MiXplorer: Q&A and FAQ (User Manual)

[IronTechmonkey]

Update to Servers Post: https://forum.xda-developers.com/t/mixplorer-q-a-and-faq-user-manual.3308582/post-65157350. General cleanup, significant rearrangement of sections, Addition of section "Starting servers" and new subsection for creating deeplinks (text of the new copy is quoted below)..

"Additionally, servers can be toggled on/off by using deep-links which are essentially web hyperlinks that can be used to create home-screen shortcuts or which can be run programmatically without requiring the management of other parameters. When invoked by a home screen shortcut or programmatically the server will be toggled on or off. Home screen shortcuts can be created by any of many methods including:from within Launchers (eg Nova), or from within some web browsers, or by Tasker, Edge Gestures, Automate, or any app that can create a hyperlink shortcuts on the home screen.

For example here is a hack-ish but effective method that was used to create one of the shortcuts. Paste the link into a browser > attempted to connect > attempt fails because network is off or there is no website > use feature to create a home screen shortcut > the shortcut takes the name of the error page but effectively toggles the server > rename shortcut.

These are the deep-links links for toggling each server.

https://mixplorer.com/app/ftp/trigger
https://mixplorer.com/app/sftp/trigger
https://mixplorer.com/app/http/trigger
https://mixplorer.com/app/smb/trigger

 

[IronTechmonkey]

By pressing the x i mean closing the app without saving the file, (see attached image).

I don't believe the top bar in that screenshot is a MiXplorer component and think that maybe the OS or some third-party utity is force closing the app therby bypassing the prompts.

Actually my question is if the app has autosave....

Indeed that was your question but it was surrounded by details that made it seem as if you might not even be reporting from MiXplorer. Thanks for clarifying.

As to the crux of your question, MiXplorer does some things to protect data while we copy or move files and may use some sort of cache to protect data when we edit files but there is no auto-save.

You could try requesting autosave in the main thread but I can assure you the suggestion would be met with some resistance, logical and reasonably delivered resistance, from some people about making MiXplorer too heavy with features that go beyond file management or access, IE MiX is not a word processor. I would be one of those people but that is a personal opinion and does not mean it would be unreasonable for you to suggest. I'm just letting you know the nature of the room you may be walking into. You could start by seeing what people think of your suggestion here in the FAQ and perhaps by citing examples of other file manager apps which are focus on the same type of file management as is MiXplorer but which offer an auto-save feature for document editing.

 

[AI1980]

I don't believe the top bar in that screenshot is a MiXplorer component and think that maybe the OS or some third-party utity is force closing the app therby bypassing the prompts.



Indeed that was your question but it was surrounded by details that made it seem as if you might not even be reporting from MiXplorer. Thanks for clarifying.

As to the crux of your question, MiXplorer does some things to protect data while we copy or move files and may use some sort of cache to protect data when we edit files but there is no auto-save.

You could try requesting autosave in the main thread but I can assure you the suggestion would be met with some resistance, logical and reasonably delivered resistance, from some people about making MiXplorer too heavy with features that go beyond file management or access, IE MiX is not a word processor. I would be one of those people but that is a personal opinion and does not mean it would be unreasonable for you to suggest. I'm just letting you know the nature of the room you may be walking into. You could start by seeing what people think of your suggestion here in the FAQ and perhaps by citing examples of other file manager apps which are focus on the same type of file management as is MiXplorer but which offer an auto-save feature for document editing.

thanks, in summary it doesnt have autosave.

I am not looking to use the app for text editing, was just exploring the functionalities it has, and one is text editer.

 

[IronTechmonkey]

thanks, in summary it doesnt have autosave.

I am not looking to use the app for text editing, was just exploring the functionalities it has, and one is text editer.

Fair point. No auto-save except obsessively tapping the save icon.

[EDIT] @AI1980, Also, were you referring to auto-save as a full saving of the document in its current form every X number of minutes as you edit or were you talking about autosave only in regard to recovering a file that's no more than X number of minutes old if the program crashes crash. Either way MiXplorer has no formalized feature but I'm wondering if it already has the un-formalized potential to recover a file after an app crash.

 

[nacos]

[Edited]
I got it!
Sorry, I didn't thoroughly read through your overly detailed initial post, where you clearly explained it. Again, thank you for such a great app!

Hi,
I've been using your app for quite some time and I find it to be one of the best, if not THE best root file explorer.

I just bumped into some weird situation where I wanted to restore a custom skin I made (.mic) and while I was able to successfully export it, there seems to be no way to import it. Same goes for bookmarks and settings saved (exported) as a .mir file.

Could you please bring some clarity into this?

Thanks!

MiXplorer: Q&A and FAQ (User Manual)

Table Of Contents:

i. INTRODUCTION, GETTING MIXPLORER, & INSTALLATION (This post)
ii. UI, NAVIGATION, VIEW CONFIGURATION, BOOKMARKS, TABS
iii. WORKING WITH FILES & FOLDERS (Copy Move methods, Trash option)
iv. FTP, HTTP, TCP SERVERS
v. MiX NUGGETS (Freestanding Topical Posts)
vi. THEMES and SKINS
vii. BUG REPORTING, TROUBLESHOOTING, AND FAQ WIP
MiX Nugget - Settings Overview: https://forum.xda-developers.com/t/mixplorer-q-a-and-faq-user-manual.3308582/post-82834917

Notes:

If you are just starting with MiXplorer then a general review of this FAQ might be helpful but if you seek information about a particular feature or workaround you can see if there is a "MiX Nugget" for it. MiX Nuggets are individual freestanding FAQ posts which describe a MiXplorer feature in enough detail for basic use without having to sift through whole FAQ. v. MiX NUGGETS (Freestanding Topical Posts).

Issues and workarounds of the moment:
As the android OS and individual apps evolve there are often clusters of issues for which there are common sets of symptoms and common workarounds. This section is to share a link to whatever is the latest such batch of such issues/workarounds. As of January 2023 this set of issues and potential workarounds is described in this post:
MiX Nugget: Troubleshooting SD card & USB OTG access, accessing /android/data, creating Document Providers, accessing folders on Andriod TV or Google TV, accessing folders in Android 13 and up, other things. https://forum.xda-developers.com/t/mixplorer-q-a-and-faq-user-manual.3308582/post-87626419.

--------------------------------------
i) INTRODUCTION

As mentioned in an introduction from the main thread: "MiXplorer (Mix of Explorers) is a fast, smooth, beautiful, reliable and fully-featured file manager with a simple and intuitive user interface." created by XDA member and Recognized Developer @HootanParsa

I (IronTechmonkey) am a MiXplorer user and who volunteered (was volunteered) to create the FAQ but I am not the/a developer. This FAQ attempts to describe configuration options, file & folder operations, UI options, and MiX utilities, as well as to share workarounds for known issues or usage cases. Please feel free to provide, suggestions, corrections, or additions which could be linked to or added to the OPs. Thanks to all for your input already as much of this comes from your questions and answers in the main MiXplorer thread. Thanks to @HootanParsa for such a good file management utility.

Please continue to direct bug reporting and tech discussion to the primary MiXplorer thread: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1523691.

Note: the developer is sometimes away for periods of time, days or weeks or even months, but is good about following up upon return.

SOME MIXPLORER HISTORY (MiXtory?)

This post by HootanParsa describes a how MiXplorer got started and some key events during its relationship with Google Play Store. https://forum.xda-developers.com/t/...y-featured-file-manager.1523691/post-77894840

Here is another note from HootanParsa regarding the history of MiXplorer on Playstore https://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1523691&p=73870110.

MiXplorer is closed source, and because the developer rarely if ever engages in discussions about closed vs. open source this is not discussed at length in the main MiX thread. This is not by any rule but rather by respect for the developer's decision. That being said, past discussions about closed vs. open source have been well informed and informative. Such discussions really do relate to software development, if not to the bugs to be fixed at any given moment, so please feel free to have such discussions here if/when they become too much for the main thread.

--------------------------------------
GETTING MIXPLORER

There are several ways to get MiXplorer and keep it updated.

1) XDA Version in Main Thread: https://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1523691:
This is the place for p the latest stable version, which is usually available in post 2. This is also where you can get the latest beta version. Note: it is always a good idea to check the main thread's OPs to see what version # is flagged as stable, as well as check the change-log. Add-ons can be obtained through the app which links to website.

2) Playstore (MiXplorer Silver). As announced by HootanParsa here https://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=78465999&postcount=27232; "MiX Silver a bundle of MiX with Archive and SMB2 addons and the latest language resources is uploaded in Play store as a paid app to support the development of MiXplorer. If you liked it and installed it and found a problem, please let me know. Thank you very much. "

Note: The Playstore-Silver and XDA-Stable versions of MiXplorer are essentially the same (sometimes with small variation) but the Playstore-Silver version includes some add-ons (describe below and at Playstore page) which would have to be installed separately and manually in the XDA version; otherwise the 2 version are functionally the same.

3) APK Mirror: This is an unsupported repository of more versions of MiX than most people would need, but some of these builds may be helpful in some situations and it provides access outside of Playstore.
MiX at APK Mirror: https://www.apkmirror.com/apk/hootan-parsa/mixplorer-hootanparsa/
Old link (just in case) https://www.apkmirror.com/uploads/?q=pishrodevs.
If this link does not work then search Google for [MiXplorer APK Mirror]
As to upgrade paths: The Play Store gives a one-shot installation and upgrade path for the app and its included add-ons. The XDA stable version allows users to decide specifically which add-ons are installed but offers a similarly simple upgrade path from with the app.

4) [POSSIBLE INACTIVE] APKMirror RSS Feeds: https://www.apkmirror.com/apk/pishrodevs/mixplorer-hootanparsa/feed/
[inactive?]http://www.apkmirror.com/apk/hootanparsa/feed/ The ApkMirror RSS feeds are considered by many to be a similarly "stable" and up to date as the main MiXplorer thread and XDA Labs but it offers less information about the development progression of recent updates.

Add-ons: MiXplorer Add-ons can be installed from within the app like this:
Settings > Addons > and click add button > follow links to browse and download appropriate add-ons.

--------------------------------------
INSTALLATION:

After installing MiXplorer there are some things that must be done in order to give MiXplorer proper access to storage locations and root or SU access. It is a good idea to get these things out of the way as part of the installation (or update) of MiXplorer rather than on-the-fly as you need to perform file management tasks. Here is a brief walk-through of how to give MiXplorer it's requisite permissions. This is written for Android Nougat which has more of these prerequisites than earlier Android versions so please note that things may differ across different ROMs and SU/root methods:

Do this stuff first, immediately after installing MiXplorer but before configuring it and importing skins and or settings

- At first run of MiXplorer at prompt "Allow MiXplorer to access photos, media, and files on your device?" Select to Allow.
- Make sure root is enabled in MiX setting > Navigate to Root "/" to force first time SU permissions request > Select " allow" and "remember".
- Navigate to external SD and create a new folder. There should a prompt "Attention Please select Ext SD... to gain permissions". Note: In some situations you may not have to create a folder to invoke this prompt.

BUG REPORTING

- Please report bugs in the primary MiXplorer thread here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1523691. Bug reports should include. details about your device (Android version, ROM version, Root status, SU method, MiXplorer version) as well as a step by step description of how to reproduce the issue and a log taken while the issue was reproduced. There are more suggestions for testing, logging and reporting bugs in this post: https://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=65157367&postcount=7

 

[m0han]

[Edited] I got it!....

You mean you found out how to restore? If not, have you tried tapping on the file in MiXplorer and choosing 'Import' from the pop-up options?

 

[nacos]

You mean you found out how to restore? If not, have you tried tapping on the file in MiXplorer and choosing 'Import' from the pop-up options?

Yes, this is the way to import all three types of .mic files, which is otherwise explained in the initial summary.

 

[IronTechmonkey]

Yes, this is the way to import all three types of .mic files, which is otherwise explained in the initial summary.

It seems that you have sorted this out but one other reminder about Imports is that if you are running parallel versions of MiX such as the beta and the XDA version, then make sure you are importing by using the proper version of MiX - each version will have an item in the import options. If you only have one version of mix this does not matter.

[EDIT] Corrected to "parallel version of MiX" not parallel versions of mic.

 

[nacos]

It seems that you have sorted this out but one other reminder about Imports is that if you are running parallel versions of MiC, such as the beta and the XDA version, then make sure you are importing by using the proper version of MiX - each version will have an item in the import options. If you only have one version of mix this does not matter.

Thank you for clarifying!

 

[IronTechmonkey]

MiX Nugget - Tools: Find Duplicates, Find App Remnants

Menu > Tools > Duplicates > finds duplicate items.
This scan is performed in the currently displayed folder; if that folder is at the top of a drive the scan can take some time. When scan is complete then tapping the Android notification will pop up a list of found items.

Menu > Tools > App remnants will search for app remnants.
This scan is not specific to the current directory. As the scan proceed the found results will be populated to the list.

Disclaimer: As with Recycle bin and Undo, and as with any feature that provides the opportunity to delete or remove found items, make sure you know what are the items you will be deleting and what will be the consequences of deleting/removing them.

 

[IronTechmonkey]

MiX- Nugget: Recycle Bin and Undo

As of version 6.59 MiXplorer's Undo feature (which previously tracked deleted files AND some file operations such as copy, move, and rename) has been separated into Recycle Bin and Undo which now track deleted items and other file operations separately. There are corresponding settings which, for the purposes of this documentation, should be set like so:

Settings > More settings > Recycle Bin > Enabled.

Settings > More settings > Undo > Enabled.

Settings > More settings > Remember delete option > Disabled.

---------
If Recycle Bin is enabled then, upon deleting files there will be a prompt offering a choice to send to recycle bin or to delete permanently.

---------
To restore deleted items or to reverse some file operations:

Menu > Undo > tap item = restore/undo immediately.

Menu > Undo > Long press item = see details.

Menu > Undo > Remove > select which category to remove (Undo (Delete, Rename, Copy, Move, All).

---------
Long-press-delete:

When Recycle Bin is enabled then long press delete (in top bar or in menu) = sends directly to Recycle Bin.

When recycle bin is disabled then long press delete (in top bar or in menu) = invoke regular permanent delete with prompt.

---------
The Recycle and Undo material will be in folders named .recycle in the root of internal and or external storage. Within that folder tree the deleted items may carry the original file names and in emergency can be restored manually but when using this feature it is best to restore item from within the menu whenever possible.

----------------
Disclaimer; Author's opinion: The Recycle Bins and Trash containers in OS such as Windows, iOS, and Linux, are dedicated parts of the operating systems and are not controlled by individual applications. As critical and long-standing functions of each OS there is little that can cause them to fail in those OS. In the Android universe these recycle or undo features are managed by the individual apps (in this case MiXplorer) within a highly variable operating system which is not designed to preserve such material on it's own.

Before committing to using these features, make sure they work for you from deletion to recovery by testing on some expendable files that are in the location you will be using. Confirm that you can navigate through the process, and that you can successfully Undo deletions and or other file operations (depending on your settings). Additionally, regardless of Recycle and Undo, any important data on a handheld device should be backed up regularly. For the purposes of testing it is recommended that you disable Settings > More settings "Remember delete option".

 

[IronTechmonkey]

FAQ Update:

- Overhaul of Nuggets post, consolidated, reorganized, grouped troubleshooting items together:
https://forum.xda-developers.com/t/mixplorer-q-a-and-faq-user-manual.3308582/post-65157352

- New Nugget for Tools - Tools: Find Duplicates, Find App Remnants:
https://forum.xda-developers.com/t/mixplorer-q-a-and-faq-user-manual.3308582/post-88077467

- New Nugget for Recycle Bin and Undo:
https://forum.xda-developers.com/t/mixplorer-q-a-and-faq-user-manual.3308582/post-88077515

 

[dbGHOST]

Encounter some weird behaviors recently:
Let's say I have a extreme long (e.g. 1000x30000) image in another app.
If I use Open With - MiX Image Viewer and double tap to fill horizontally, the image is quite blurry, as if it is a preview. It used to be clear a few versions back. I can't remember which version exactly but I can test.
If I use Open With - MiX Copy to, and save the image somewhere. Then within MiX explorer, open that image using Image Viewer, the image is quite clear.

 

[chanh2018]

Is it possible to increase the font size in Menu?
(I know in main screen I can pinch out with two fingers, but not in main menu)

 

[J.Michael]

Is it possible to increase the font size in Menu?
(I know in main screen I can pinch out with two fingers, but not in main menu)

Try increasing the font size in Android Settings -> Display to see if it affects the size in Mixplorer menus.

 

[chanh2018]

Try increasing the font size in Android Settings -> Display to see if it affects the size in Mixplorer menus.

Of course, changing the system font size will affect everything. I just want to change in Mixplorer app but not others.

 

[IronTechmonkey]

Of course, changing the system font size will affect everything. I just want to change in Mixplorer app but not others.

There may be ways to change the fonts in skins. There are some font parameters at the bottom of the list and there are some theme related resources which might explain how to use them.

 

[IronTechmonkey]

I started to feel responsible. Please don't upset me and forget about Titanium and your messages. ♡♡
@Spannaa @IronTechmonkey

At this point your troubleshooting is outside of MiXplorer. In other words, it's about a general issue with the device that may not be specific to MiXplorer. For that reason we should not discuss it in the MiXplorer development thread which is dedicated to the development of MiXplorer alone. I should have brought this conversation into this thread yesterday. That is why I'm now posting here in the FAQ where it is not so important to stay on topic.

The are other threads and resources which provide more helpful information about Android troubleshooting and replacing package manager and how to uninstall apps via ADB, but you are welcome to discuss that here as well. Even though it may not be a MiXplorer problem alone, your experience might help other people with MiXplorer. If you figure out how to fix this please do share the solution. If you discover an issue with MiXplorer specifically then definitely post in the main thread. Post 7 of the FAQ describes how to use MiX logging and report MiX issues.

 

[chanh2018]

How can I extract the theme from original app?
I see only option to export skin but not theme

 

[IronTechmonkey]

How can I extract the theme from original app?
I see only option to export skin but not theme

With the distinction between themes and skins in mind...

I don't know if the developer ever provided that theme as an independent entity (although something must exist for people to build custom themes on top of).

Skins can be exported, so you could create and save a new skin based on the default skin, then export the newly created skin. For a deeper dive into themes and skins you might consider checking the linked material from the opening posts of this thread and the main thread.