RCDir

This is a Rust port of TCDir.

RCDir ("Rust Colorized Directory") is a fast, colorized directory listing tool for Windows consoles. It's designed as a practical dir-style command with useful defaults (color by extension/attributes, sorting, recursion, wide output, and a multi-threaded enumerator).

Hat tip to Chris Kirmse whose excellent ZDir from the '90s was the original inspiration for TCDir/RCDir.

Requirements

• Windows 10/11
• PowerShell 7 (pwsh) to run the build/test scripts
• Rust toolchain (install from https://rustup.rs/)
  • Targets: x86_64-pc-windows-msvc, aarch64-pc-windows-msvc
  • Install with: rustup target add x86_64-pc-windows-msvc aarch64-pc-windows-msvc
• Optional: VS Code with rust-analyzer extension

First-time setup

Run the setup script to install or verify all Rust prerequisites automatically:

.\scripts\Setup.ps1

Alternatively, the rust-toolchain.toml at the repo root will prompt rustup to install the correct toolchain, targets, and components automatically whenever you run cargo.

Quick start

Build:

• VS Code: run a build task (e.g. Build Release (current arch))
• Command line: pwsh -NoProfile -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File .\scripts\Build.ps1 -Configuration Release

Run:

• .\target\x86_64-pc-windows-msvc\release\rcdir.exe
• .\target\aarch64-pc-windows-msvc\release\rcdir.exe

Usage

Show help:

• rcdir.exe -?

Basic syntax:

• RCDIR [drive:][path][filename] [-A[[:]attributes]] [-O[[:]sortorder]] [-S] [-W] [-B] [-P] [-M] [--Env] [--Config]

Common switches:

• -A[:]<attributes>: filter by file attributes
• -O[:]<sortorder>: sort results
  • both -oe and -o:e forms are supported
  • N name, E extension, S size, D date/time
  • prefix - to reverse
• -T:<timefield>: select which timestamp to display and sort by
  • C creation time, A last access time, W last write time (default)
• -S: recurse into subdirectories
• -W: wide listing format
• -B: bare listing format
• -P: show performance timing information
• -M: enable multi-threaded enumeration (default); use -M- to disable
• --Owner: display file owner (DOMAIN\User format)
• --Streams: display NTFS alternate data streams
• --Env: show RCDIR environment variable help/syntax/current value
• --Config: show current color configuration

Attribute filters (/A:)

Standard attributes: D (directory), H (hidden), S (system), R (read-only), A (archive)

Cloud sync attributes (OneDrive, iCloud, etc.):

• O - cloud-only placeholder files (not locally available)
• L - locally available files (hydrated, can be dehydrated)
• V - pinned/always available files (won't be dehydrated)

Extended attributes:

• X - not content indexed (excluded from Windows Search)
• I - integrity stream enabled (ReFS only)
• B - no scrub data (ReFS only)
• F - sparse file
• U - unpinned (allow dehydration)

Use - prefix to exclude (e.g., /A:-H excludes hidden files).

Cloud file visualization

When browsing cloud-synced folders (OneDrive, iCloud Drive, etc.), RCDir displays sync status symbols:

• ○ (hollow) - cloud-only placeholder, not available offline
• ◐ (half) - locally available, can be dehydrated
• ● (solid) - pinned, always available offline

Examples:

• Recurse through subdirectories: rcdir.exe -s

• Wide listing: rcdir.exe -w

Configuration (RCDIR environment variable)

RCDir supports customizing colors (and default switch behavior) via the RCDIR environment variable.

Syntax:

• PowerShell: $env:RCDIR = "[<Switch>] | [<Item> | Attr:<fileattr> | <.ext>] = <Fore> [on <Back>][;...]"
• CMD: set RCDIR=[<Switch>] | [<Item> | Attr:<fileattr> | <.ext>] = <Fore> [on <Back>][;...]

Note: Switch names in the RCDIR variable do NOT include prefixes (/, -, --). Use just the switch name (e.g., W, Owner, Streams).

Default switches

Enable default switches by including the switch name:

• W - enable wide listing by default
• S - enable subdirectory recursion by default
• P - enable performance timing by default
• M - enable multi-threading by default (already on by default)
• B - enable bare listing by default
• Owner - display file ownership by default
• Streams - display NTFS alternate data streams by default

Color customization

Configure colors for display items, file attributes, and extensions:

Example:

• PowerShell: $env:RCDIR = "W;D=LightGreen;S=Yellow;Attr:H=DarkGrey;.png=Black on Magenta"
• CMD: set RCDIR=W;D=LightGreen;S=Yellow;Attr:H=DarkGrey;.png=Black on Magenta

Decoded breakdown of the example:

• W sets the default switch /W (wide listing) on
• D=LightGreen sets the Date display item color to LightGreen
• S=Yellow sets the Size display item color to Yellow
• Attr:H=DarkGrey sets the Hidden file attribute color to DarkGrey
• .png=Black on Magenta sets the .png extension color to black text on a magenta background

Display items for color configuration:

• D (Date), S (Size), N (Name), Attr (Attributes)
• CloudOnly, Local, Pinned - cloud sync status symbol colors

File attribute colors (Attr:<letter>):

• H (hidden), S (system), R (read-only), D (directory)

• Here's an example of the default output, setting the RCDIR environment variable, then showing its effects:

To see the full list of supported colors and a nicely formatted explanation, use --Env.

• Any errors in the RCDIR variable are shown at the end.
• rcdir.exe --Env:

To see your current color configuration, use --Config:

• All configuration settings are displayed along with the source of that configuration.
• rcdir.exe --Config:

Building

Build options

• VS Code: the repo includes .vscode/tasks.json with tasks wired up to scripts/Build.ps1 and scripts/RunTests.ps1
• Command line: use the PowerShell build scripts below

Build scripts

• Build: pwsh -File .\scripts\Build.ps1 -Configuration <Debug|Release> -Platform <x64|ARM64> -Target Build
• Clean: pwsh -File .\scripts\Build.ps1 -Configuration <Debug|Release> -Platform <x64|ARM64> -Target Clean
• Rebuild: pwsh -File .\scripts\Build.ps1 -Configuration <Debug|Release> -Platform <x64|ARM64> -Target Rebuild
• Build both Release targets: pwsh -File .\scripts\Build.ps1 -Target BuildAllRelease
• Run clippy lints: pwsh -File .\scripts\Build.ps1 -Target Clippy

Build outputs land under:

• target\x86_64-pc-windows-msvc\debug\rcdir.exe, target\x86_64-pc-windows-msvc\release\rcdir.exe
• target\aarch64-pc-windows-msvc\debug\rcdir.exe, target\aarch64-pc-windows-msvc\release\rcdir.exe

Tests

Run unit tests:

• pwsh -File .\scripts\RunTests.ps1
• Or directly: cargo test

License

MIT License. See LICENSE.