A couple of issues with packed files

[bldrdash]

Hello:

I'm running 6.03a under XPsp2 and have noticed a couple of issues relating to packed files; searched the forum but did not see any reference to these:

1) When navigating (selecting Enter) multi-arc packed files such as file.tar.gz, the current directory changes to follow the contents of the (temporarily) unpacked file. This is as expected. However, when I then hit the backspace key to view the parent directory, the current directory sometimes remains in the TEMP directory. I have found this happens when selecting backspace immediately after entering the second level arc file. If I wait about 1 second, the correct directory will restore, but if I hit backspace < 1 second, I end up in TEMP. I am using the built in packer for .gz and .tar files. Here is an explicit example:

Code: Select all

environment var TEMP=C:\TEMP
File to unpack: D:\mydir\testfile.tar.gz
Press enter on D:\mydir\testfile.tar.gz
CWD = D:\mydir\testfile.tar.gz\*.*
Press enter on D:\mydir\testfile.tar.gz\testfile.tar
CWD = C:\Temp\_tc\testfile.tar\*.*
Press backspace

At this point, the CWD changes to C:\Temp\_tc\*.* for about 1 second. If I wait > 1 second, the location is restored to d:\mydir\testfile.tar.gz\*.* but if it's less than 1 second before I hit the backspace again, my CWD ends up (and stays) C:\Temp\*.*!!!

Since I like to navigate file/directories quickly, having to wait for TC to restore the CWD is a pain. Any suggestions?

2) Minor issue, but when I want to extract only a single file (does not have to be a multi-arc), I highlight the file, then select "Unpack Specific Files", the dialog default field "Files to unpack:" is *.*, not the name of the file(s) I had highlighted. This makes it time consuming to clear the *.* and manually type in only the files I want to extract. Any setting to change this behavior (it's counter to all other extraction utilities I've used).

Thanks in advance.

[Sheepdog]

1) When navigating .... follow the contents of the (temporarily) unpacked file. If I wait about 1 second, the correct directory will restore, but if I hit backspace < 1 second, I end up in TEMP. Since I like to navigate file/directories quickly, having to wait for TC to restore the CWD is a pain. Any suggestions?

Pressing [F2] instead backspace should solve your problem.

2) Minor issue, but when I want to extract only a single file ... I highlight the file, then select "Unpack Specific Files",[/quote]

Just press [F5] for copying files. So you Copy only the selected files to the other pane. Or if they should remain in the same pane (i. e. the same folder as the archive is in ) replace the path by '..' - when you have an archive in archive the '..' will not work - as you are in the temp directory.


sheepdog

[bldrdash]

Thanks for your answers. Copy on unpack works great.

As far as pressing F2, this is helpful, but I'd still suggest this is a bug/undesirable function due to the following reasons:

1) If you've decended to multiple directories within a multi-arc, pressing F2 will send you back to the root of the packed file. To this end, a user must alternate between using F2 and backspace, depending upon your location within the arc.

2) It slows the navigation down when you can't simply use Enter/backspace for complete navigation, but instead must remember that at times, you have to either slow down and wait for TC to catch up, or press F2 only at certian times.

[Clo]

2Sheepdog
Hi Stefan !
    bldrdash wrote :

2) Minor issue, but when I want to extract only a single file ... …

- Take the file with the mouse, and carry it in the opposite target-panel by Drag & Drop. END
- No dialog, nothing to type.

* PS : needs to own a mouse
V G
Claude
Clo

[Hacker]

BTW: See also please http://ghisler.ch/board/viewtopic.php?t=3069 .

HTH
Roman

[Clo]

2Hacker
Hi Roman !
{SIGH… }

- Nothing new since the thread you quote, in which I expressed like you that to fall in the <temp> dir is quite boring…

 K R
Claude
Clo

[Sheepdog]

Maybe reconfigure the backspace to cm_GotoPreviousDir will be a workaround. Or configure [Alt]+[Back] with cm_GotoPreviousDir and using it within archives.

sheepdog

[bldrdash]

Thanks for pointing me to the original post of this issue; not sure how I missed it.

I think the following suggestion:

Maybe reconfigure the backspace to cm_GotoPreviousDir will be a workaround. Or configure [Alt]+[Back] with cm_GotoPreviousDir and using it within archives.

works ok. The only problem is that if you're viewing a large directory, it puts you back to the top of the listing, instead of back to the file you descended. Cumbersome when working with a lot of files.

The original thread: http://ghisler.ch/board/viewtopic.php?t=3069
The author states there is no real solution. Of course, I don't know the internal structure of TC, but I would think a temporary stack of parent directories when descending into an arc would solve the problem.
To me it's the only flaw in an otherwise amazing program

Take the file with the mouse, and carry it in the opposite target-panel by Drag & Drop. END

Ahh, that's what that blob of plastic is for next to my keyboard....

[Clo]

2bldrdash
Hello !
- First, -shame on me, I forgot- : Welcome on board !

Ahh, that's what that blob of plastic is for next to my keyboard....

- Useful, in that case obviously faster, and indispensable for me and some others («some» being VERY numerous!)

 Kind regards,
Claude
Clo

[gigaman]

The author states there is no real solution. Of course, I don't know the internal structure of TC, but I would think a temporary stack of parent directories when descending into an arc would solve the problem.
To me it's the only flaw in an otherwise amazing program

I completely agree - this behavior is very disturbing (I use Ctrl+PageUp to jump out of nested archives, and it behaves the same - I end up somewhere on the C: drive when I press it "too quickly" multiple times).
Actually, this behavior was introduced in Windows Commander 4.03 (or was it 4.02? not sure). The previous version, Windows Commander 4.01, behaved as expected - the directory changed back to the archive even when the "jump up" operation was performed quickly multiple times. I e-mailed the author about it, but unfortunatelly he replied that it's not a bug, but rather a feature.
I don't know if the internals of the program changed that much between those 2 versions that it made the previous behavior impossible to keep - but I certainly don't think that people really want to jump up from the TEMP directory when the "jump up" operation is performed at the moment when Total Commander is just about to switch the view from TEMP to the parent archive (within the next second). Or, that they want to change to the root of the C (TEMP) drive when pressing Ctrl+\ inside of the nested archive (which is located on a different drive). But of course, it's just my opinion.