Thunar, the default file manager for Xfce, and does not support split view. In a bug reported in 2013 this feature was requested, but Nick Schermer, one of the Thunar developers, said that Thunar would not have split view support because "Thunar is intended by design to be simple and easy to use«.
Since Thunar is open source software, Roman, an XFCE user, decided to take this matter into his own hands and to implement the split or double panel in Thunar and has released a patch, so all those looking for this feature can use their work.
Maybe the XFCE developers will change their mind and implement this feature at some point (or maybe not), but until then, if you really need this feature, you can grab the patch from here. If you use Xubuntu 14.04 o 14,10, Andrew (from Webupd8) has uploaded Thunar with the split view patch to a PPA so it can be easily installed.
Before using this patch, it is important to note that currently, the split view that we are going to get is quite basic: It does not appear in the Thunar menu (you must use "F3" to activate the panel), and you cannot set Thunar to start in split view mode by default. Also, the patch may be buggy.
How to install split view in Thunar?
This PPA is for testing only! Andrew clarifies that he is not a programmer and any bugs related to the split view feature will remain until someone updates the patch.
To add the PPA we type:
sudo add-apt-repository ppa: webupd8team / experiments sudo apt-get update sudo apt-get install thunar thunar -q
And finally, restart Thunar:... "F3" is used to turn the additional panel on / off.
How to reverse the changes
If you want to revert the changes and go back to the Thunar version from the official Xubuntu repositories, we remove the PPA using ppa-purge:
sudo apt-get install ppa-purge sudo ppa-purge ppa: webupd8team / experiments
Article and pictures taken from Webupd8
"Thunar is intended by design to be simple and easy to use."
I use both panels in nemo because it seems like a very easy way to work with files
My preferred filemanager and the one I always use is Thunar, I don't think I need this feature, it has tabs anyway. The news is still valid, thanks for sharing.
Well, if you use Debian Wheezy, I don't think Thunar comes with an option to use tabs.
I think it's great! I use thunar and the truth is that I really needed this feature. In my particular case, this is more practical than using tabs.
"Thunar is intended by design to be simple and easy to use"
With this argument they should not have implemented the use of tabs either, but hey… it's my opinion
Split view of folders is usually more practical than having a couple of tabs open.
I am surprised that this function exists even in Box - based on MATE, a DE I think more basic than XFCE - and is not available in Thunar. In fact, if I could, I would remove Thunar and use SpaceFM, by far more flexible.
They also said that they were NEVER going to put TABS on him and we already see that they had to give in. I really do not understand this kind of developers to whom a crowd suggests a new functionality and, it is not that they say that they are going to study it or something like that, but they say that never, that first dead than bathed in blood and things like that. I really don't understand them. And not at all because in the end they back down and incorporate what people had been telling them for a long time.
Luckily now I went from XFCE to LXDE and with pcmanfm I'm doing great. Nothing to wonder about thunar.
They are sure to give in to pressure too.
Xfce is a very good desktop, hopefully the creators continue to develop this desktop.
I share your opinion!
Thank you for communicating it.
I think the implementation of the divided panel is very good!
A few weeks ago I was crazy to use openbox again and I was testing the new PCManFM and this one sooooo good has come a long way
XFCE should not be left behind and start implementing new things on your desktop!
Thanks for the info
I do not know, the truth is an option that is indifferent to me since you can always open a second panel with Ctrl + t
I mean, it's not a bad thing but I think other aspects should be improved, such as facilitating the elimination of entries of type »Open with» or the possibility of adding items to the «Send to» menu in a more interactive way, since normally you have to resort to To edit text files manually to be able to customize these options, this makes the program more cumbersome in this regard for those users with less experience.
I prefer that they improve and debug the program rather than add new things that weigh it down.
And how would it be installed in Manjaro?
"Thunar is intended by design to be simple and easy to use"
I sincerely believe that there is nothing more practical than the split screen to drag elements from one side to the other, because using two windows, you have to align them first and you waste more time.