v0.7.1-beta

See installation instructions. Make sure to download the correct version (32 or 64-bit) matching your operating system.

Download 64-bit version • Download 32-bit version

Changes

Features:

• Added a small delay after selecting an item before the window is shown, to improve performance. This can be adjusted in settings.
• Preserve view settings when a folder is moved or renamed.
• Improved handling of files dragged onto the ChromaFiler/ChromaText executable.
• Added a warning when starting ChromaFiler as Administrator, since this is not recommended.
• Added an option to turn off the global Tray hotkey.
• Added an option to the uninstaller to keep settings.
• chromafiler and chromatext commands can be used in the Windows Run dialog.

Fixes for recent Windows 11 updates:

• Fixed drawing glitches when resizing folder windows or columns.
• Removed the new "Gallery" folder from the desktop. You can still access it by creating a shortcut.

Other fixes:

• Fixed some bugs that caused windows to not remember their size/position.
• Other various bug fixes.

If you find ChromaFiler useful, please consider donating to support its development. Thanks!!

v0.7.0-beta

See installation instructions. Make sure to download the correct version (32 or 64-bit) matching your operating system.

Download 64-bit version • Download 32-bit version

Changes

Improvements to "spatial" properties of windows:

• Windows remember their position/size the next time you open them
• Folders in Icon view with Auto-arrange turned off will remember the positions of their icons
• Window titles update whenever their file is renamed
• Windows close whenever their file is deleted
• If a file/folder is already open in ChromaFiler, opening it again will show the existing window instead of a new one

Text editor improvements:

• The text editor is now called "ChromaText", and can optionally be installed as its own application, with a separate shortcut in the Start Menu / Taskbar / "Open With" menu.
  • This replaces the old "New Scratch File" hack. Opening ChromaText will create a new scratch file.
• If a file type is set to open with ChromaText by default, ChromaFiler will always show the text editor for that type. This avoids having to configure preview handler associations.
  • If you had set text files to open with ChromaFiler in a previous version, you'll want to change this to ChromaText.
• Text files remember their Word Wrap settings
• Added missing commands to the context menu

Improvements to window chains:

• Resizing the left edge of a window will shrink its attached parent proportionally. This prevents pushing windows off the left edge of the screen.
• Mouse cursor indicates which window will be resized
• Fixed windows overlapping on high DPI displays

Bug fixes:

• Fixed issue causing preview handlers to stop working
• Fixed window not focused after alt-tab
• Fixed window disappearing after changing the extension of a file
• Fixed right-clicking unselected items
• Fixed alt-double-click to open properties
• Fixed keyboard focus after pressing shift-tab to open parent
• Fixed renaming files with localized names
• Fixed tray font color changing after refresh
• Auto update check happens more consistently
• Other various bug fixes / improvements

If you enjoy ChromaFiler, please consider donating to support its development. Thanks!!

v0.6.1-beta

See installation instructions. Make sure to download the correct version (32 or 64-bit) matching your operating system.

General features:

• When set as the default file browser, ChromaFiler now allows programs to open a folder with a specific file selected ("Show in Folder" / "Reveal in Explorer" / etc.). Make sure to install with the "folder context menu" feature selected.
• "Proxy" icons in the header now show badge overlays (eg. cloud sync status)

Text editor:

• Tab width can be adjusted in Settings (default 4)
• Support for saving files with Unix-style (LF) line endings
• Support for opening/saving ANSI-encoded files
• Added settings for preferred encoding / line endings
• Avoid freezing while reading files

Bug fixes:

• Fixed memory leaks in thumbnail/preview windows
• Fixed dropping a file onto the proxy sometimes failing
• Fixed Ctrl+Backspace in the rename box
• Fixed folder window becoming unresponsive after choosing "Open folder location" on a shortcut
• Fixed folders having different view settings when double-clicked
• Fixed bottom of preview handlers cut off
• Fixed reading text files containing null characters
• Fixed reading text files with mixed line endings
• Selecting a broken shortcut won't show the "Problem with Shortcut" dialog
• Fixed trying to open non-filesystem files with the text editor
• Other various bug fixes

If you enjoy ChromaFiler, please consider donating to support its development.

v0.6.0-beta

See installation instructions. Make sure to download the correct version (32 or 64-bit) matching your operating system.

• UI improvements for the "proxy" icon in the window header
  • Better drag-and-drop; click and hold to start dragging the proxy
  • Added a dropdown arrow to display the file context menu
• Added a Menu button to the toolbar, including commands that were previously only accessible by right-clicking or keyboard shortcuts.
• Text editor:
  • "Select Lines" command (Ctrl+L)
  • Word-wrap keyboard shortcut (Ctrl+Shift+W)
  • Added an error message if the file can't be saved
• Improved Windows 7 compatibility
• 32-bit (x86) support
• Bug fixes
  • Fixed folder windows getting stuck with flickering scrollbars while resizing
  • Fixed display of file names with '&' characters
  • Fixed broken icons when switching to high-contrast mode
  • Other various bug fixes

If you enjoy ChromaFiler, please consider donating.

And here's ChromaFiler running on all supported Windows versions:

v0.5.1-beta

See installation instructions.

• Fixed tray not showing selection when not focused
• Fixed tray snapping when taskbar is on the left or top
• Improved performance when moving a large group of files
• Fixed multiple save prompts when deleting a scratch file
• Fixed freezing when certain preview handlers are refreshed with F5
• Fixed crash when creating a new shortcut
• Improved text editor compatibility with ArsClip

v0.5.0-beta

See installation instructions.

Note: due to changes to the default folder view settings, this update will reset any stored folder sizes or view modes from previous versions.

Changes

• Folder layout changes:
  • Fixed an issue causing excessive empty space in the left margin of folder windows
  • Folders now default to "details" view, with a single Name column initially
  • More compact layout for the Tray
  • Smooth scrolling in icon views
• Folders no longer freeze the program while they're loading
• Windows will avoid extending below the bottom of the screen
• Detect if file has been moved/renamed/deleted whenever its window is focused
• Keyboard shortcut: press Esc to deselect all
• Added an optional periodic update check

Other fixes:

• Extraneous desktop items added in a recent Windows update are now hidden
• Fixed a crash caused by quickly selecting and deselecting a folder
• The refresh button only appears in folder windows now, since it was not fully implemented for other types of files

v0.4.1-beta

See installation instructions.

Changes

• Libraries, Control Panel, and OneDrive are hidden in the Desktop folder
• Added a button to check for updates in the Settings dialog
• Fixed folder windows not remembering their sizes

Text editor:

• Fixed bugs related to word wrapping (incorrect line count, broken auto-indent)
• Fixed incorrect auto-indent after a blank line
• Fixed selection after undoing some operations

Tray:

• Tray is kept onscreen if monitor resolution changes
• Fixed tray appearing on top of fullscreen windows after restarting Explorer
• Tray matches the position/size of taskbar when using older Windows (<11)
• Attempt to reopen tray after a crash
• Fixed "Reset tray position" button closing windows and breaking the tray hotkey

Installer:

• Installer now ensures that ChromaFiler is not running before continuing with (un)installation.
• Fixed installer overwriting default file browser setting

v0.4.0-beta

See installation instructions.

Note: If you have a previous version installed you will need to uninstall first since the executable name has changed!

• Added a "welcome" dialog on first launch with common tasks
• You can now change the default file browser after installation in the settings dialog
• Fixed tray using incorrect scaling
• Fixed default position of tray
• Fixed windows not closing after item is deleted
• Fixed file format detection when browsing some external devices (eg. Android phones)
• Items are deselected after double-clicking
• More specific error messages
• Installer improvements
  • App can now be installed for a single user
  • Fixed installer launching app as administrator

v0.3.0-beta

See installation instructions.

• Text editor is now enabled by default
• Text editor improvements:
  • Word wrap toggle
  • Zoom in/out
  • Scroll horizontally with a touchpad
  • Settings page with options for font, auto-indent, scratch files, etc.
  • Improved save confirmation dialog
  • Fixed files not saving when shutting down
• New option in the installer to add chromafile to the "Open with" menu
• Press Win+Alt+C at any time to focus the Tray
• Made it harder to accidentally close the Tray
• Made it harder to accidentally scroll horizontally in a folder
• Fixed settings dialog not staying open after the last window is closed
• Fixed a crash caused by preview/thumbnail info text

v0.2.1-beta

See installation instructions.

• High DPI support
• chromafile can be started from the command line with a relative path
• Automatically delete empty scratch files
• Moving the tray also moves any open child windows
• Fixed missing save prompt when closing the text editor from the taskbar
• Fixed closing multiple windows in a row from the taskbar
• Fixed taskbar thumbnails not matching their titles
• Tray no longer appears in alt-tab switcher
• Fixed a memory leak