Terminal-Based-File-Explorer

Terminal Based File Explorer with a limited feature set

Objective:

Build a fully functional File Explorer Application, albeit with a restricted feature set.

The file explorer works in two modes:\

1. Normal mode (default mode) - used to explore the current directory and navigate the filesystem\
2. Command mode - used to enter shell commands
   The root of the application is the directory where the application is started. The application displays data starting from the top-left corner of the terminal window, line-by-line. The last line of the display screen is to be used as a status bar.

Normal mode:

Normal mode is the default mode of the application. It has the following functionalities -

1. Display a list of directories and files in the current folder a. Every file in the directory is displayed on a new line with the following attributes for each file i. File Name
   ii. File Size
   iii. Ownership (user and group) and Permissions
   iv. Last modified
   All of this is displayed in human readable format
   b. The file explorer shows entries . and .. for current and parent directory respectively
   c. User can navigate up and down in the file list using the corresponding up and down arrow keys

2. Open directories and files When enter key is pressed -
   a. Directory - Clears the screen and navigates into the directory and shows the directory contents as specified in point 1
   b. File - Opens the file in vi editor

3. Traversal
   a. Go back - Left arrow key takes the user to the previously visited directory
   b. Go forward - Right arrow key takes the user to the next directory
   c. Up one level - Backspace key takes the user up one level
   d. Home - H key takes the user to the home folder (the folder where the application was started)

Command Mode:

The application enters the Command button whenever “:” (colon) key is pressed. In the command mode, the user can enter different commands. All commands appear in the status bar at the bottom.

1. Copy - ‘copy <source_file(s)> <destination_directory>’
   Move - ‘move <source_file(s)> <destination_directory>’
   Rename - ‘rename <old_filename> <new_filename>’
   a. Eg - ​ copy foo.txt bar.txt baz.mp4 ~/foobar
   move foo.txt bar.txt baz.mp4 ~/foobar
   rename foo.txt bar.txt
   b. It is assumed that the destination directory exists and we have the write permissions.
   c. Copying/Moving directories is also implemented
   d. The file ownership and permissions remain intact

2. Create File - ‘create_file <file_name> <destination_path>’
   Create Directory - ‘create_dir <dir_name> <destination_path>’
   a. Eg - create_file foo.txt ~/foobar
   create_file foo.txt .
   create_dir foo ~/foobar

3. Delete File - ‘delete_file <file_path>’
   Delete Directory - ‘delete_dir <dir_path>’
   The file/dir path is relative to the root from where the application is run.

4. Goto - ‘goto ’
   a. Eg - ​ goto <directory_path>
   b. Absolute path wrt application root has to be given

5. Search - ‘search <file_name>’ or ‘search <directory_name>’
   a. Searches for a given file or folder under the current directory recursively
   b. Output is displayed as True or False depending on whether the file or folder exists

6. On pressing ESC key, the application goes back to Normal Mode