# File explorer functionality for DrRacket

**URL:** <https://racket.discourse.group/t/file-explorer-functionality-for-drracket/3037>\
**Category:** Questions & Answers\
**Created:** [July 18, 2024, 2:52pm UTC](https://racket.discourse.group/t/file-explorer-functionality-for-drracket/3037 "2024-07-18T14:52:45Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![frodeaux](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/racket.discourse.group/frodeaux/32/324_2.png) [@frodeaux](https://racket.discourse.group/u/frodeaux)\
**Post date:** [July 18, 2024, 2:52pm UTC](https://racket.discourse.group/t/file-explorer-functionality-for-drracket/3037/1 "2024-07-18T14:52:45Z")

</div>

For me, adding the ability to browse files/directories to DrRacket would be a giant help. I found a reference to the plugin, "files-viewer" but documentation links are broken. Can anyone offer how-to info on using this plugin or some other alternative? Thanks!

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![robby](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/racket.discourse.group/robby/32/7_2.png) [@robby](https://racket.discourse.group/u/robby)\
**Post date:** [July 18, 2024, 3:28pm UTC](https://racket.discourse.group/t/file-explorer-functionality-for-drracket/3037/2 "2024-07-18T15:28:33Z")

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I think it might work to do:

```scheme
raco pkg install files-viewer

```

or to use the "File|Install Package..." menu item in DrRacket to install it.

Also, these might not be what you have in mind, but the "open file" dialog is the platform native dialog and under macos and windows it has a lot of file browsing capability built in.

And you can find files via the same notations you use to `require` the files if you use the "Open Require Path..." menu item. For example, if you type "rack/lis" in the dialog, it'll show you the "racket/list" library and let you open in DrRacket.

hth!

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![soegaard](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/racket.discourse.group/soegaard/32/19_2.png) [@soegaard](https://racket.discourse.group/u/soegaard)\
**Post date:** [July 18, 2024, 8:22pm UTC](https://racket.discourse.group/t/file-explorer-functionality-for-drracket/3037/3 "2024-07-18T20:22:36Z")

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I think, you missed my reply on Discord.

The documentation doesn't render on the documentation server,  
but the you can read it unrendered on Github.

```scheme
@section{Installation}

To install, either look for @tt{files-viewer} in the DrRacket menu @italic{File > Package Manager},
or run the raco command:
@commandline{raco pkg install files-viewer}

You need to restart DrRacket. Now you should have a new item @italic{Show the File Manager} in the @italic{View} menu.

@section{Usage}

Click @italic{View} then @italic{Show the File Manager}.

To edit a file, double click the item.

To call the popup menu, right click the file manager.

To show or hide the file manager, @italic{View > Show/Hide the File Manager}.

```