TC 7 [req]: Temp Panel/Virtual folders

[JohnFredC]

In my mind, an "organizer" is a tab and doesn't appear in the file space.

Technically it may be a file, perhaps stored in a folder, so for that an icon would be needed...

But I had been thinking that TC "organizers" would be tabs, not members of the Network neighborhood.

[icfu]

http://www.totalcmd.net/plugring/FileRedirector.html
http://www.totalcmd.net/plugring/temporarypanel.html

In both container plugins you can drag&drop folders from file system and you can create folders that have no physical counterpart. But, both look identically and this can be a problem.

But I had been thinking that TC "organizers" would be tabs, not members of the Network neighborhood.

Of course they would be tabs, otherwise you can also use the plugins.

Icfu

[JohnFredC]

you can create folders that have no physical counterpart. But, both look identically and this can be a problem

I understand now.

A distinctive icon would be needed for a folder created in an organizer as opposed to one dropped there.

A little slow in my old age.

[szlori]

A blue virtual folder, was assuming one could create one within any given directory, much like you can with a junction currently - though a junction needs to actually point to a valid directory. The way This could be handled perhaps is for TC to have a subdirectory in its path

\TotalCmd\VirtualFolders\Test1\
\TotalCmd\VirtualFolders\NewZip\

Many mention wanting to have these Containers to not be volatile and persist between reboots/TC restarts. Obviously some way to store the information would be required. The above seems the easiest to me. Instead of the limiting the implementation to a "Virtual Tab"

Sorry, but what you are talking about is a "temporary folder", that is very much real if you make it in TC's folder, as you mentioned.
This succeeded to confuse JohnFredC as well.

I wish for really "virtual" folders, so they should make no footprint on the filesystem at all. Only that for persistence sake, their information will be saved in wincmd.ini (or other file).

So these folders will not appear anywhere in the real file system, but as Icfu said, you could have subfolders (I initially voted against this since Christian said it is much harder this way).
Or perhaps these virtual folders could be displayed in the "Network Neighborhood" as this is already kindda "virtual". I guess there you could have a "VirtualFolders" subfolder and all your virtual folders inside that. But for this there is no need for a different color, since it's pretty obvious already where you are.

What I was wondering is, once you are inside the virtual folder (in a tab), you should still be aware you are in a virtual one, so you know what happens if you press Delete.
And this is not so straigtforward for me, how it will be done. Different background color?

[Balderstrom]

Indicating you are in a virtual folder, would be fairly easy I would think.
Simply prepend a character(s) to the listed files. For flexibility I suppose it should be a setting that can be changed.

default perhaps something like:
[] Just a Folder <virtual>
[] AnArchive.zip
[] SomeFile.txt
[]

Sorry for confusing anyone Just thought a virtual FOLDER had more functionality than a virtual TAB.

[szlori]

Sorry for confusing anyone Just thought a virtual FOLDER had more functionality than a virtual TAB.

No worries.
I don't mind a "virtual folder", as long as it stays virtual.
So you can see it as a folder, but only in "Network Neighborhood"'s special "Virtual Folders" subfolder (which is nowhere on the filesystem BTW).

Or maybe that's what you thought as well: nothing on the filesystem, only that TC displays these folders under its own install folder?
Well, anyway they would be better off in a more "virtual" place.

I finish now, because I start confusing myself.

[SQUIRE]

What say we avoid the over-utilised term 'folder' ('container' implies some form of packed file or archive to me) and simply call it a 'Virtual Panel' containing a list of 'Pointers' or 'Links'? I, too, agree that delete should be treated with circumspection to avoid unintentional consequences. Maybe the DEL key should pop up a 2-entry dialogue box with 'Delete Pointer?' and 'Delete Object pointed to?' with the former pre-selected. Naturally, the hot keys mentioned by icfu should also be on call to satisfy the more infallible amongst us.

[Balderstrom]

Or, PFS, for Pseudo File System, or Pseudo Fake Stuff, or
Pretend File System, or maybe PPP: Pretend Pseudo Panels.
I kinda like Pretend Pseudo Panels myself *chuckle*

[SQUIRE]

And, philosophically, what if (in a moment of weakness, foolishness, or sheer poor choice of liquid refreshment) I established a pointer in a PPP to 'c:\' and then hit delete? Would I be watching in virtual fascinated horror as TC faithfully proceeds to obliterate my entire 'pseudo' system before my very eyes? Heh, heh, heh!

[icfu]

Maybe the DEL key should pop up a 2-entry dialogue box with 'Delete Pointer?' and 'Delete Object pointed to?

Temporary Panel shows such a dialog box on every deletion and it really sucks. Honestly it's even worse than that...

Icfu

[SQUIRE]

Hmmm, I've not experienced Temp Panel but I'll take your word for the irritation-factor. Of course, the dialogue box would only pop up for the DEL key and not the expert-mode hot key combination. But even here a small refinement like a check box for 'never show me this dialogue again' would dismiss the warning box forever with your choice of function permanently selected. Personally I've never minded TC's 'Are you sure....' warnings because I'm so readily distracted!

[ghisler(Author)]

I have decided to extend the file system plugin interface to work with locally linked files. What I have already done is the following:
- added a function to request the local file name for a file in the plugin namespace, e.g. \\\temppanel\dir\file.txt -> c:\test\file.txt
- F3 and F4 will call this function (if implemented) and open the file directly
- When displaying thunbnails file lists, the function will be called, and TC will get the thumbnail from the original file.

What I could implement in the future:
- get custom columns for the file
- pack the selected files with zip
- upload the files to ftp, or some other plugin

What cannot be done:
- pack the files with a plugin or external packer. Here all files must come from a common base directory, otherwise it will simply not work with the available interfaces. Currently TC therefore copies the files to temp before packing them.

What else should be added?

[JP]

What cannot be done:
- pack the files with a plugin or external packer. Here all files must come from a common base directory, otherwise it will simply not work with the available interfaces. Currently TC therefore copies the files to temp before packing them.

These are very bad news...

[Valery_Kondakoff]

What else should be added?

The file properties (date, size etc) in Temp Panel should reflect the changes of the real file. So, if the real file was truncated, we should be able to see the changes in size and date in Temp panel.

[burekbrigada]

These are very bad news...

Not so bad if ...

- pack the selected files with zip
- upload the files to ftp, or some other plugin

packing with external packer can be implemented in other file system plugin
2 Mr. Ghisler
uploading files to other plugins (and FTP) is must, without this temp panels will be crippled