Checking of file header

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Kris
Posts: 19
Joined: 11 Apr 2013, 10:09

Checking of file header

Post by Kris »

Hi Guys,

Often I come across files which are zip files or simmilar (arj...) but have a different extension as they have been renamed in order to pass through company firewalls.
It would be nice if one could open it the standard way as it is possible if AS knows how to handle a zip file.

The extension could be anything, so before you tell Windows to try to open it with a program, you should check the file hearder, if you recognize it you should treat it as a zip file if that is what you recognize it as.


I hope that the above makes sense and I am sure I am not the only one who would love this feature, which is avaliavle in other NC clones.

Regards,
Kris
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Ether
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Re: Checking of file header

Post by Ether »

This would be mostly solved by adding the Ctrl+PgDn shortcut. This shortcut would try to open a file using an unpacker (possibly after asking the user to choose the correct unpacker). A search for PgDn on this forum shows more information on this feature. Unfortunately, there is currently no ETA for this.
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Kris
Posts: 19
Joined: 11 Apr 2013, 10:09

Re: Checking of file header

Post by Kris »

Hi Ether,

What you are suggesting is a work around which is not a nice one either by the way.
What I suggested was a feature request, not a work around and I am sure that we are many which would welcom ethis feature!
Thanks for taking your time to review this!

Regards,
Kris
therube
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Joined: 14 Dec 2006, 06:22

Re: Checking of file header

Post by therube »

If these extensions are known, you can associate them with the ZIP plugin.

If not known, or if no extension the UNIX 'file' command or TrID - File Identifier might help.

Universal Extractor uses TriD (& other methods) to try to determine a file's type (& subsequently extract its contents).

If you have a set of files you are specifically looking at, the alt+F3 viewer is often sufficient to determine a file's type (from the visible header).

> available in other NC clones

Which?

> arj

And I thought I was the last ARJ user left on the planet ;-).
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Kris
Posts: 19
Joined: 11 Apr 2013, 10:09

Re: Checking of file header

Post by Kris »

Hi Therube,

Thank you for taking the time to answer my email.

TriID, sounds interesting, can you clarify how this is supposed to work within AS, as I need some guidance in that area.
I am not interested in it being extracted as I want to navigate around within the archive as one can do with a Zip file.

The other NC clones I can refer to would be NC it self and also Disco Commander from Disco in russia.

Yeah I am with you, ARJ is old, but still a very good archiver for sure!

Regards,
Kris
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Ether
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Re: Checking of file header

Post by Ether »

Kris wrote:What you are suggesting is a work around which is not a nice one either by the way.
What I suggested was a feature request, not a work around and I am sure that we are many which would welcom ethis feature!
Depends on how you look at it. How about a situation where you see a file in Salamander with some extension (let's say oex) and want to open it in the application that is associated with the extension -- but Salamander looks at the file and says "no, it's a zip file, let me open it instead".

Of course, these ambiguities could probably be solved using a system of rules and exceptions, but it is much simpler to leave the decision to the user. When I want Windows to open a file with a non-archive extension, I press Enter; if I want Salamander to open the same file, I press Ctrl+PgDn (or another shortcut). I can't think of a situation where I would have a file that was in fact an archive and I want it open as an archive, but don't know it yet.

(Sorry if this post seems agressive. I'm in a hurry and don't have time to rephrase it in a more decent way.)
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manison
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Re: Checking of file header

Post by manison »

Ether wrote:Depends on how you look at it. How about a situation where you see a file in Salamander with some extension (let's say oex) and want to open it in the application that is associated with the extension -- but Salamander looks at the file and says "no, it's a zip file, let me open it instead".
This is the case of new MS Office formats which are in fact renamed ZIPs. I would not be happy if pressing Enter on DOCX/XLSX/PPTX file displays zipped content in Salamander's panel instead of launching Word/Excel/PowerPoint.

I believe the Ctrl+PgDown is the way Total Commander handles this.
Kris
Posts: 19
Joined: 11 Apr 2013, 10:09

Re: Checking of file header

Post by Kris »

I guess there is always pros and cons...
PRessing Alt plus enter would also list the file in the command line, etc, etc.....

Anyway I see the point and do agree to some extend....

Now we just need to have the function avaliable within AS, that would be great :-)

Thank you all for contributing to this thread!

Kris
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