: cache_size: 500 max_concurrent_operations: 2 ``` #### For AI-Heavy Usage ```yaml 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:** ```bash laxyfile --version python --version uname -a # Linux/macOS ``` 2. **Configuration:** ```bash cat ~/.config/laxyfile/config.yaml ``` 3. **Log Files:** ```bash 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_