The official site of the ultimate Xbox storage device explorer.
FATXplorer Public Alpha v2.0.0.3366
If you have already read this article, please read it again as new information has been added and a bug/issue list has been added as well.
New awesome about box, with FATXplorer’s new icon created by i W e R e Z.
You have been waiting, and your patience has paid off. I present to you a small taste of what is to come. This has truly been a test of my programming skills, but I have managed to solve nearly every problem that has come my way and turn this program into the best storage device explorer ever created. This program is the ultimate tool for any modder, experienced or new. This has been in development since January. It was planned to be an update of epic proportions and it is turning out to be just that, but even more. I’m not going to write a huge post, I’ll do that for the RTM release. ;p So I’ll just list the main features and everything in case you do not know what this is capable of..
Top bug reporter: Nothinbeter2do
Important
Write operations on the FATX tree have been disabled in the alpha. You cannot inject files, rename files, delete files, create folders, delete folders, or anything else of that sort. These will, of course, be possible in the final release.
Really Important
If you click “Storage Device Information” and it asks you to give a name, DO NOT do it unless you want to wipe your drive. And do not click the save button in that dialog either.
Don’t complain me if you do.
Performance
In the v1.x releases, performance wasn’t its forte. It would take up to 5 minutes to load a folder with over 100 files. In this version, it loads them in the blink of an eye. And that is the truth. I am in the process of redesigning the way I handle the cluster chain maps to improve file injection speed. In this release, it loads ANY size drive INSTANTLY. In v1.2, it took 21 seconds to load a 500gb HDD. In this version, it takes 1 second.
I also improved the use of threads for better performance on multi-core systems.
Overall, you should expect this version to run faster and more efficiently than any previous release.
Main Feature List
Completely new drag and drop based file transfer system
I have taken a completely new approach to the file transfer system. This new system will eliminate most bugs people were having with the threaded refreshing methods. And that’s right.. drag and drop is now possible. Not in the way you might think, though. It has been implemented in a much better way. Look at this picture.
The tree on the left is a representation of your computer’s file system. You can go to the parent directory by clicking the small arrow on the address bar and go to the logical drives by clicking the big arrow. In order to go into a folder, you simply double click it. The address bar is completely functional. Edit it correctly and you will go to that folder. Comprehensive error handling has been implemented to help stop possible problems before they happen. The tree on the right is a representation of the FATX file system. It starts off in the logical partition root and you can explorer from there. The same exploration technique applies for both trees.
*You can change the startup directory for the PC tree in the settings.
*Multiselection is completely functional!
So, how does the drag and drop work? Simple. You drag and drop nodes in between trees. Here is a list of all of the supported operations:
PCTree to PCTree
-File over Folder (To move files into folders)
-Folder over Folder (To move folders into other folders)
FATXTree to PCTree
-File over File (Will extract the file to the current directory)
-File over Folder (Will extract the file to that directory)
-File over White Space (Will extract the file to the current directory)
-Folder over File (Will extract the folder to the current directory)
-Folder over Folder (Will extract the file to that current directory)
-Folder over White Space (Will extract the folder to the current directory)
PCTree to FATXTree
–Not supported in the alpha.
I really want some feedback on this new system. So please comment on this post with your thoughts.
File and Folder Operations
Here is what you can do to files and folders on the PC tree:
I shouldn’t need to explain any of those.
RSS News Viewer
Don’t want to open your browser to get the latest news? Then use the built in RSS News Viewer!
It displays the 10 most recent articles published here.
*If you do not want it to appear on startup, disable it in the settings.
More Settings and Skins
This version contains a number of new settings and skins to customize the look and feel of FATXplorer to your taste.
Microsoft Office Ribbon Based Interface
I wanted this version to have a new UI. So I decided to try the ribbon. I do not regret it. It supports both Office 2007 and Office 2010 styles.
Also, the quick launch bar is fully supported! The layout is saved upon closing and restored upon opening.
Undelete/Deleted Item Viewer
When enabled in the settings, you are able to browse deleted folders and extract deleted files. Much more efficiently than XPort. Deleted files and folders will have “(Deleted)” in their name.
*Normal files and folders will also be displayed.
New Icon
Thanks to i W e R e Z, I have a great new icon that I can show off. It comes in all shapes and sizes, including Vista/7 256×256, for maximum viewing pleasure.
I would definitely come back to this guy for future graphic work, and you should too! You can find his Facebook page here.
USB Support
*Note: Currently has a small bug, may fail to load larger USBs. See the bug report below.
USB modding has become a great way for the average person to get into modding. With this version, it will allow you to browse USB data and devices just as easily as a standard MU or HDD. Simply click “Open USB Data” to open the data folder manually or connect a USB device, Refresh, and it will detect it so you can load it with the click of a button.
File/Folder Labeling
Nothing really new, but they have been improved and tweaked.
Internal File Name Labels *New in this version*
*Having all of these enabled in the settings may result in a small loss in performance while loading content.
STFS Metadata Tooltips
This is in v1.2, but it has been improved. Hover your mouse over a content package to see more information.
Package Types and Content Types
This is in v1.2, but it has been improved.
Windows 7 Integration
Windows 7 users will have a nice little treat. If an operation is going on, it will look like this:
And when an error occurs during that threaded process, it will turn red.
*This is ONLY supported on Windows 7.
Better Extraction/Injection
Instead of a simple progress bar, I have made a threaded form that will even allow you to cancel the operation!
Device Information Form
You can now view and edit some device information. (A lot of mine is blank because this is my JTAG HDD with no SS.)
Tree Icon Sizes
You can change the icon sizes for both trees here.
*There is also 256×256, but you need to scroll down to see it.
Conclusion
This is meant to be a small preview of what is to come in the next month or so. I consider this build to be stable and suitable for use. A lot of features are broken or incomplete. Anything that is grayed out is not completed, but will be in the final release.
I released this build to show you guys what I, a single person, am capable of. I really would appreciate any sort of feedback. Please post your comments, bug reports, and any questions in the form of a comment on this article.
By downloading, testing, and reporting bugs and suggestions for this version, you are helping to make the final version as bug free and stable as possible. Thanks!
Confirmed Bug and Issue List
*Red = active, Blue = fixed
-On rare occasions, an exception will be thrown when closing the program. (Nothinbeter2do)
-There is a problem when opening bigger USB sticks. (Nothinbeter2do)
-Incorrect size reported when loading larger dump files, will result in the Content partition being broken. (JP)
*Any fixes will appear in later builds.
Download
Expired.
Expiration Date
This is a build accessible to all users and is completely free to use. However, this build does have a set expiration date. It will stop working for everyone on Monday, July 19th, 2010.
Future Public Previews
The main factor influencing another future preview release is the amount of interest in this release. If I do not see many comments and feedback, I probably will not bother to release a new preview.
http://img16.imageshack.us/img16/1091/37476789.pngMo