Total Commander

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!

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

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.

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