Install¶
Download and install¶
On macOS and Linux, in a terminal:
On macOS this puts Bella Commander into /Applications (or ~/Applications if you cannot write there). On Linux it puts the AppImage as ~/.local/bin/bcmd.
On Windows, in PowerShell:
This runs the installer for your user; Bella Commander then appears in the Start menu.
Bella Commander runs on macOS (Apple silicon and Intel), Windows (x64 and ARM) and Linux (x64 and ARM).
First start¶
Bella Commander opens with your home folder in both panes. Everything works for 30 days; see License for what happens after.
On macOS, the first start asks for Full Disk Access. Without it macOS hides some folders (Mail, Messages, Safari, other users) from every app. Open System Settings → Privacy & Security → Full Disk Access and switch on Bella Commander, then restart it.
The settings files are created on the first start, with every option and its default written in them as comments. See Configuration files.
Updates¶
Bella Commander asks for a new version at every start, in the background. A new version shows a dialog: Install and restart, Later, or Skip this version. What's new (or N) unfolds what changed; the arrow and page keys scroll it. "Check for updates" in the command palette asks at any time. To turn the check off, set check = false under [updates] in settings.toml.
From a terminal¶
| Command | Does |
|---|---|
bcmd |
starts Bella Commander, or brings it to the front |
bcmd FOLDER |
opens the folder in the active pane |
bcmd LEFT RIGHT |
opens two folders, in the left and the right pane |
bcmd FILE |
opens the file's folder with the cursor on it |
bcmd --toggle |
shows the window, or hides it while it is in front |
bcmd --help, bcmd --version |
prints the usage or the version |
A running Bella Commander takes the folders over, so bcmd . in a terminal shows the terminal's folder in the open window.
On macOS, folders can also be opened from Finder (Open With) or by dropping them on the Dock icon. The macOS app does not put bcmd on your PATH; to use it from a terminal, link it once:
Uninstall¶
Delete the app (macOS: from Applications; Windows: Settings → Apps; Linux: ~/.local/bin/bcmd). Your settings and license stay in the folders listed under Configuration files; delete those too to remove everything.