tc2usb suggestion + xp>w7 migrate question

[AlleyKat]

First of all, let me say that I am very happy about this tool - I use it all the time to keep an updated TC on my USB-sticks and often changing laptops.

I do have 2 small RFE's thou.

1) Would it be possible to add an extra folder that gets copied over along with everything else?

The reason is that I use a couple of small tools with my Total Commander, and which are always present on my toolbar. I keep them in a folder under TC's program folder called 'addons', but the name of the folder wouldn't matter in the least - it would just be darn lovely if the tc2usb tool took some extra folder with all contents along with the plugins that it currently copies.

I use it for files like newfile, mreplace and tc2usb itself etc., and for icon files (addons/icons/) which are missing in the default icon sets. The latter folder is almost empty as TCs icon files has become quite complete the last couple of years, but I still have a few, like my icon for SFTP.

If there's a workaround - like putting these in a folder under plugins or some other fancy trick - feel free to enlighten me and slap me over the head for not knowing.

2) Option to in/exclude current tab(s) setting.

On my desktop I use a rather large number of (locked) tabs for my various drives and folders - these aren't really needed with my portable TC. So an option to just default both panes would be practical.


On the same note but slightly offtopic, is there a way to handle toolbar icon paths (and for that matter, everything else) sensibly (easily, to put it plain) when migrating TC from XP to Win7?
On my XP installation on my desktop PC, everything is in the TC folder for easy backup - but this is quite far from optimum when migrating to Win7 on my ever changing laptops. TC brilliantly copy my copied toolbar files (etc) to userdata, but the paths to icons - which I on XP has made pains to keep relative (like just "WCICONEX.DLL" without any path information) naturally no longer works. I'm sure there's a trick, but I haven't spotted it yet... As for the plugins, what makes most sense, placing them in userdata or program folder?

[JOUBE]

I do not exactly understand what you want to have, but may be the following will help you for your needs:

- Have a look at: %COMMANDER_PATH%
- and: UseIniInProgramDir=7


Informations about both you can find in the TC-Help (F1). Both elements are part of wincmd.ini. Normaly you have to use an editor to add them to windcmd.ini

HTH

JOUBE

[AlleyKat]

Hi JOUBE,

excellent!! I haven't got a clue why I didn't try %COMMANDER_PATH%, I didn't even think about it in that connection for some reason - that should certainly solve the problem with relative paths to the icon (-library) files, if it works in the toolbar icon path field (and I think it will). Thanks, going to test that right away.

As for UseIniInProgramDir, I'm not sure that applies to this situation. Under Windows 7 and Vista, files in the %programfiles% path are protected (and same goes for files in the %winpath%) unless you escalate rights to Administrator level.
For plugins, that might be workable; it would add an extra level of security to installation and modification at least. But I think it would be highly impractical as many plugins has their own ini files which must be located along with the plugin itself, and needs to be modified whenever there is a change in settings etc.
For the wincmd.ini, this changes constantly (unless the file is only written once per session at TC shutdown?) and would thus be annoying - which is why it's moved to %userdata%\AppData\Roaming\GHISLER\ automatically I guess.

But thanks, you got me thinking in the right direction - clearly both ini files, toolbars and plugins has to be within the %userdata% zone, just like t.ex. Firefox does it. Considering my current slightly messy setup on XP, I'll just have to build a new TC installation from scratch for Windows 7 and go from there.

[JOUBE]

Hi JOUBE,
excellent!!

You are welcome.

%COMMANDER_PATH% [...] if it works in the toolbar icon path field (and I think it will).

It will.

As for UseIniInProgramDir

Please note, this is not really a topic for the Plugin forum. Please have a look at the normal forum. I think, there you will find many, many ways to handle the wincmd.ini with Vista/Win7 and there are - i think - many many threads about this topic. (Maybe, they are a little bit older (Vista starts 2007 or so?). Please search in the normal forums.

I myself use the hard way :

escalate rights to Administrator level for TC folder.

Why? Why not. I do not follow Microsoft in the way, they what to force me to use the Total Commander.

Have also a look at the normal forums or at the TC-Help about: RedirectSection=

JOUBE

[MVV]

I'm using TC under XP, Vista, 7, and my TC folder is write-protected. Hovewer I like to keep wincmd.ini in TC folder so I keep it there and it contains UseIniInProgramDir=7 so TC uses this file always. I'm not using elevated TC all the time, I just added full write permissions for INI files in TC folder, and my BAR files are in subfolder that also have full write permissions. So all applications and libraries under TC folder are write-protected and all configuration files have full permissions.

[Ambaquista]

Good point (AlleyCat) and good explanation (Joube), but (MVV) how you add full write permissions for INI files in TC folder and TC subfolders?
I upgrade to Win7 a week ago (from XP) and this problem of rights and permissions is a bit annoying.
BRgds

[AlleyKat]

JOUBE > Re. UseIniInProgramDir you're right, that belongs in TC forum - but my point was that this setting isn't quite relevant in this situation. Then again, you may be absolutely right, when also coupled with the RedirectSection setting, somehow. I will search and learn.

Maybe a Moderator could be so nice as to split the last little part of my question off 1st post and move that and the following posts to the correct forum if applicable.

However, my primary worry regarding migration was also about the plugins, and my question about placement - which both you and MVV had some alternative answers to.

I myself use the hard way

This is not an approach I will follow; this would void the whole purpose of the Windows UAC system and I'd feel like I was using 'root' on my linux systems. I don't find it advisable personally, and would discourage most users from doing so. But each to his own, of course!


MVV > Interesting approach, if a bit hard work to manage in the long run I would think? (Or maybe not that hard, but still... )
Did you simply add Edit/Write rights to the files and that subfolder, or Full control rights? And how about plugins? And did you add write protection to the totalcmd folder or just leave it under the UAC control?


Ambaquista > You can control the rights on individual files and folders (or make it inherited for a folder and everything under it) by rightclicking on it, select Properties, tab Security, button Edit, marking the relevant user in the top box, and in the bottom box set the specific rights. I'll leave it to MVV to explain what is set - I honestly don't know the difference between Edit and Write rights; to me that should pretty much be the same.


I will pursue a setup like mentioned in last post for starters, having all ini-, toolbar- and plugin files in the appdata space. I think that makes sense and will simplify copying my TC setup to new machines; just install TC and overwrite the GHISLER folder. But I guess I better learn the full meaning of those 2 settings first. Thanks for your input JOUBE and MVV.

[JOUBE]

I will search and learn.

This takes time, this is mainly the problem...

I myself use the hard way

This is not an approach I will follow; this would void the whole purpose of the Windows UAC system and I'd feel like I was using 'root' on my linux systems. I don't find it advisable personally, and would discourage most users from doing so. But each to his own, of course!

You are completely right. But, as I said, there are 50 ways to focus this issue.

JOUBE