Don't show Icon Library selection dialog when opening TC from a running TC instance

[petermad]

I do a lot of testing where I start TC with a fresh ini file (via my menu) and each time I have to go through the Icon Library selection dialog.

Maybe it could be made so that if TC is opened with a blank ini file from a running TC instance, then this dialog could be suppressed - that is when the instance number of the new TC window is higher than 1.

[white]

I do a lot of testing where I start TC with a fresh ini file (via my menu) and each time I have to go through the Icon Library selection dialog.

Maybe it could be made so that if TC is opened with a blank ini file from a running TC instance, then this dialog could be suppressed - that is when the instance number of the new TC window is higher than 2.

I think if you run TC with a blank ini, you want the behavior with a blank ini, regardless whether or not TC was run from a running TC instance.

Instead of using a blank ini, why not use a not so blank ini with the following contents:

Code: Select all

[Configuration]
UseIniInProgramDir=7
FirstTime=0
FirstTimeIconLib=0
UseNewDefFont=1

Perhaps additional command line parameters could be implemented. For example a parameter to specify the icon library. Then, if TC is started with a parameter to specify the icon library, it should not ask which library to use.

[petermad]

If the user is already running a configured TC and from inside TC starts a new instance with a blank ini I think most users are not really interested in choosing the icon library.

Instead of using a blank ini, why not use a not so blank ini with the following contents:

If my suggestion was implemented, then the user could also likewise also just use a not so blank ini with the parameter FirstTimeIconLib=1 if he really want to be bothered with the Library selection dialog.

The question is what could be thought to be the most needed behavior among TC's users? Therefore I have made this Poll: viewtopic.php?t=81871

My guess is, that the feature of showing the Library selection dialog is to let new users know that the option exists. I don't really understand why it is considered necessary - It can still be configured either via the Configuration dialog or via right clicking on the button bar.

I guess the automatic popup of the Library selection dialog for new installations was probably made to promote the alternative wcmicin2.dll when it was introduced with TC 9.00 in 2016 - I think this promoting should be obsolete by now - and the feature of auto-popup of the dialog could be completely removed.

[Hacker]

After 8 years, perhaps we could switch to the new library for new installations as default.

Roman

[Sir_SiLvA]

After 8 years, perhaps we could switch to the new library for new installations as default.

HAHAHAHAHAHA
oh, you are serious? then after 22 years one should also expect the default ini to be called totalcmd.ini and not wincmd.ini ....

[Hacker]

Sir_SiLvA,
What's the benefit?

Roman

[petermad]

After 8 years, perhaps we could switch to the new library for new installations as default.

This is not about what shold be the default - that's another discussion.

[Hacker]

petermad,

This is not about what shold be the default - that's another discussion.

Well, if the default is clear, then the dialog is not needed anymore, no?

Roman

[petermad]

2Hacker

Well, if the default is clear, then the dialog is not needed anymore, no?

Sure - if that could make the popup not appear.

Currently it is pretty clear what the defalt is - wcmicons.dll is preselected and is used if I press Enter or Escape or click Cancel. For some reason we just have to confirm the default.

[Sir_SiLvA]

Sir_SiLvA,
What's the benefit?

just that it would follow the unspoken rule of how an ini file is named (application-exe.ini).
wont happen anyway chris is to scared this would brake the world (of tc)

[white]

After 8 years, perhaps we could switch to the new library for new installations as default.

It seems OK to me too, to get rid of the the popup and let TC choose a default library for new installations. For example, WCMICON2.DLL for all new installations except for systems with low color depth.

Surprisingly, there does not seem to be a help page explaining the differences between WCMICONS.DLL and WCMICON2.DLL and the dialog where you have to choose between the two, is not very clear too. Or did I miss it?

The file comments of the files could be improved as well. Current file comments:

WCMICONS.DLL Icons for button bar
WCMICON2.DLL New style icons for button bar

Perhaps it should be changed to something like this:

WCMICONS.DLL Legacy icon library
WCMICON2.DLL True color and high definition (up to 48x48) icon library

[petermad]

2white

WCMICONS.DLL Legacy icon library
WCMICON2.DLL True color and high definition (up to 48x48) icon library

It is not that easy: If WCMICONS.DLL is chosen and wciconex.dll exists in TC's program folder then the WCMICONS.DLL setting also uses high definition (but not true color).

Maybe it is also time to permanently relpace WCMICONS.DLL with wciconex.dll...

[white]

WCMICONS.DLL Legacy icon library
WCMICON2.DLL True color and high definition (up to 48x48) icon library

It is not that easy: If WCMICONS.DLL is chosen and wciconex.dll exists in TC's program folder then the WCMICONS.DLL setting also uses high definition (but not true color).

How is that relevant for the file comment?

[petermad]

How is that relevant for the file comment?

You are right - it is not as much relevant to the file comment (the file is what it is) - but relevant to any help about the choices in the dialog, here it could be important to mention that choosing WCMICONS.DLL doesn't necessarily mean the WCMICONS.DLL is being used.

[ghisler(Author)]

There is actually a solution to not get the icon dialog:
1. Start Total Commander with /i=fresh.ini to create a fresh ini file
2. Copy that file to the Total Commander directory and rename it to maintemplate.txt
-> Now when you use the /i= parameter and the ini file doesn't exist, TC will copy maintemplate.txt to that ini.