Raúl Jiménez has introduced a file browser for the Amstrad CPC designed to simplify navigation of the M4 Board’s microSD cards, featuring full filenames, joystick control, and direct game launching. Developed for the AUA (Amstrad Users Association), the project also aims to introduce these computers to younger users during exhibitions and events.
The idea stemmed from a practical need. Although the well-known M4FE offers an interface for managing M4 files, filenames often appear truncated—displaying formats like ALIENS~2.DSK. Raúl wanted to create an alternative that is simpler and more user-friendly, especially when dealing with a vast game library and needing to quickly locate a specific title.
Improved loader selection. When a disk has only one
candidate—the usual case—nothing changes. For ambiguous cases,
the browser now:
prefers a DISC file (mimicking the behavior of RUN"DISC");
chooses the file matching the game's name (e.g., COMMANDO for Commando,
MOLECULE for Molecule Man);
filters out cheat-related files (CHEAT, POKE, TRAIN);
displays a list for B-sides and disks containing many .BIN files
instead of launching something blindly.
This prevents accidentally launching a level editor or cheat menu
instead of the game itself. The logic was verified by running actual
Z80 code in an emulator against hundreds of disk directory listings.
Manual selection. Pressing the ‘L’ key—or holding the fire button
for a second—opens the disk without launching it. This provides an
escape route if the automatically selected loader isn’t the right one.
.cpr games. Disk-based games packaged as cartridges
open and launch just like .dsk files, even on a classic CPC.
Genuine cartridges requiring a CPC Plus are detected by inspecting
the file contents, and the browser displays a warning: “Cartridge: CPC Plus only.”
Fixed. Disks with filenames exceeding 77 characters would
overwrite cursor variables upon opening.
|E (or |EXPLOR) on its own: the explorer loads and launches the game directly, without A.BAS or E.BAS. Autostarting is now handled via an optional line in AUTOEXEC.BAS, and pressing ESC returns to BASIC without resetting the system.
The previous syntax, |EXPLOR,@a$, remains supported.
Search the entire library using G, in addition to searching the current folder with F. Both commands search for the text anywhere within the filename.
Search window featuring an on-screen 464-style keyboard—designed like the one in CPC Doctor—for typing with the joystick.
Language selection (Spanish or English) via the C key; the setting is saved to /EXPLOR.CFG.
Filenames that are too long to fit on the display line are shown in full in the footer area.
The L command applies only to games.
The M4 rejects absolute paths (e.g., /ROMS/R) unless the current location is the root directory; folder navigation must now be done step-by-step.
The 40-column version has been discontinued; its final release is v1.1.
