TotalFinder for Mac v1.13.1: Finder Assistant Plugin and Companion for Mac Download – Chinese Activation Version

TotalFinder is a Finder enhancement plugin designed specifically for macOS. It is not an independent application, but rather seamlessly integrated into the native Finder, adding features such as multi-tab pages, dual-pane views, colored tags, and always-on-top folders, significantly enhancing file management efficiency. This article will provide a detailed introduction to its core interface, complete workflow, and practical tips.

一、核心界面与工作区详解

After launching TotalFinder, you will still see the familiar Finder window, but you will notice some new elements added to the top toolbar and interface.

1.1 主要新增界面元素

These new elements are not randomly piled up, but are carefully designed to enhance daily operations efficiency. Each element has its unique usage scenario.

• 标签页栏：位于窗口标题栏下方，类似现代浏览器。您可以在此打开、关闭、切换多个文件夹标签页。
• 双面板切换按钮：通常位于工具栏右侧（一个分为两半的矩形图标）。点击后，当前窗口会垂直分割为左右两个独立的面板，每个面板都有自己的路径导航、工具栏和标签页。
• 彩色标签：在文件列表视图中，为文件或文件夹分配的彩色标签会以整行高亮的形式显示，比原生 Finder 的点状标签更为醒目。
• Visor 面板：一个可以从屏幕顶部滑下的半透明 Finder 窗口（需在偏好设置中启用），方便快速访问。
• 工具栏新增项目：可能会增加“显示隐藏文件”、“文件夹置顶”等快捷按钮。

1.2 工作区布局

TotalFinder 提供了两种核心工作区模式，您可以根据不同任务灵活切换。

1. 标签页模式：单窗口多标签，适合在多个关联目录间快速切换。例如，您在编写代码时，可以同时打开项目文件夹、资源文件夹和输出文件夹。
2. 双面板模式：单窗口内左右并列两个独立面板，非常适合进行文件的对比、拖拽移动或复制操作，是替代传统“Commander”风格文件管理器的解决方案。

二、完整操作流程：从启动到导出

The following process demonstrates how to complete a typical file organization task using TotalFinder. We will use organizing the “Downloads” folder as an example.

2.1 启动与创建新标签页

Ensure that TotalFinder is correctly installed and running. You can start Finder by clicking the Finder icon in the Dock or by pressing Command + N.

操作： 点击Dock中的Finder图标，或按Command + N打开一个新的Finder窗口。此时TotalFinder已自动加载。

新建标签页： 在已打开的Finder窗口中：

• 点击标签页栏上的“+”号。
• 或使用快捷键Command + T。

新标签页会继承当前标签页的侧边栏和视图设置，但路径初始化为“个人收藏”中的默认项（如“访达”）。

2.2 使用双面板模式整理文件

Assume that you need to move images from the “Downloads” folder to the “Images” folder and categorize them by projects.

1. 启用双面板： 在当前Finder窗口，点击工具栏上的双面板切换按钮，或使用快捷键Control + Command + D。窗口将分为左右两半。
2. 导航左面板： 点击左侧面板，使用侧边栏或按Command + Shift + O（打开“文稿”文件夹）等方式，导航至“Downloads”文件夹。
3. 导航右面板： 点击右侧面板，用同样方式导航至“Images”文件夹。
4. 选择与操作： 在左面板选中需要的图片文件，直接拖拽至右面板的目标子文件夹中，即可完成移动。按住Option键拖拽则为复制。

2.3 使用彩色标签进行分类标记

In the right panel’s “Images” folder, mark different project folders with colors.

1. 选中一个文件夹。
2. 右键点击，选择“标签”，然后从颜色列表中选择一个（如红色）。
3. 或者，使用快捷键Control + 数字键1-7来快速分配前7种颜色标签。此时，该文件夹在列表视图中的整行都会显示为浅红色背景。

2.4 利用“文件夹置顶”和“显示隐藏文件”

These two features significantly enhance file search and system maintenance efficiency.

• 文件夹置顶： 在列表视图下，点击工具栏上的“文件夹置顶”按钮（图标为↑A），或按Control + Command + F。所有文件夹将自动排序到列表最前面，不受名称、日期排序影响。
• 显示隐藏文件： 点击工具栏上的“显示隐藏文件”按钮（图标为.），或按Command + Shift + .（句点）。所有通常不可见的系统文件（以点开头）会以半透明样式显示出来。

2.5 通过Visor快速访问

(需在偏好设置中启用Visor功能)

At any application interface, press the preset hotkey (default is Control + Option + Command + V) to slide down a Finder window from the top of the screen. You can use this window to perform file operations. Press the hotkey again or click elsewhere to slide the window back into hiding.

2.6 Export and Completion

TotalFinder itself does not involve the concept of “export” as it deals with system files. After completing file management:

• You can simply close the Finder window.
• All changes (file locations, tag colors) have been saved in real-time to the system.
• To send files to others, you can right-click the file and choose “Share” or use “AirDrop” instead.

Three, Advanced Features

Mastering these techniques will allow you to fully leverage the potential of TotalFinder.

3.1 Advanced Tab Management

Tab management is not just about opening and closing. These tips will help you better organize your workflows.

• Open a folder in a new tab: Hold down the Command key and double-click a folder in the sidebar or list to open it in a new tab.
• Reorder tabs: Drag the tab labels to change their order.
• Tab silent: In the preferences, you can set new tabs to open in the background without automatically activating, keeping the current work tab focused.

3.2 Efficiency Techniques for Dual Panels

Dual-panel mode is the core of file operations. Mastering these techniques will make your workflow more efficient.

• Quickly sync paths: While navigating in one panel, you can click on a position in the sidebar and the other panel will sync to the same path.
• Independent view settings: The left and right panels can be set to different views (icons, list, column, gallery) without interfering with each other.
• Quickly switch panel focus: In dual-panel mode, use Control + Tab to quickly switch focus between the left and right panels.

3.3 Customizing Global Hotkeys and Visor

The Visor panel is a powerful tool for quick file access, and its hotkeys and appearance can be customized.

• In “TotalFinder Preferences” > “Visor”, you can customize the hotkeys for summoning/hiding Visor.
• You can set the default size, position (top, left, right), and sliding animation effect for the Visor window.
• Enable “Clipboard Monitoring” so that Visor automatically focuses on the folder containing the file path when Visor is displayed.

Four, Common Issues and Solutions

During use, you may encounter some common issues. Below are detailed solutions.

4.1 TotalFinder Does Not Work or Menu Bar Is Not Displayed

Issue: After opening Finder, you do not see the tabs or TotalFinder menu item.

Solution:

1. Ensure TotalFinder is correctly installed and authorized.
2. Open “System Preferences” > “Extensions” > “Finder Extensions”, and check if “TotalFinder” is selected.
3. Execute the command killall Finder in the Terminal to restart Finder.
4. Check if there are other Finder plugins that conflict, try temporarily disabling them.

4.2 Dual Panel Mode Button Disappears

Issue: The dual panel switch button is missing from the toolbar.

Solution:

1. Right-click the Finder toolbar and choose “Customize Toolbar…”.
2. In the pop-up window, drag the “Dual Panel” icon (two rectangles) to the toolbar.
3. Alternatively, use the shortcut Control + Command + D to switch between panels.

4.3 Compatibility Issues with macOS New Versions

Issue: After upgrading macOS, TotalFinder may crash or experience function anomalies.

Solution:

1. First, visit the TotalFinder website to check if an update for the new system is available.
2. While waiting for the update, you can temporarily uninstall the TotalFinder plugin from the Launchpad or System Preferences to use the native Finder.
3. Follow the developer’s announcements, as these system-level plugins usually require time to adapt.

4.4 How to Temporarily Disable TotalFinder

It doesn’t need to be uninstalled. Simply click the TotalFinder icon in the menu bar and choose “Disable TotalFinder”. You can enable it again when needed.

4.5 How to Restore Default Settings

If you have adjusted settings and want to restore them, click the “Restore Default Settings” button in the “TotalFinder Preferences”. This won’t affect your files.

4.6 Why Some Shortcuts Are Not Working?

Check if other applications (such as Alfred, BetterTouchTool) are occupying the same shortcuts. You can customize all shortcuts in the TotalFinder Preferences.

4.7 How to Confirm TotalFinder Is Properly Loaded?

Open Finder and check if the “TotalFinder” menu item appears in the menu bar or if the tab bar is visible at the top. If not, check the system extension settings.

4.8 Does TotalFinder Support macOS’s “Quick Look” Feature?

Yes, TotalFinder fully supports macOS’s “Quick Look” feature (press the spacebar to preview files).

4.9 Can Multiple Dual Panel Windows Be Used Simultaneously?

Yes. You can open multiple Finder windows, and each can be independently enabled or disabled for dual panel mode.

4.10 What If Finder Is Very Slow After Installation?

First, try restarting your Mac. If the problem persists, check for other plugins that might be causing conflicts. You can temporarily disable TotalFinder to see if the speed improves. If only TotalFinder is causing the issue, report it to the developer.

Five, TotalFinder Shortcut Summary (Mac Version)

Shortcuts are key to enhancing operation efficiency. Below is a table of the most commonly used shortcuts in TotalFinder.

Six、Practical Case: Efficiently Organizing Project Files

Assume you are a designer needing to organize a folder containing multiple sub-projects. This case will demonstrate how to utilize the features of TotalFinder.

6.1 Scenario Setup

You have a folder named “Project 2024” containing three sub-projects: A, B, and C. Each sub-project has “Design稿”, “文案”, and “Output” sub-folders. You need to consolidate all “Design稿” folders’ contents into another location.

6.2 Operation Steps

Step 1: Open the “Project 2024” folder and enable dual-pane mode. The left panel displays “Project 2024”, while the right panel displays the target folder (e.g., “Comprehensive Design Summary”).

Step 2: In the left panel, hold down the Command key and double-click on the “Project A” folder to open it in a new tab. You can switch between multiple tabs.

Step 3: In the “Project A” tab, enter the “Design稿” sub-folder. Select all files using Cmd + A and drag them to the “Project A” sub-folder in the right panel.

Step 4: Switch to the “Project B” tab and repeat the above steps. By switching tabs, you can achieve high efficiency without repeatedly navigating.

Step 5: After organizing, assign different colored tabs to each sub-project folder in the “Comprehensive Design Summary” folder (e.g., Project A in red, Project B in blue). Use the shortcut Control + number key to quickly complete this.

This case showcases how TotalFinder combines multi-tab browsing, dual-pane operations, colored tabs, and Visor quick panel features to achieve efficient and organized file management.

Seven、Conclusion

TotalFinder integrates seamlessly into the native Finder of macOS, offering powerful features such as tab browsing, dual-pane operations, colored tabs, and Visor quick panel. These features are not mere decorative elements but significantly enhance file management efficiency and experience. Whether for daily office work, development, or design tasks, mastering TotalFinder can elevate your Mac experience to a new level. It is recommended that you spend some time familiarizing yourself with its shortcuts and preference settings, turning this tool into a reliable helper in your digital life.