"Search archives" inconsistency

[mmm]

Petermad,
As I stated before, I find the false positive result with the Archives option disabled very troubling. If something is disabled, you cannot refer to it in your search results. Period.

This remark applies to ZIP/7Z though. When it comes to *.exe and the like, I opt out from making comments on that. I believe these are filtered out via "Search in", not the Archives option. Feel a tad confused; not sure where you are going with your question.

mmm

[Hacker]

mmm,

When it comes to *.exe and the like, I opt out from making comments on that. I believe these are filtered out via "Search in", not the Archives option. Feel a tad confused; not sure where you are going with your question.

Well, there are lots of self-extracting .exe archives or installers, for example.

Roman

[Dalai]

As I stated before, I find the false positive result with the Archives option disabled very troubling.

But it's not a false positive. The text is in the archive itself. If I search in files for some text I expect the program to return all files contaning that text. I don't expect a program to leave out a file just because it's an archive.

The thing is that archives are somewhat special. They're files and can contain files at the same time. As such, they're found whether or not the "Search archives" option is checked (if they or the files within them contain the text, of course).

As you probably know by now, you can consider the "Search in archives" checkbox as either

• "Search in archives" as long as "Find text" is unchecked, or
• "Search in files inside archives" if "Find text" is enabled

If you have a suggestion on how to make this feasible in TC's GUI, feel free to post it.

Regards
Dalai

[petermad]

This remark applies to ZIP/7Z though. When it comes to *.exe and the like, I opt out from making comments on that. I believe these are filtered out via "Search in", not the Archives option. Feel a tad confused; not sure where you are going with your question.

How do you conclude that .exe and .dll and other binary files are filtered out vis ''Search in' - Search in if for directories or for search list files (preceded with @)?

[mmm]

Petermad wrote:

How do you conclude that .exe and .dll and other binary files are filtered out vis ''Search in' - Search in if for directories or for search list files (preceded with @)?

I offer my apologies for poor wording. My bad.

Replacing "are filtered out" with "can be filtered out" might help.

Petermad,
at this point I am asking for a short break as I need to investigate the Archive option and the entire conversation a lot deeper so as not to make more harm than good. Will touch base with you when I put everything together.

[mmm]

Dalai wrote:

As you probably know by now, you can consider the "Search in archives" checkbox as either
"Search in archives" as long as "Find text" is unchecked, or
"Search in files inside archives" if "Find text" is enabled

I am trying to fully understand only half of the above - how "Search archives" works for me when "Find text" is enabled.

[mmm]

Dalai wrote:

The thing is that archives are somewhat special. They're files and can contain files at the same time.

You could not put it better.

As such, they're found whether or not the "Search archives" option is checked (if they or the files within them contain the text, of course).

I beg to differ.

If you implement a checkbox and name it "Search archives", the only deduction I am capable of is that you gave the user a convenient way to decide whether they want to include Archives to search or not. Similarly, you could implement an "Include/exclude C# files from search results" option if this feature would be in great demand for whatever reason.

Now, slowly but steadily I am coming to the conclusion that the actual purpose of the "Search archives" checkbox currently implemented in TC is different though. It is not "Archives yes or no", it is more like "do archives one way or the other way". Am I correct?

If yes, where can I find a full and official description of what the "Search archives" checkbox actually does?

[petermad]

2mmm

ow, slowly but steadily I am coming to the conclusion that the actual purpose of the "Search archives" checkbox currently implemented in TC is different though. It is not "Archives yes or no", it is more like "do archives one way or the other way". Am I correct?

Yes

If yes, where can I find a full and official description of what the "Search archives" checkbox actually does?

Well, there is the Help:

Search archives
Enables search in files with extension ZIP, ARJ, LZH, RAR, TAR, GZ, CAB, ACE, and 7Z. Text can even be searched in archives! The files are unpacked, searched and deleted on the fly.

[mmm]

Petermad,
This conversation clearly circled.

With that being said I am going to put off my comments for some time; will wait to see further development instead.

Best,
mmm

[mmm]

Hacker,
you mentioned a "concept discussion" the other day.
Well, the floor is all yours.

mmm

[Hacker]

mmm,

you mentioned a "concept discussion" the other day.
Well, the floor is all yours.

Well, if you want something to change, a concept of how the finished outcome should look like is certainly helpful. As I am not proposing any change, I have no concept to offer.

Roman

[Dalai]

Now, slowly but steadily I am coming to the conclusion that the actual purpose of the "Search archives" checkbox currently implemented in TC is different though. It is not "Archives yes or no", it is more like "do archives one way or the other way". Am I correct?

Yes, that's what I meant with my two bullet points above. Put another way, archives are treated as files as long as "Search archives" is unchecked, and as directories if "Search archives" is checked. If "Search archives" is enabled, only their contents as an archive matter, not their binary contents as a file.

If you implement a checkbox and name it "Search archives", the only deduction I am capable of is that you gave the user a convenient way to decide whether they want to include Archives to search or not.

What label would you suggest for this checkbox? It's probably not so easy to find one that suits both states of the "Find text" checkbox. "Search archive contents" is just as ambigious because what contents is this referring to, binary as in "file" or actual archive contents? The checkbox would probably need to change its label based on the "Find text" checkbox, but that would create some other GUI-related issues (as I already said in my initial post in this thread).

Regards
Dalai

[mmm]

Dalai,
I totally appreciate your analysis. It took me a while to understand what is going on here.

Put another way, archives are treated as files as long as "Search archives" is unchecked, and as directories if "Search archives" is checked.

1. I find the "Search archives" checkbox label versus the function(s) implemented behind so confusing/misleading that I am inclined to say that the two work modes need a two-state radio button.

This might be a step forward. Just a thought. I am definitely not qualified enough to foresee all consequences and/or ramifications.



2. Besides the two work modes currently implemented - i.e. treat archives "as files" and "as directories" whatever it means - I would like you folks to consider adding a new feature that would allow to "Include/Exclude archives" from searches.
Reason: In my world, archives may get really big. A simple and convenient way how to eliminate tons of giga bytes from your searches might be useful. Low priority.


Many thanks,
mmm

[mmm]

Hacker,
Any word?

You had requested a proposal and you've got it.

Thanks,
mmm

[Hacker]

mmm,

Any word?
You had requested a proposal and you've got it.

You mean this?

Besides the two work modes currently implemented - i.e. treat archives "as files" and "as directories" whatever it means - I would like you folks to consider adding a new feature that would allow to "Include/Exclude archives" from searches.

A checkbox to not search the binary content of archive files when performing text search?
As one can easily exclude specific extensions from search, e.g....

Code: Select all

*.* | *.7z *.rar *.zip

... I don't really think it will gain traction. But that is not up to me, i can only offer an educated opinion.

Roman