Noxen File Explorer: Razer Native — v2.0 R1

Release type: Major native rebuild / final v2.0 R1 release
Build name: NoxenFE: Razer Native
Version: v2.0
Release: R1
Platform: Windows x64
Framework: C++ / Qt 6 / Native Windows APIs
Status: Final release build

Overview

Noxen File Explorer: Razer Native v2.0 R1 is a full native C++ rebuild of the original Python/PySide6 Noxen File Explorer.

The original Noxen File Explorer had the basic idea and layout already working, but the Python version could become laggy, buggy, and more crash-prone on newer Windows systems. This release rebuilds the project as a faster, more native Windows file explorer while keeping the original Noxen-style workflow and bringing back many of the older features in a cleaner way.

This release is not just a small update. It is a full rebuild with a new internal structure, native Windows integration, a modular feature-DLL system, MTP phone browsing support, built-in archive/ISO tools through 7-Zip, improved view modes, a better start page, Quick Access tools, preview/details pane, licensing windows, and a special optional one-file EXE build.

Download Options

This release is meant to have two main distribution styles:

Recommended Build

Use the normal installed or extracted build for the best stability.

This build keeps the EXE, Qt runtime files, custom feature DLLs, resources, 7-Zip files, and licenses as normal files and folders. This is the cleanest layout and the easiest to update or debug.

One-File EXE Build

A one-file EXE version is also available for users who want a single portable executable.

The one-file build embeds the full runtime payload inside the EXE. Because Windows and Qt cannot reliably load all normal DLLs and Qt platform plugins directly from inside an EXE, the one-file build extracts its private runtime on launch and then starts NoxenFE from that extracted runtime.

Runtime extraction location:

%LOCALAPPDATA%\Noxen File Explorer\OneFileRuntime\

From the user's point of view, only one EXE needs to be downloaded and launched.

Project Links

GitHub: https://github.com/sonicFanTech/Noxen-File-explorer
Website: https://sonicfantech.org/Site/DownloadNFE/

Major Changes in v2.0 R1

Full Native C++ Rebuild

Noxen File Explorer has been rebuilt from the older Python/PySide6 version into a native C++/Qt application.

This rebuild is designed to improve:

Startup speed
Folder browsing responsiveness
Stability
Native Windows behavior
File operation reliability
Long-term maintainability
Runtime packaging
Feature expansion through custom DLLs

The new build is no longer treated as a Python script converted into an EXE. It is now a real native desktop application.

Final Release Highlights

New Native UI Foundation

The main NoxenFE window has been rebuilt in C++/Qt with a Windows desktop layout inspired by the original Noxen File Explorer.

Included UI areas:

Menu bar
Toolbar
Address bar
Search box
Sidebar/navigation pane
Tab system
Folder view
This PC view
Home/Quick Access page
Preview/details pane
Context menus
Settings window
About window
License windows

Tabbed File Browsing

The tab system is now part of the native C++ build.

Added tab features include:

Multiple folder tabs
New tab support
Close tab support
Duplicate tab support
Close other tabs
Remembering open tabs between sessions
Better startup behavior so the Home page still opens properly
Tab right-click menu

Address Bar and Navigation

The address bar supports normal path entry and direct navigation.

Added navigation behavior:

Enter a folder path directly
Use Ctrl + L to focus and select the address bar
Back navigation
Forward navigation
Up navigation
Refresh current folder
Home page navigation
This PC navigation
MTP path navigation
Command running from the address bar for command-style entries

Home / Quick Access Page

A new Home page was added as the main start page.

The Home page includes:

Common folders
Quick Access locations
Pinned folders
Recent locations
Recent files
Drive shortcuts
Cleaner startup workflow

Quick Access data can now be managed more easily.

Added cleanup actions:

Remove pinned folder
Remove all pinned folders
Clear recent locations
Clear recent files
Clear all Quick Access data

These tools make it much easier to reset the Home page without manually editing settings files.

This PC and Drive Support

The new This PC page provides a custom native drive overview.

Drive features include:

Local drives
Removable drives
USB drives
HDD/SSD detection through Windows drive listing
Storage usage bars
Custom drive color settings
Drive context menu
Open drive
Eject drive where supported
Open Disk Management

The drive bars were also upgraded with customizable colors so the user can control the visual style of drive usage indicators.

View Modes

Folder view modes were added to make NoxenFE feel more like a real file explorer.

Supported folder view modes:

Details
List
Small icons
Medium icons
Large icons
Extra large icons

The selected view mode is saved in settings.

Ctrl + Mouse Wheel Icon Zoom

Icon/list views now support Explorer-style zooming with:

Ctrl + Mouse Wheel

This changes the icon size while browsing folders.

File Actions and Keyboard Shortcuts

Several normal file-manager actions were added or polished.

Added shortcuts:

F2 — Rename selected file/folder
Delete — Move selected file/folder to Recycle Bin
Ctrl + L — Focus/select address bar

Added file actions:

Open selected item
Rename file/folder
Delete to Recycle Bin
Open file location where possible
Shortcut target handling
Archive actions
ISO actions
MTP actions

Preview and Details Pane

A preview/details pane was added so NoxenFE can show more information about selected files and folders.

The pane can show file/folder information such as:

Name
Path
Type
Size
Modified date
Basic preview/details information

The preview/details pane can be toggled from the View menu and saved in settings.

Settings Window

The Settings window was expanded during the v2.0 R1 rebuild.

Settings now include options for areas such as:

Startup behavior
Session restore
Default view mode
Icon size
Preview/details pane visibility
Drive bar colors
Quick Access behavior
Other UI preferences

Settings are stored so NoxenFE can remember user preferences across launches.

MTP / Phone Device Support

One of the biggest additions in this release is built-in MTP device support.

This allows NoxenFE to browse phones and portable media devices without needing the device to appear as a normal drive letter.

MTP Support Includes

Portable device scanning
MTP phone detection
MTP device listing in the sidebar / This PC-style areas
Browsing device folders
Opening MTP folders
Refresh / rescan device support
Reduced background scanning to prevent lag
Worker-thread scanning so the UI does not freeze as easily

MTP File Actions

MTP action support was later expanded with:

Export selected MTP files/folders to a PC folder
Send local files to the current MTP folder
Send a local folder to the current MTP folder
Rename MTP files/folders where supported
Open current MTP folder in Windows Explorer
MTP toolbar buttons
Better MTP context menu grouping

MTP Feature DLLs

MTP support is split into modular feature DLLs:

Resources\FeatureDLLs\MTPsupport\NoxenMtpDeviceScan.dll
Resources\FeatureDLLs\MTPsupport\NoxenMtpFs.dll
Resources\FeatureDLLs\MTPsupport\NoxenMtpActions.dll

This keeps MTP-specific code separate from the main EXE and makes the feature easier to maintain.

Archive Support

Archive support was rebuilt around a bundled 7-Zip runtime.

Users do not need to install 7-Zip separately for NoxenFE archive features to work.

Supported Archive Actions

Archive context-menu actions include:

Open archive
Open archive in 7-Zip File Manager
Extract Here
Extract to archive-name folder
Extract to chosen folder
Test archive
Create ZIP archive from selected files/folders
Create 7Z archive from selected files/folders

Supported Archive Types

Archive support is powered by 7-Zip, so the supported formats depend on the included 7-Zip runtime.

Common supported formats include:

.zip
.7z
.rar extraction/listing
.tar
.gz
.bz2
.xz
.cab
.iso
and other formats supported by the bundled 7-Zip version

Note: RAR creation is not supported. 7-Zip can extract/list RAR archives, but RAR compression is proprietary and is not implemented as a create option.

Bundled 7-Zip Files

The release includes 7-Zip runtime files so archive features work out of the box.

Bundled files include:

7z.exe
7z.dll
7zFM.exe
7-zip.dll
7-zip32.dll
License.txt

These files are kept as third-party runtime files in the normal build.

7-Zip File Manager Integration

Because 7-Zip redistribution is allowed when the required license information is included, NoxenFE includes an option to open archives in the real 7-Zip File Manager.

Added action:

Archive > Open in 7-Zip File Manager

This gives users a familiar full archive viewer without requiring NoxenFE to recreate every part of 7-Zip's interface.

ISO Support

NoxenFE now has ISO tools through the archive/ISO feature system.

ISO actions include:

Mount ISO
Dismount ISO
Open mounted ISO drive where possible

The ISO support is handled separately from normal archive extraction logic.

Shortcut Support

Windows shortcut support was added through a dedicated shortcut feature module.

Shortcut features include:

Resolve .lnk target
Open shortcut target
Open shortcut target location
Create shortcut here
Double-click .lnk attempts to open the real target

This helps NoxenFE behave more like Windows Explorer when working with shortcuts.

Modular Feature DLL System

A big internal change in this release is the new feature DLL structure.

Instead of putting every advanced feature directly inside the main EXE, several feature areas are separated into custom DLLs.

Archive / ISO / Shortcut DLLs

Resources\FeatureDLLs\ArchiveSupport\NoxenArchiveCore.dll
Resources\FeatureDLLs\ArchiveSupport\NoxenSevenZipBridge.dll
Resources\FeatureDLLs\ArchiveSupport\NoxenArchiveActions.dll
Resources\FeatureDLLs\ArchiveSupport\NoxenIsoTools.dll
Resources\FeatureDLLs\ArchiveSupport\NoxenShortcutTools.dll

MTP DLLs

Resources\FeatureDLLs\MTPsupport\NoxenMtpDeviceScan.dll
Resources\FeatureDLLs\MTPsupport\NoxenMtpFs.dll
Resources\FeatureDLLs\MTPsupport\NoxenMtpActions.dll

This makes the project easier to expand later without turning the main EXE into one giant file.

Help Menu Additions

The Help menu was updated for the final release.

Added Help menu items:

GitHub Page
NFE Website
NFE License
7-Zip License
About

The GitHub and website options open the project pages in the user's browser.

The license options open readable license windows inside the app.

About Window Updates

The About window was cleaned up for the final release.

Changes include:

Removed development phase text
Shows the final v2.0 R1 identity
Shows clickable GitHub link
Shows clickable website link
Shows project/version information
Uses the NoxenFE icon/logo

Licensing

Noxen File Explorer License

NoxenFE is released as closed-source freeware.

That means:

The program is free to download and use
The program is intended to stay free
The source code is not open source
Redistribution should follow the NFE license included with the release
Users should not sell, rebrand, claim ownership of, or redistribute modified builds without permission

The full NFE license is included with the release and can be opened from:

Help > NFE License

7-Zip License

This release includes 7-Zip components.

The 7-Zip license file is included with the release and can be opened from:

Help > 7-Zip License

The included 7-Zip license information must remain available with redistributed builds that include 7-Zip files.

Normal Build Layout

The recommended build keeps the runtime files visible and separate.

Example layout:

NoxenFE_RazerNative.exe
Resources\
  FeatureDLLs\
    ArchiveSupport\
      NoxenArchiveCore.dll
      NoxenSevenZipBridge.dll
      NoxenArchiveActions.dll
      NoxenIsoTools.dll
      NoxenShortcutTools.dll
      ThirdParty\
        7zip\
          7z.exe
          7z.dll
          7zFM.exe
          7-zip.dll
          7-zip32.dll
          License.txt
    MTPsupport\
      NoxenMtpDeviceScan.dll
      NoxenMtpFs.dll
      NoxenMtpActions.dll
  NFE_LICENSE.txt
  7ZIP_LICENSE.txt

This is the recommended layout for normal installs.

One-File Build Notes

The one-file build is intended for users who want a single EXE download.

The one-file EXE includes the runtime payload internally, then extracts it into the user's local app data folder when launched.

Extraction location:

%LOCALAPPDATA%\Noxen File Explorer\OneFileRuntime\v2_0_R1\

This extracted runtime contains the same kind of files as the normal build:

Main NoxenFE runtime
Qt runtime files
Qt platform plugins
Custom feature DLLs
MTP DLLs
Archive support DLLs
7-Zip runtime files
License files
App resources

This method is used because Windows DLL loading and Qt platform plugins generally require real files on disk.

Build / Development Notes

This release was built as a Visual Studio MSVC project, not a CMake project.

General build stack:

Visual Studio 2022
MSVC x64
Qt 6.10.2 MSVC 2022 x64
C++17
Native Windows APIs
Qt Widgets

Known harmless deployment warnings may appear during Qt deployment, such as missing DirectX shader compiler files:

Cannot find any version of the dxcompiler.dll and dxil.dll.
Cannot find Visual Studio installation directory, VCINSTALLDIR is not set.

These warnings are from Qt deployment checks and do not necessarily mean NoxenFE failed to build.

Detailed Development Phase Summary

This section summarizes the major rebuild phases that led to the final v2.0 R1 release.

Phase 1 — Native Project Foundation

Created the Visual Studio/MSVC project
Set up Qt application foundation
Built the main native window
Restored basic folder browsing
Added sidebar/navigation foundation
Added toolbar/address controls
Fixed initial Qt/MSVC C++17 configuration issues
Fixed Qt 6.10 compatibility issues

Phase 2 — This PC and Drive Support

Added This PC page
Added drive tiles
Added storage usage bars
Added drive context menu
Added eject action where supported
Added Disk Management shortcut
Added session restore foundation
Fixed Drives sidebar behavior so it opens This PC

Phase 3 — Home / Quick Access

Added Home page
Added common folder shortcuts
Added pinned folders
Added recent locations
Added settings dialog foundation
Added saved settings
Fixed startup token handling

Phase 4 — Preview Pane and Drive Bar Customization

Fixed startup behavior so Home opens first and restored tabs load after
Added preview/details pane
Added View menu toggle for preview/details
Added custom drive usage bar colors
Added settings for drive bar colors

Phase 5 — App Icon and About Window

Added NoxenFE app icon
Added icon resources
Added About window
Added logo/icon display in About
Added remove actions for pinned/recent items
Added recent files to Home

Phase 6 — Quick Access Cleanup Tools

Added remove all pinned folders
Added clear all recent locations
Added clear all recent files
Added clear all Quick Access data
Added confirmation dialogs for cleanup actions
Improved sync between Quick Access/Home data and open tabs

Phase 7 — Built-In MTP Support

Added MTP device scan system
Added MTP feature DLLs
Added MTP folder browsing
Added portable device listing
Switched from Shell-only attempts to WPD-based listing where needed
Reduced scan lag by avoiding constant polling
Added manual rescan behavior
Fixed detection problems with normal USB drives
Fixed MTP folder loading errors
Added MTP actions later polished in Phase 10

Phase 8 — Archive / ISO / Shortcut Tools

Added archive support modules
Bundled 7-Zip runtime files
Added archive extraction actions
Added archive creation actions
Added archive testing
Added 7-Zip File Manager integration
Added ISO mount/dismount tools
Added shortcut tools
Added NFE license and 7-Zip license windows
Added Help menu license buttons

Phase 9 — View Modes and File Operation Polish

Added folder view modes
Added Details/List/Icon view options
Added saved default view mode
Added saved icon size
Added Ctrl + mouse wheel icon zoom
Added F2 rename
Added Delete to Recycle Bin
Added Ctrl+L address bar focus
Added tab right-click menu
Added duplicate tab
Added close other tabs

Phase 10 — MTP Action Polish

Added export selected MTP files/folders to PC
Added send files to current MTP folder
Added send folder to current MTP folder
Added rename MTP item support where possible
Added open current MTP folder in Windows Explorer
Reorganized MTP context menu
Added MTP toolbar actions

Final Release Cleanup

Removed phase text from About window
Added final v2.0 R1 branding
Added clickable GitHub link
Added clickable website link
Added Help menu web links
Added final release packaging
Added optional one-file EXE project
Fixed one-file build script issues
Fixed one-file runtime extraction/launch behavior

Known Notes and Limitations

MTP Limitations

MTP behavior depends heavily on Windows, the phone, the USB cable, and the device's connection mode.

Some phones may require:

Unlocking the device
Allowing file transfer mode
Trusting the PC
Reconnecting the USB cable
Running Rescan Devices inside NoxenFE

Large MTP transfers may be handled by the Windows Shell layer and may continue in the background.

Archive Limitations

Archive support depends on the bundled 7-Zip runtime.

RAR creation is not supported.

One-File Build Limitations

The one-file build is still technically extracting a private runtime folder because Qt plugins, DLLs, and external helper EXEs need real files on disk to work correctly.

This is normal for many one-file desktop applications.

Default File Manager Mode

Replacing Windows Explorer / Win+E behavior is not included in this v2.0 R1 release. That kind of registry integration is risky and should be handled separately later.

Recommended Release Description

Noxen File Explorer: Razer Native v2.0 R1 is the first full native C++ release of NoxenFE. It rebuilds the older Python version into a faster, cleaner Windows file explorer with tabs, Home/Quick Access, This PC drive browsing, view modes, preview/details pane, MTP phone support, built-in archive/ISO/shortcut tools, bundled 7-Zip support, license windows, and an optional one-file EXE build.

This release is freeware and closed source. NFE is free to use and intended to stay free, but the source code is not open source. Third-party 7-Zip license information is included with the release.

Credits

Noxen File Explorer

Created by sonic Fan Tech.

7-Zip

7-Zip is created by Igor Pavlov.

7-Zip files are included as third-party components for archive support and 7-Zip File Manager integration. The 7-Zip license is included with this release.

Qt

This application uses Qt for the native desktop interface.

Final Notes

This release is a major milestone for Noxen File Explorer.

The goal of v2.0 R1 is to turn NFE from an older Python-based file explorer into a cleaner, faster, and more expandable native Windows application.

Future versions can build on this foundation with more polished file operation progress windows, deeper MTP transfer controls, better thumbnail/icon caching, stronger search, installer polish, website integration, and optional Windows Explorer replacement features.

C++ Re-code: NFE: Razer - R1