Show archive is opened by which plugin somewhere

[funkymonk]

Just two simple examples out of many more:

1. Some .exe files are installers that can be opened using a packer plugin. Just press ctrl+down on them.
   If successful, you can see the content of the file like an archive. But you don't know which plugin was used --> sometimes annoying
   If the exe is not an archive, TC sometime just continues without opening the "exe archive" (ok). But sometimes TC simply hangs. --> very annoying.
   
   
2. If you try to open a file for which the extension is not associated to a packer plugin, TC applies one packer plugin after the other until one plugin can open the file (or there is no more plugin to be tried). If a plugin fails on a file, it sometimes hags the entire TC.
   Such situations can easily happen for files that are archives but don't have a common archive extension (e.g., a zip archive in "somefile.xyz").
   If you simply try to open such a file (expecting it to be an archive) TC might hang due to a plugin that cannot handle the file.
   Again: You simply don't know which plugin is the problem.

Thus: Please show the plugin name that will be tried next in the GUI ***before*** actually calling the plugin on the file.
If TC can successfully enters the archive, you immediately know which plugin is in use.
If TC hangs, the plugin name is already visible and the user can use this information to take countermeasures ...

Of course, if TC crashes entirely, the plugin name is no longer visible. Fall-back: Put the attempt into the log file.

[Sir_SiLvA]

Sorry for bringing this up again...
Is there any news on this topic?
I run into this problem more and more often: TC (10.52) simply stops responding when trying to enter some files with ctrl+pgdown.

can you supply some of those files?

[funkymonk]

can you supply some of those files?

Sure, I could do that. But I guess you would also need my plugins and the TC/plugins' configuration...

In the end I am not searching for a solution for specific files. I am asking for a display of the currently used plugin name.
That would be convenient even if there is no problem with an archive.

[Sir_SiLvA]

can you supply some of those files?

Sure, I could do that. But I guess you would also need my plugins and the TC/plugins' configuration...

No to test if TC does this

My TC hangs quite often when entering archives...

for everyone I dont. All I see now is that you dont wanna provide any of those files.

[funkymonk]

No to test if TC does this

My TC hangs quite often when entering archives...

for everyone I dont. All I see now is that you dont wanna provide any of those files.

This is partially correct.
I ask for your understanding that I am not allowed to share most of the affected files.
This often includes disk-images (e.g. img, iso, etc.) but also many other formats.

Apart from that: almost every jpg and pdf as well as various exe files lead (here) to the described problem, if you try to open them as an archive.

Before you start saying that jpg/pdf/etc. are not archives and you obviously can't open them like that:

1. Correct! Still, the fact that this is correct doesn't help me, because:
   
   
2. In my daily work it often happens that files *don't* have the usual extension for the respective format (e.g. JPG image files with uncommon extensions like "data.ctx"). However, many of these files are actually archives. Then it is annoying if among a large number of archives there are single non-archives which then lead to the described problem just because you press ctrl+pgdn.
   
   
3. If you try to apply an action to a file that is not possible with this file or does not make sense (e.g., open a jpg as an archive) then the attempt should either be silently ignored or an error message should be displayed. In no case should an application hang or terminate in the process. I hope that the majority of people here see it that way.
   @ghisler: maybe there is a general way for you to prevent such plugins to hang TC.
   
   

4. can you supply some of those files?

   Sure, I could do that. But I guess you would also need my plugins and the TC/plugins' configuration...

   No to test if TC does this

   After some testing over the last few days, I can say that the problem seems to be not in TC itself.
   TC (clean ini, no plugins) handles many otherwise problematic files in that it simply ignores the attempt to open them as an archive and does not hang.
   
   However, that's not what this suggestion is about. The point is to find the critical plugin for a specific file among a large number of installed plugins.
   Note: It is not always the same plugin and not always the same 2 or 3. Depending on the constellation, significantly more plugins are affected.
   
   Of course I can determine the concrete plugin with various additional debugging tools (therefore I also know that it is not always the same plugin).
   But during my daily work I simply don't have the time for that.
   
   I am happy to support software authors and contribute to the improvement of software by reporting bugs and also describing details.
   Nevertheless: some support in diagnostics would be helpful, too!

Therefore: Once more the suggestion to simply show the used plugin.
Then users can react accordingly and also give specific feedback to the authors.


---
Why is this so important to me?
That one must shut down and restart the TC is only one consequence. You then have to reopen the previously opened tabs, navigate back to the previously active directories, etc.! This takes time every time and interrupts the workflow. On a full day one often does not have this time!

Most recently happened: today -- several times!

[tuska]

---
Why is this so important to me?
That one must shut down and restart the TC is only one consequence.
You then have to reopen the previously opened tabs, navigate back to the previously active directories, etc.!
This takes time every time and interrupts the workflow. On a full day one often does not have this time!
Most recently happened: today -- several times!

For me, I discovered the command: CM_EXIT 1 on this topic.
Try this command to see if it helps you.

With cm_exit you can press the ALT key and the left arrow key after a TC restart to return to the previously displayed directory.
I use tabs exclusively, "Locked, but directory changes allowed".

[Usher]

For me, I discovered the command: CM_EXIT 1 on this topic.

How do you want to use this command when TC has already hanged or crashed?

[tuska]

For me, I discovered the command: CM_EXIT 1 on this topic.

How do you want to use this command when TC has already hanged or crashed?

Yes, you are right.
I think that every user can imagine what happens then.

Unfortunately, I only skimmed the topic and did not read every detail very carefully.

[funkymonk]

Code: Select all

29.04.24 Added: Packer about box (Alt+Enter on file in archive): Show which plugin opened the archive in the "Packer" field, in the form: 7z (Total7zip.wcx) (32/64)

Ok, that's an improvement. However, the information about the used plugin is still very inconvenient to get. For example, I often have to go down a few subdirectories in packed files until I reach a file where I can then press Alt+Enter.

How about the suggestion shown is this mockup (upper right corner):

https://ibb.co/Jqmkc99

In addition to the plugin currently in use, a dropdown menu could also be displayed that lists other compatible plugins from which you can then choose one specifically (similar to how it is done for the lister's plugin menu)...

---

Regardless of the proposed mockup, I would like to point out once again that TC sometimes hangs when opening an archive. In this case, it is still not known which plugin (or the internal support) caused the problem. So it would be nice to see the name of the plugin *before* it is actually applied to the file -- then one can at least identify the problematic plugin.

[petermad]

I often have to go down a few subdirectories in packed files until I reach a file where I can then press Alt+Enter.

Me too, at least it should be possible to press Alt+Enter on a directory inside ans archive to get the information.

[ghisler(Author)]

Use branch view Ctrl+B, it works in archives as a whole.

[white]

Me too, at least it should be possible to press Alt+Enter on a directory inside ans archive to get the information.

In any case, I find it weird that Alt+Enter on a folder or ".." in an archive, works as Enter and navigates to the folder. This is inconsistent with using Alt+Enter in normal folders and therefore not intuitive for users.

[petermad]

This is inconsistent with using Alt+Enter in normal folders and therefore not intuitive for users.

I completely agree

I would not mind if the fields: "Original size", "Packed size" and "Compression ratio" were left blank when pressing Alt+Enter on a folder.

[browny]

Question about properties of a packed file (TC beta 4).
Packer: 7z (Total7zip.wcx).
Process explorer shows Total7zip.wcx64, uses 64-bit 7z.dll, and certainly previous versions (or maybe betas) of TC had shown Total7zip.wcx64 in the packer data.
Is this intentional change or a bug?

[Horst.Epp]

Question about properties of a packed file (TC beta 4).
Packer: 7z (Total7zip.wcx).
Process explorer shows Total7zip.wcx64, uses 64-bit 7z.dll, and certainly previous versions (or maybe betas) of TC had shown Total7zip.wcx64 in the packer data.
Is this intentional change or a bug?

What is wrong with this ?
Total7zip has not been changed with any TC version.
The wcx module calls 7z.dll for all its packer functions.