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Windows Explorer will not allow to create a file like .htaccess (Apache configuration), .project (Eclipse project files) etc. Which file managers on Windows have support for file and folder names starting with dots?

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Total commander enables you to make such files directly. You can create it in two ways

  • press Shift+F4, then write the name; in this case file will be created and opened in your default editor
  • r-click inside a folder and select New -> Text Document, then write the name; an empty file with the name you wrote will be created
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+1. Total Commander is usually the answer when the question is "which file manager on windows can do X". – Graeme Donaldson Feb 22 '10 at 7:16
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Windows Explorer can rename any file into one starting with a '.' - you just cannot create a file directly with such a name in Explorer.

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not on XP it can't; you get an error dialog saying "You must type a filename". though if you have such a file via other means you can see and manipulate it with Explorer (move to other folders, cut/paste, etc). – quack quixote Feb 19 '10 at 15:04
Wow, every day I learn something new to disappoint me about Microsoft and their products. – PP. Feb 19 '10 at 16:38
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You can create a new file that starts with a "." in Windows by using the command prompt.

Open a command prompt and type "copy con .htaccess" then hit enter.

You are now copying from the CONsole to the .htaccess file. Hit F6 (or ctrl-Z) and then enter to exit back to the prompt. You will then have an empty text file named .htaccess that you can manipulate in Explorer (etc.).

Also, you can also type in lines of text before you hit F6, and those will be added to the file once it's saved via F6/Ctrl-Z.

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I install Cygwin on any computer that I own that does not have *nix installed on it. This allows for things like what you want as well as a whole host of other functions.

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this is what i use too, but the question asks for a file manager. Cygwin doesn't count, but it's mc (Midnight Commander) package probably does. – quack quixote Feb 19 '10 at 16:53
What do you mean 'coreutils' doesn't count as a file manager? Feel the wrath of ls!@# – grawity Feb 19 '10 at 20:23
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Can you not create a new file in notepad and when you save it type (including the quotation marks)?

".htaccess"

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Yes you can, I know of methods to create or rename the dot files but I'm specifically interested in Windows file managers supporting this. – Borek Feb 19 '10 at 16:44
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