ACE extension issue

[robmburke]

I thought I might bring up an issue about the .ace extension
It seems that Altap assume any .ace files are compressed files.
However, at my workplace we use postal sorting software from Business Objects and one of the file extensions is .ace.
What I have found is, that even with the ACE plug-in disabled or even deleted, Altap still attempts to find the ACE plugin and will not open my file with the appropriate executable program.
So, is there some way around this or is it an issue that could possibly be addressed. Since these files are in every aspect of my job, I use them multiple times all day, and it doesn't work not being able to open these with Altap, I have to use Windows Explorer anyway, which essentially makes Altap Salamander useless.

If it's something that needs to be addressed progamatically, maybe it can go under:
Better Windows shell integration: file associations, context menus

[SelfMan]

You should check also the Options > Configuration > Viewers & editors and Archivers.
Just go through and look for ACE stuff.

[robmburke]

I'm lost what I'm supposed to do once I find it.

[SelfMan]

I'm lost what I'm supposed to do once I find it.

You can delete the UnACE entry in the "Unpackers in Unpack Dialog Box"
You can also add a custom viewer program for the F3 key for the ace extension.
(Options > Configuration > Viewers & editors > Viewers)
There are many ways to solve your problem.

[robmburke]

Thanks alot. I got rid of all the references of ACE in all the Archiver areas and it fixed it.
I had deleted one thing from somewhere last time, but obviously that wasn't enough.

Still, It does seem bad practice though, from a programmer's standpoint, to assume what files will be opened by what programs and changing the natural functionality.

If I wanna do something outside the box, that is one thing (which is what custom viewers are for).
But what is expected functionality shouldn't be tampered with; it can confuse people.
Those are MS doctrines. lol.

If you go to one of those file extension sites, though, any given file extension has a good chance of having more than one executable associated with it.

[SelfMan]

Jieah, there are a few programs who use that extension (http://filext.com/file-extension/ace), but you can't expect from the authors of Salamander that they should build and automatically support all of them. What they support are the most common used programs. In this case the ACE archiver.
The truth is, that the extension is created/used by the authors of the given software. So shouldnt they check before they use it?
I believe most of the AS users use the ACE extension as archives. You as a minority, who uses a diferent programm for *.ace files, have still the option to change it within the configuration.

[robmburke]

Exactly, which is what I said.
I was saying don't support any filetype in particular and let the Windows defaults take precendent.
For that exact reason: any given file extension can have 2+ possible executables associated with it.

Honestly, I haven't ever heard or used a .ACE compressed file (Just as I'm sure that most people don't know that the Post Office software that utilizes the .ace extension either)
I've looked it up and it's hard to find the Post Office software associated with .ace in file extension lists.

Example:
That would be like taking the program I wrote that is a folder management utility and instead of my users launching in Windows Explorer by default, I make my program launch in Altap. If they don't have Altap installed, they have to go through this process of disabling that functionality to get Windows Explorer to launch instead.
Instead, I made it an option that you turn on if you happen to have Altap Salamander installed on your PC.
(Actually, someone who uses Altap suggested I support it, which is the only way I found out about Altap and the only reason I use it now.)

[Jan Patera]

Example:
That would be like taking the program I wrote that is a folder management utility and instead of my users launching in Windows Explorer by default, I make my program launch in Altap. If they don't have Altap installed, they have to go through this process of disabling that functionality to get Windows Explorer to launch instead.
Instead, I made it an option that you turn on if you happen to have Altap Salamander installed on your PC.
(Actually, someone who uses Altap suggested I support it, which is the only way I found out about Altap and the only reason I use it now.)

I think this is not a correct example. With Salamander, you do get installed plugin for ACE decompression, you disabled existing/installed functionality. In your example you want the users to disable uninstalled functionality.

[Jan Rysavy]

OT: robmburke, please update your signature according to our forum rules. Thank you.

signature.png (30.04 KiB) Viewed 10954 times

[Ether]

I'd classify this as a feature request: You essentially want Salamander to check for already system-wide associated extensions when associating Salamander's packer extensions. If there's a conflict, let the user choose whether he wants to use Salamander's plugin by default or stay with his program.

Partially it's related to the Ctrl-PgDn (or something like that) shortcut to open a file using a packer plugin without breaking the default program association. Our problem wouldn't be then about completely disabling the packer plugin, but only about choosing which should be invoked by pressing Enter, instead.