Overview

Over the years, the numerous releases of the Total Commander, formerly known as Wincmd, have seen a constant increase in popularity, especially due to the similarities between this application and the classical Norton Commander, a file manager for the Ms-Dos OS. However, Total Commander is the file manager of choice even for younger users who did not come into contact with DOS. Total Commander greatly simplifies the file transfer and comparison and enables users to personalize it according to their preferences. At first glance, the features included would indicate that it was designed for advanced users rather than novices. While it is true that not everyone can make use of all the advanced file management options, the basic features are still there for all to enjoy.

Installation

The Total Commander installation kit can be downloaded as a 30 days trial version, in order to allow you to see whether you should pay 42 dollars for the full license. The program has been designed in compatibility to all the Windows OS, from Windows 95 to Windows 7. The trial Total Commander 7.56a installation kit occupies 3.13 megabytes on your hard disk and it will require at least a Pentium I class processor or equivalent to run properly.

Interface

In terms of interface, Total Commander did not change much since its first release. The advantage of this application versus the Windows Explorer is that it enables users to view two directories at the same time, as the lower part of the window is split into two subsections. Therefore, users can easily compare files, folders or network locations without a lot of clicking. In addition, this feature simplifies file transfer a great deal.

Total Commander is also known for its versatility in choosing what kind of details should be displayed regarding the files and folders currently in view. Moreover, the upper part of the screen will allow you to place shortcuts to the program functions that are most commonly used, for more convenience.

Pros

The longevity of the Total Commander application is a testimony to its efficiency and convenience in file management. While it looks like a typical FTP program and its interface is basically the one used by Norton Commander, a lot of new features have been added over the years. One of the most appreciated functions is the archived file management. Total Commander makes it easy to pack and unpack files using Zip, RAR, ARJ, LHA and other popular archive types. More exactly, it manages the archived files in the same manner as directories and subdirectories and it even allows users to locate text strings inside them.

Total Commander also comes with an imbedded file-viewing utility, able to display the content of any file type, be them multimedia, text, hex or binary. Therefore, users no longer have to install specialized viewers for popular types of files. However, the viewing and editing possibilities of this utility are rather basic.

The Sync feature is another great advantage provided by Total Commander. This file manager enables you to synchronize directories for a better side by side comparison of files in terms of size, extensions, date and attributes. Moreover, the program can be used to connect to FTP servers over the internet in the same manner as local drives.  

Cons

The only disadvantage of Total Commander is its relatively high price, as the costs for the latest version vary between 38 and 42 dollars. However, it does eliminate the need to purchase and install several other applications, thanks to its wide range of functions.

Alternatives

If you are looking for a free clone of Total Commander, you should consider the application. While it does have the same basic functions and it does come free of charge, Ant Commander is missing the advanced features of Total Commander. is also a cheaper, yet still simpler alternative to Total Commander (it is priced around 20 dollars).

Conclusion

Total Commander is a powerful file manager packed with a large amount of features for both professional and intermediate users. While the program is a bit expensive, during the thirty day trial you will be able to notice whether you can make full use of the functions or not. In fact, most of the features presented are designed for advanced users.