Retrieving filenames from a list to a TC-panel

[georgeb]

Kind of a stupid question: is it meanwhile possible in TC to load filenames (with path) from a text-file/list into a new TC-panel akin to "search results" so that files from different Dirs/folders could be summarized in a processible manner in that panel?

I'm aware of similar earlier discussions about how to save and retrieve search-results from "feed-to-listbox" to a file. And yes, their names can be copied and saved into a file, I guess I remember that @Dalai then suggested that either "Save Selection To File" or "Copy Names With Path To Clipboard" would help here.

But unfortunately a list-file with the names in it is not "workable" in TC for e.g. partial interactive deletion. You would have to look those saved filenames up one by one to then do something with them in TC. And unfortunately the inverse operation "Load Selection From File" seemingly needs a file-window with those very saved names in TC first to then select them again from the stored info. It wouldn't load those names to a TC-window actively.

Also a (kind of) packer-plugin has been suggested: "DiskDirExtended" - but as I see it this would then really pack those files from the TC-panel into an archive with real file-copies in there that would occupy additional diskspace. Probably any packer could do this - but if you, for instance, delete the copies in said archive the original files would still be there and would need to be deleted one by one.

So from my point of view these "solutions" all turn out to be "near misses". They cannot substitute an option to RETRIEVE file-names (possibly stored search-results) from a text-file INTO AN ACTIVE, WORKABLE TC-PANEL akin to a feed-to-listbox-TC-panel.

[Gral]

LOADLIST "filename" from buttonbar.
e.g.
Command: LOADLIST
Parameters: %P%N

TC 10.00 or higher needed

[white]

Kind of a stupid question: is it meanwhile possible in TC to load filenames (with path) from a text-file/list into a new TC-panel akin to "search results" so that files from different Dirs/folders could be summarized in a processible manner in that panel?

Try the LOADLIST command.

Also a (kind of) packer-plugin has been suggested: "DiskDirExtended" - but as I see it this would then really pack those files from the TC-panel into an archive with real file-copies in there that would occupy additional diskspace. Probably any packer could do this - but if you, for instance, delete the copies in said archive the original files would still be there and would need to be deleted one by one.

No, that's not how it works. It doesn't store the files themselves.

[georgeb]

@Gral, @White
Thanks a lot for the tip with loadlist. Will try.

No, that's not how it works. It doesn't store the files themselves.

Well, I was surprised myself when I tried it out because it is called a "pseudo-packer"-plugin. And yet after installing it I did a search with the results fed to a listbox, hit select all and then "Pack". In the dialogue I chose "lst" (the extension just installed by the plugin) and the packing-operation started. When going into the archive created I found a whole tree-structure with the packed files in there original places together with there file sizes. The whole archive was even bigger than the sum of the files found in the listbox. And when I tried to delete some files in the archive they didn't go away (like you would expect from a names-only-list) BUT THE SIZE OF THE ARCHIVE DIDN'T SHRINK - AND THE ORIGINAL FILES WERE STILL THERE EITHER.

Addendum: Thanks again. A button with "LOADLIST %N" works like a charm! I somehow must have missed that.

[white]

Well, I was surprised myself when I tried it out because it is called a "pseudo-packer"-plugin. And yet after installing it I did a search with the results fed to a listbox, hit select all and then "Pack". In the dialogue I chose "lst" (the extension just installed by the plugin) and the packing-operation started. When going into the archive created I found a whole tree-structure with the packed files in there original places together with there file sizes. The whole archive was even bigger than the sum of the files found in the listbox. And when I tried to delete some files in the archive they didn't go away (like you would expect from a names-only-list) BUT THE SIZE OF THE ARCHIVE DIDN'T SHRINK - AND THE ORIGINAL FILES WERE STILL THERE EITHER.

The diskdir plugins only make lists with file details. Just view (F3) a lst file after you created one.

If you open a diskdir pseudo archive you see the details stored in the lst file. If you then view files, copy files, pack files, etc. it uses the files from their original location.

A diskdir archive may show a file 5 bytes in size, but when you copy it to another location it may very well be 5GB in size. Because it could have been changed since you stored the file details.

Diskdir is especially useful for read-only removable media. You can make an image of the file details, remove the media and still be able to search for files for example. If you find what you are looking for you can insert the media and copy the files for example.

Deleting is indeed not supported.

[Phred]

I have puzzled through this DiskDirExtended (DDE) plugin and ultimately, found it quite useful, and indeed, unique.
If readers would like a further summary, I found this plugin to have these features:

1. Installation induces an association of .lst files to the DDE plugin
2. DDE acts as a pseudo-packer that creates an output .lst file in TC's opposite panel (see lst in the Alt-F5 packer dropdown)
3. When TC reads such a .lst file via ENTER or double-click, it reveals a virtual, pseudo folder-set that can be read by TC as if it were a standard set of folders, or, say, a .zip file.
4. Many file operations can be performed upon objects (files/folders) 'inside' a .lst file - as if by magic, because DDE relates the visible objects to their actual antecedents. Deletions, however, are not permitted.

The zip2zero plugin has a similar output function, as does voidtool's Everything with its File, Export to .efu file function.

HTH