Display archives as folders

[basil.cinnamon]

A few great older file managers like Norton File Manager had the ability (option) to display archives as folders, in a different color. That way they appear in the folder tree and one can drag, drop files to and fro, as well as execute, rename, etc. This is a highly desirable feature; it would make the archive files totally transparent, requiring no additional action to utilize them. This has been missing in TCdr for a long time!

[karlchen]

Hello, basil.cinnamon.

Total Commander does display archive files as folders by default. Configuration => Options => Packer => Treat archives like directories (on by default).

Also you can instruct T.C. to display archive filenames in a different color. Use Configuration => Options => Color => Define colors by file type in order to do so.

So I am not quite sure which function should be missing in Total Commander. All the operations which you enumerated can be performed in T.C.

Note:
Operations which will modify an archive can only be performed inside Total Commander provided:

1. packing and unpacking of the archive type is supported internally by Total Commander (e.g. ZIP, TAR) or
2. packing and unpacking of the archive type is performed by a plugin (e.g. 7Z) or
3. packing and unpacking of the archive type is performed by an external packer (e.g. RAR)

Kind regards,
Karl

[basil.cinnamon]

It doesn't quite treat archives as folders. Yes, one can click on an archive file and have it expand in a pane (taking over the whole pane with its contents), but it doesn't do so in a Tree view. I use Tree view extensively, as my main navigation aide, and if you have, say, N zips in a folder, you'd like to see them listed in the Tree as virtual folders. Norton File Manager (not Norton Commander) did it well.

[karlchen]

Hello, basil.cinnamon.

I see what you are aiming at.

Yet, I have got no idea whether this suggestion is already on Christian's wishlist and whether it has got a chance of being implemented one day.

Cheers,
Karl