“Handle Windows Explorer from the System Tray”

When I read that this program enabled you to have a double-pane Windows File Explorer I must admit I expected something completely different. But the thing is that this application is not really a standalone file manager, but just a small tool that enables you to tweak the way Windows Explorer displays your files.

Side-By-Side Explorer puts an icon in the system tray from which you can open a single Windows Explorer window with the folder of your choice, or two simultaneous windows, each one with a different explorer. It may sound too simple but it can be very convenient to move files between folders and it's also a fast way to access your most frequently used folders.

The program is supposed to keep the windows's size and position, but that didn't work for me. Also, I didn’t like the fact that all the Explorer windows you open display the folder sidebar and there's no option in the Settings menu to disable it.

Languages:

English

OS requirements for Side-By-Side Explorer:

OS: Win2000/XP/2003

Minimum requirements:

.NET Framework 1.1 or higher

Pros

You can select the folder Windows Explorer should open when launched
You have direct access to frequently used folders

Cons

You can't disable the Folder sidebar

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From the publisher of Side-By-Side Explorer

Windows Explorer is an excellent file manager. But when you navigate to the same location over and over again, you wish you could do that easier.

SBS can start with Windows. You click its icon in the system tray, or choose from its context menu, to open Explorer sessions.

The Menu Builder is where you customize the context menu. Add SIDE-BY-SIDE or SINGLE sessions. An alternative way of using SBS is to add a collection of SINGLE sessions (the most frequently used) to the context menu, and when a SIDE-BY-SIDE session is needed, just open two of the menu sessions into a consolidated SIDE-BY-SIDE one.

Sessions have each a tray icon. From there, close, minimize, restore, resize, bring-to-front a session. Minimizing removes Explorers from the taskbar, to avoid clutter. No more lost Explorers among other windows, as sessions now own them. Close a session and it will close its Explorers. Or bring it to front. You may close Explorers manually and sessions update themselves automatically.