Back to the Caps Thing

[GiantWaffle]

To the author of FC.

Please, please, please, do not take any of this as me being rude and please, note the smilies and know that all of this is said with a great love of your product and only with the idea of trying to help make it even better! Not that I have the ability to do that, but just from a users' point of observation and please understand that I truly, sincerely do mean every good thing that I say about you and FC in this message, okay?

And this is about a conversation that we had already, just a short time ago.

To remind you of the conversation, I was saying that when I go to pack files, it takes out the caps.

In other words, by default, it will use the name of the folder that it is being zipped in, which is proper. But the name of the Zip file will lose all of the caps.

So in other words, what should be "My Files.zip" will end up as being "my files.zip" and this means that for every zip, I have to go back through what's showing and edit it and since as I said, I deal with A LOT of zip files, this is a real pain!

Now just to clarify, I don't mean that the folder names lose their caps. In that "zip line" that shows what is going to be the name of the file itself, the folders still have all of their caps. But at the end of that line, the actual name of the zip file itself that will be created, has the caps stripped out.

The thinking was that maybe it's because I am running a 32 bit FC under a 64 bit OS. But I put it on my wife's 32 bit XP setup and it does the same thing. And her machine is pristine, with proper maintenance done every two weeks! I have been a tech (a real one) for almost 30 years and trust me, I do take care of her machine!

So I don't know, dude. I am redoing my system due to a fatal error and since I have to redo it anyway, I am going 32 bit on XP and I really love FC! And I really want to run it! But this is happening and while I cannot explain why, it is. Maybe those who have said it is just my setup, are thinking that I'm saying that the whole line folder names and all are losing the caps? But that isn't it at all! It's just the file name itself that this happens to while viewing that command line that pops up when telling it to pack the files.

Can you please try this on a 32 bit XP machine, if you have one, or know of someone who does? I did and it happened to me there too.

I believe (and I say this with all sincerity) that programmers who make such wonderful utilities as you do (and I really am not trying to patronize you here) should be paid for their time and I really would contribute, if it just did this one thing for me! Well okay, that's a lie. I need it to do three things for me.

I don't say that as a bribe, because obviously, my one donation would not be worth your time as a bribe! Hahahaha!

I just say this to let you know how much I love your work on this utility!!!

I have tried all of them and I think, personally, that aside from this (and okay, the lack of being able to set the background color for the active window), that the rest are all crap and they don't compare!

I even tried the venerated "Total Commander". I'm sorry, but what is the hype about?!? I just don't see it! I really don't and I mean that!

The only other thing that I would suggest and I honestly don't remember if this is an issue with FC or not, since I didn't try it with IZArc (which does everything, like yours and is free, like yours), is to make sure that the users' compression utility is available in the context menu (which I honestly forget if it does already or not) and one other thing.

So for me, what I am looking for, outside of what FC does already, which IMO, is much more than nay other file management utility does, is the following (and #3 may not be an issue anyway):

1) Let it leave the caps alone.

2) Allow users to be able to set a different background color for the active window and btw, MAKE IT EASIER TO DO COLORS, DUDE!!! <Laugh!>

3) Let the users' compression utility show up in the context menu

And just as a side note (please don't get mad when I say this, okay?), you should check out Q-Dir. Why? Because it lets me set one folder in one window (I can have like four of them if I want to) to a thumbnail view and to leave it there. And all the rest will be whatever I set the norm to. And if you save your profile, it remembers that view every time and plops you right in the same folders.

I don't say that to say that it's better than yours. It lacks A LOT of what you do! I just say it, because it's nive to be able to go to that one "pictures folder" and have it always turn up as thumbnail, without affecting any other folder!

Anyway, thanks again and even if it turns out that I can't use it, your utility is certainly, I think, the best out there and I mean that!

Take care and God bless!!!

[granny]

Hi GiantWaffle
I'm just going to stick my nose in for a minute ---
I use FC mostly on XP 32-bit and I don't have any problem with my caps getting stripped out when I zip folders and files. I've let the packer use the existing name, and applied a new name, and haven't had this happen.
I haven't used the packer on my Vista 64-bit, I'll try that tonight and let you know the results.

I'm assuming here that you are using the built-in archiver in FC.
If you assigned a 3rd-party archiver, such as 7zip or other, then that would be a whole different kettle of fish.

because it's nice to be able to go to that one "pictures folder" and have it always turn up as thumbnail, without affecting any other folder!

Now, this is one that you CAN have in the current FreeCommander, version 2009-02, is this the version you're using?
Each tab can have different file display, details or thumbs, or list, or whatever, with or without a Folder Tree.
Make a Locked Tab for that pictures folder, with its own thumbnail setting, and it will always be waiting for you the next time you open FC.
(as a matter of fact, I'll be uploading a guide tonight that includes a little bit about creating locked tabs). Meanwhile, just set up your folder the way you want it, with a tree or without, in thumbnails or details or whichever. If you don't already have it in a tab, press Ctrl T to create the tab. Then right-click on the tab, and choose one of the Lock options from the context menu.

By the way, I totally agree with you about Total Commander. TC may be stuffed to the gills with plugins, but the interface seemed so awful that I put it aside after just a few hours of tryout.
I think FreeCommander is sleeker and more comfortable (took a little bit to get used to configuring colors and toolbars and all, but worth it.)

[GiantWaffle]

Hi GiantWaffle
I'm just going to stick my nose in for a minute ---
I use FC mostly on XP 32-bit and I don't have any problem with my caps getting stripped out when I zip folders and files. I've let the packer use the existing name, and applied a new name, and haven't had this happen.
I haven't used the packer on my Vista 64-bit, I'll try that tonight and let you know the results.

I'm assuming here that you are using the built-in archiver in FC.
If you assigned a 3rd-party archiver, such as 7zip or other, then that would be a whole different kettle of fish.

because it's nice to be able to go to that one "pictures folder" and have it always turn up as thumbnail, without affecting any other folder!

Now, this is one that you CAN have in the current FreeCommander, version 2009-02, is this the version you're using?
Each tab can have different file display, details or thumbs, or list, or whatever, with or without a Folder Tree.
Make a Locked Tab for that pictures folder, with its own thumbnail setting, and it will always be waiting for you the next time you open FC.
(as a matter of fact, I'll be uploading a guide tonight that includes a little bit about creating locked tabs). Meanwhile, just set up your folder the way you want it, with a tree or without, in thumbnails or details or whichever. If you don't already have it in a tab, press Ctrl T to create the tab. Then right-click on the tab, and choose one of the Lock options from the context menu.

By the way, I totally agree with you about Total Commander. TC may be stuffed to the gills with plugins, but the interface seemed so awful that I put it aside after just a few hours of tryout.
I think FreeCommander is sleeker and more comfortable (took a little bit to get used to configuring colors and toolbars and all, but worth it.)

Now listen here, Granny!!!

Sorry, had to do that! Your handle made me think of an old cartoon I once saw.

And please do not be offended by this message. Note the smileys and understand that I didn't write this in anger or anything, okay?

All seriousness aside though.. No offense, but please go back and read all of what I wrote. No insult intended, but I stated very clearly that I put it on my wife's 32 bit XP system and got the same results!

I also stated that I am NOT talking about the folder names.

Again, you must SLOW DOWN and REALLY read what I'm saying and please try to understand AND THEN respond and let me know what you might have to offer.

Again, please understand that I really mean no disrespect at all, but so far, NO ONE has carefully read what I've written and all four or five of my responses, has been me REPEATING what I said and to date, AGAIN, NO ONE has actually addressed what exactly I have said, except for one time. (:.

Now maybe this problem is limited to just two systems in the world and they both happen to be in my house and are 32 bit and 64 bit systems, but I really doubt that.

So go and zip something with the built in packer. Don't look at the folder name that appears in the dialog box. LOOK ONLY at the FILE NAME ITSELF. The "Whatever.Zip" at the END of that command line in that dialog box and see if it has caps that exactly match what the folder name has.

NOW DON'T TELL ME IT MATCHES, IF THE FOLDER NAME IS ALREADY ALL LOWER CASE!!!

That would not be a good test! Hahaha!!!

You must take a folder name that has caps (NOT ALL CAPS) and then try to do it. The file name.zip will end up being the folder name, which is normal. But does the file name AND ONLY THE FILE NAME PART OF THE COMMAND LINE have caps in the same spots as the folder name does?

If yes, then I have the only two machines in the world that mess up FC!

If not, then you have finally figured out what it is I am trying to point out, dear!

Again, the caps were not for shouting. They were just to get you to pay careful attention, because even after I have explained this three times now in great detail, folks just do not seem to understand what it is I am saying and I can tell that by the way they answer. It is obvious to me that folks just simply are not reading what I wrote, since every time, they ask me questions that I have already answered.

So please dear, please read this carefully and tell me what happens when you try it, okay? I'm really sorry. I am. It's just that I get tired of typing the same thing, over and over again, because folks won't take 5 minutes to read the message first.

I even started the message out by saying that it was written TO CLARIFY what I was saying. And then that doesn't get read carefully. (: Again, no offense, but do you see what I'm saying here, please? I am simply tired of writing the same thing and it has been happening every day in every forum. (: Is it really that much to ask???

But thank you for caring enough to respond. I really do appreciate that and yes, I agree with you on everything else you said! And I am not angry with you or anything, so please, don't get the wrong idea, okay?

[joby_toss]

In my case (winxpprosp3x86), FC zipping goes like this
http://www.mediafire.com/file/qmzyuindl ... 5.x264.avi

[granny]

Not a bit offended, my dear boy
(actually, Maxine is my role model, if you've seen the Maxine greeting cards. Us crotchety old ladies are going to take over the world one day soon!)

Anyway, I do understand your frustration. I've been there.

I just ran another pack process, on XP Pro SP3.
Here is a screen shot of my steps & results. (uploaded to imageshack)
I opened the resulting zip file in WinZip to show the contents, just because doing that in FC looked like any other folder, not a zip.


Could you upload screenshot to imageshack or similar, so we can see what you see? Sometimes verbal descriptions just don't fit the bill.

We don't want you to give up on FreeCommander, you know?