Browsing in Phials
You browse the same files and folders available to your system’s native file manager. Phials adds shortcuts for reaching useful locations and lets you keep separate browsing contexts open.
Reach a location
The Navigator panel contains shortcuts and destinations rather than the contents of the current folder. Its sections can include:
- Favorites for shortcuts to files and folders
- Locations for drives, cloud storage, network locations, and Trash where supported
- Workspaces for folders with Workspace Folder data
- Layouts for saved center arrangements
- Saved searches for reusable searches
Choosing a folder or location in the Navigator opens it in an available Explorer tab. You can also open a location in a new Explorer tab when you want to keep the current one in place.
Each Explorer tab has its own context
An Explorer tab owns its current location, Back and Forward history, selection, and file view. Two Explorer tabs can show the same folder while using different selections or views. Changes in one tab do not retarget the other.
Selecting a file highlights it and updates selection-following panels. Opening a folder navigates the Explorer tab. Opening a file uses its primary action, which may focus a file tab, start playback, or hand the file to another application.
For the controls behind these ideas, see Navigate folders and paths, Open and switch Explorer tabs, and Open files in Phials or another app.