Problem: Microsoft Cabinets with period as dir name

[j7n]

Some recent installers created by Microsoft contain 'funny' path names with periods as directory names. They cannot be extracted with Total Commander. These files can be extracted with other tools, such as WinRAR or 7-Zip.

For example, MSVC 10 runtime.

Code: Select all

.\.\.\.\vc_red.cab

If I drag this file over to the other panel in TC 8.51a, nothing apparently happens.

[ghisler(Author)]

You cannot browse such invalid folders, but you can still unpack the entire package with Alt+F9, or individual files with Ctrl+B (branch view).

[MVV]

Using Alt+F9 all these folders are merged. However, if I replace dots with some character like underscore using hex editor, archive may be viewed or unpacked w/o problems. It would be nice if TC could do it directly. These are not invalid folders, archives just have no such restrictions like folders.

[j7n]

I have never used Branch View before. I can see that it will prove useful when opening large directories with perplexing structure. It's faster to bring up than search for all files. Thanks.

The "flat" Branch View still doesn't allow to extract these files via drag and drop. Same result. But I can use File -> Unpack (Alt+F9) and enter the required mask, such as *.cab or *.dll. That is reasonably quick.

[ghisler(Author)]

Using Alt+F9 all these folders are merged.

Not confirmed.

[MVV]

When subfolder is named ".", its contents is extracted to target folder directly, just because "." means current folder. And when multiple nested folders are named ".", their contents is extracted to target folder. E.g. file ".\.\.\.\vc_red.cab" from sample archive is extracted directly to target directory.

[ghisler(Author)]

Yes, so why should this be a bug? Real subfolders within the \.\. chain are unpacked correctly by TC.

[MVV]

It is not a bug, but it may be done better if TC could mask forbidden characters in names. E.g. archive can contain a folder with name "AUX", and TC is unable to unpack such archive.