Cosmil - In-development Finder Alternative

[cosmil]

For the past couple months I've been developing a Finder alternative for Intel and Apple Silicon Macs.

I'm making this out of a personal frustration with using Finder, especially as someone coming from a background of Windows/Linux. With Cosmil, my aim is to create a beautiful, functional, and intuitive file explorer for Mac (and perhaps other platforms in the future).

I've gotten pretty far with Cosmil as mostly a side-project, implementing many neat features and creating a UI that I, and based off prior feedback I've gotten from r/macapps, many others like.

I'm planning to release around early next year (yes it will be paid) and I want to get as much feedback as possible between now and then. One of my beta-testers suggested posting on these forums, so I'd love to hear what you guys think of the app in its current state and what features you'd really like to see in an app like this.

If you're especially interested, Cosmil has a website and Discord Server, where I post changelogs and day-to-day development updates. I'll likely give long-time, active Discord members major discounts upon release.

 

[wubsylol]

Sounds interesting, can you run through some of the things from Finder you are seeking to fix and how Cosmil does that?

 

[cosmil]

Sounds interesting, can you run through some of the things from Finder you are seeking to fix and how Cosmil does that?

Apart from a general diversion from the overall look of Finder, there are quite a few things.

• Both Cut/Paste (Windows style) and Copy/Move (Mac style)
• Cloud Storage Integration
  • Cosmil already has FTP/FTPS (SFTP coming soon) support, which I was recently made aware Finder does support, but I hope to have at least one or two cloud providers supported upon release.
• Keybind customization
• Maybe: Custom programmable actions
  • Example: ⌘⌃D -> Delete all files w/ extension ".tmp" in folder "temp"
    
  • Background actions that run on a time interval
• Very customizable look and feel (you can already customize the window color, accent color, and various other things)

These are just some things off the top of my head, the goal is mostly to provide a more intuitive and beautiful experience, along with powerful extra features: Something both a casual and power user can find useful.

Some things may change, it really depends on what people want.

 

[bogdanw]

A good place to get feedback "Best Finder alternative" https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/best-finder-alternative.2258057/

 

[dbrewood]

Good call @bogdanw I'm now watching this thread. @cosmil Will it support dual pane operation at some point?

 

[Buadhai]

@cosmil Will it support dual pane operation at some point?

Right. For me that's the Finder's biggest shortcoming.

 

[6916494]

• Cut/Paste
  • It is ridiculous that Finder lacks this (even if they have move which I never personally got to work)

You haven't done your research properly. Because macOS does this. It has since the eighties.

You copy a file or multiple files, and paste them with the Option key to make it a move instead of a copy:

1. Cmd-C
2. Cmd-Opt-V (instead of Cmd-V which would create a copy resp. copies at the new location)

And this is actually better and safer than on Windows, because you decide to delete the file(s) at the old location when pasting, not when copying or cutting. So on macOS you will never lose a file inadvertently, while on Windows when you cut a file and do not paste it, it will be lost.

 

[6916494]

• Tree View
• Keybind customization/builder

TreeView exists: Select "List view" and "Arrange by 'None'".

Keybind customization/builder: If you mean by that to give the user the ability to change the keyboard shortcuts for the menu items of your application, then this is supported by macOS itself for all applications on a Mac. You'll find in the System Settings ( > Keyboard >Keyboard Shortcuts > App Shortcuts ).

 

[maclaw21]

Right. For me that's the Finder's biggest shortcoming.

TreeView exists: Select "List view" and "Arrange by 'None'".

Keybind customization/builder: If you mean by that to give the user the ability to change the keyboard shortcuts for the menu items of your application, then this is supported by macOS itself for all applications on a Mac. You'll find in the System Settings ( > Keyboard >Keyboard Shortcuts > App Shortcuts ).

It's not entirely clear to me what these features are. But what I would highly recommend is to allow navigation like in Windows explorer with folder navigation in the left-hand pane (nested like a tree) with files and other contents shown in the righthand pane. Clicking a folder in the right-hand pane would still work, and it the new navigation/folder path would still show in the lefthand pane.

 

[6916494]

[...] Will it support dual pane operation at some point?

You can open a second Finder window (for example with Cmd+N). And you can arrange one on the left of the screen and the other one on the right (I gave the two commands in the Window menu keyboard shortcuts for that, Cmd-L and Cmd-R).

But the usual way of copying or moving stuff in finder is within one window. I always work in columns view, but it will work in icon view and list view too. If you copy or move into a subfolder, just drag onto the folder, don't let go, wait for on second and the subfolder will open, then within that subfolder do the same with the chosen sub-subfolder, and so on
until you're in the right sub-sub-sub-...-folder, then release mouse or trackpad. And if you want a copy press the Option key when releasing instead of just releasing mouse or trackpad.

You can also drag onto a folder in the Finder's sidebar, again wait and do not release mouse or trackpad. That folder will show up, and then again you can go into any subfolder there.

And you can directly drag onto the path bar at the bottom of the Finder. This will not open that folder, but you can at least easily with that path bar copy or move to any parent folder.

 

[dbrewood]

Yep I'm aware of the above, but as a Forklift fan I tend to work with dual panes with a lot of pre-saved workspaces which makes it all so much easier.

 

[6916494]

I'm the exact opposite. Coming from Windows some 15 years ago I struggled so hard with Finder in the beginning, it was really an alien concept for me, and I searched and found ForkLift 1, which was a big help (despite all the flaws it had at the beginning).

But nowadays I only use ForkLift for FTP (since Finder still does not support secure FTP connections). And I wouldn't go back to dual panes ever.

 

[Janichsan]

• Cut/Paste
  • It is ridiculous that Finder lacks this (even if they have move which I never personally got to work)

Cmd + C, then cmd + opt + V

 

[cosmil]

Good call @bogdanw I'm now watching this thread. @cosmil Will it support dual pane operation at some point?

Sounds like it is a very highly requested feature, so Cosmil will likely have it upon release.

 

[cosmil]

@Janichsan @lukas.j

As I said, I personally never got move to work, and as a long time Windows user, it was an expectation that any file explorer would support Cut/Paste. I'll likely add a preference that allows you to choose between Cut/Paste and Copy/Move, that way everyone can use what they would like.

I think many would agree that they don't want to spend much time researching how to use their File Explorer for basic operations.

 

[dbrewood]

And I wouldn't go back to dual panes ever.

Intriguing, I find dual panes so much easier to work with.

 

[cosmil]

I'm the exact opposite. Coming from Windows some 15 years ago I struggled so hard with Finder in the beginning, it was really an alien concept for me, and I searched and found ForkLift 1, which was a big help (despite all the flaws it had at the beginning).

But nowadays I only use ForkLift for FTP (since Finder still does not support secure FTP connections). And I wouldn't go back to dual panes ever.

I'm happy to say Cosmil already supports FTPS and will support SFTP by release.

 

[tosbsas]

how to test?

 

[cosmil]

how to test?

Although I was looking for testers not that long ago, unfortunately I'm not currently looking for more at the moment.

 

[kc9hzn]

Honestly, when it comes to a Finder alternative, I reckon I’m one of those old timers who wouldn’t mind a Mac OS Classic style Finder, complete with proper spatial windows (and Spring Loaded Folders, which is what originally sold me on the Mac, for what it’s worth).

Columns view works well enough for 90% of what I do in terms of file management, and I’d usually use a dedicated piece of software like Cyberduck or Transit for FTP/SFTP than use Finder’s FTP support. So Finder alternatives aren’t really something I’m particularly interested in. But boy would I ever love to have a proper spatial Finder again, if just for the nostalgia factor!

 

[Hopscotcher]

@Janichsan @lukas.j

As I said, I never got move to work, and as a long time Windows user, it was an expectation that any file explorer would support this. I'll likely add a preference that allows you to choose between Cut/Paste and Copy/Move, that way everyone can use what they would like.

I'm sorry, but cut and paste is not complicated. No, it doesn't work like Windows, but you made the claim that Finder doesn't do this … and when it was pointed out that does, in fact, do this … you made some excuse why it's not good. I've never had it not work in two decades.

I think many would agree that they don't want to spend much time researching how to use their File Explorer for basic operations.

I think 100% of people here would disagree with you about this.

 

[Analog Kid]

Debates about copy/move aside, I kind of like what I assume will be a shelf for items to be copied. The visual reminder of whats on the clipboard is nice.

I'd also encourage you to make sure it interacts well with Terminal. Being able to pop open a terminal at the current directory, for example, and ensuring that dragging and dropping from cosmil to the command line works properly.

And please improve search. I feel like it's really burdensome to run a search in Finder. There's a lot more mouse work than I'd like, and certain things that I have to manually set every time by '+', drop down, select "File Visibility', drop down, select "Visible and Invisible", '+', drop down, select "System Files", drop down, select "Are Included".

Just making those two simple check boxes would simplify things a lot for me already.

 

[Analog Kid]

Hmmm... I'm not familiar with Tauri, but it's a bit risky to try to write something as fundamental to the Mac experience as a Finder replacement on a cross-platform Rust stack. Am I reading correctly that the UI for the app is then HTML?

 

[cosmil]

I'm sorry, but cut and paste is not complicated. No, it doesn't work like Windows, but you made the claim that Finder doesn't do this … and when it was pointed out that does, in fact, do this … you made some excuse why it's not good. I've never had it not work in two decades.


I think 100% of people here would disagree with you about this.

I never claimed anything except that I personally didn't find it very useful. Either way, Cosmil will have Copy/Move along with a more Windows feeling Cut/Paste.

Yes, you're likely right, but most people that will regular this forum are long-time Mac power users, and I want to make Cosmil usable for both the power users and average joes that just want a slightly better looking alternative.

I don't mean to argue with anyone or say that one way of doing things is right or wrong, I'm just explaining my own experiences that led me to developing Cosmil and hearing all these ideas and opinions is great to use as a sort of feature compass for Cosmil, so keep at it!

 

[cosmil]

Hmmm... I'm not familiar with Tauri, but it's a bit risky to try to write something as fundamental to the Mac experience as a Finder replacement on a cross-platform Rust stack. Am I reading correctly that the UI for the app is then HTML?

It is developed with Tauri, featuring a backend in Rust (well known for its safety and speed), and a frontend in Svelte (HTML + useful DX things).

The decision to use Tauri was originally made due to its simplicity, performance, and cross-platform support (Cosmil was initially intended to be released on all platforms but that has been postponed to keep the scope of the project in check). Overall Tauri has been great for Cosmil, it allows speedy implementation of things that would otherwise take far longer to program natively, with minimal sacrifices.

Also, apologies to everyone for not being very speedy with my replies, I am rather busy this week.