Some comments after testing the Ultimate version.

[Wepver]

Hello,

After testing the new features of the Ultimate edition of x2 I would like to share my personal opinion about it.

I think that it would be good to add an option during the Xplorer2 Ultimate installation to choose where the program must save its settings.

I use to have unchecked the “Save program state on exit”, but it seems to me that this option must be enabled to be able to change where x2 store its settings. Could not be both options be independent one of the other?

In some occasions x2’s settings are not transferred during their transition from the windows registry to an ini file. For example, I had X2 Pro installed with “Save program state on exit” unchecked before the installation of X2 Ult, and doing the following steps x2 Ult would not create an ini file with the customized settings:
1. Check “Save program state on exit” and choose “file in user appdata folder”.
2. Accept changes.
3. Uncheck “Save program state on exit”.
4. Accept changes, and exit X2 Ult.

I think that it would be good to allow users to choose to save the program settings as reg or ini files and not only as ini.

It is curious that when you choose to save the program settings file in the installation folder when you do not have permissions, you get the following error message: “You don’t have write permission in C:\Program Files\zabkat\xplorer2_ult\ The program settings cannot be placed here, try the appdata folder”. But after getting this error if you try to export the settings you get the following message: “Program settings are already exported to INI file: C:\Program Files\zabkat\xplorer2_ult\x2settings.ini” and obviously there is no ini file there.

I hope to see more options to manage CIDA files in a near future, like to be able to edit the location of the files stored in them (Edit file location in the context menu), be able to store relative paths of the files (depending upon the location of the CIDA file), etc. It would be really useful and even more taking into account the portability of the Ult version.

[nikos]

if i follow you correctly (?) you are wondering why no ini file is written when you tick off 'save settings on exit'?!

[Wepver]

Yes, more or less, sorry for my poor English. And why save settings on exit must be activated to be able to transfer the settings from the windows registry to an ini file and vice versa. I want to transfer the x2 configuration but not to save the changes made to x2.

[nikos]

what xplorer2 is telling you is that there's already a settings file ready for you to copy out, if settings are set to INI. You must leave 'save settings on exit' momentarily on for this to work, then turn it off

[Wepver]

It is a little bit complex but any way, it is not something that must be done once and again.

And why it is not possible to export the setting as a reg file? It would be really useful to be able to import the settings easily when you do not want to use ini file in a system or you want to transfer them to an x2 pro user.

[Kilmatead]

And why it is not possible to export the setting as a reg file?

This functionality has always been available (well, "always" since a few years anyway). Actions -> Export Settings generates the appropriate .reg file.

It should be noted that this INI option is only intended for the portable paradigm, as some of the information contained within the file is still largely binary in nature and not suited to direct editing by users, and so serves little purpose for regular desktop use.

[nikos]

actually the ultimate version only explorts INI... if you want REG you can open this key in regedit and export it:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\ZabaraKatranemia Plc

[Kilmatead]

actually the ultimate version only explorts INI...

Upon closer inspection, you're inexplicably right.  However, that doesn't even qualify as a humorous "feature" and nor is it a bug - it's just an absurd design fault of lazy coding, full stop.  If the version caters to both Registry and INI then the options for both must be equilateral.  Ridiculous.

[Wepver]

Thanks nikos, but please, consider adding reg and ini files as exporting options from the x2 Ult interface.
I like x2 a lot, but sometimes it seems to me that it could became too complex for a novice user to completely personalize it (The settings editor was a great improvement). I would like x2 to be as intuitive as possible, so I could recommend it to my friends without scaring them with words such as regedit.

[nikos]

the INI export helps setting up the portable version. But it is also good to move or backup settings, so the REG isn't required

[Kilmatead]

But it is also good to move or backup settings, so the REG isn't required

Balderdash.  However, if you wish to delude yourself with that type of propaganda and call something Ultimate by actually removing a stock item that's been there for 10 years, if at any time in the future you ever wonder why MS removed the Start Button or everything else from Windows just to satisfy their own deluded misunderstanding of product development, I will personally march over to Greece and dump 11.4 metric tonnes of horse shite on your doorstep.  Just like Hannibal crossed the Alps, and Fitzcarraldo crossed the Amazon, I'll do it to show you the error of your ways and rub your nose in it.

[gufus]

Thanks nikos, but please, consider adding reg and ini files as recommend it to my friends without scaring them with words such as regedit.

Yes.. yes.  

[gufus]

the INI export helps setting up the portable version. But it is also good to move or backup settings, so the REG isn't required

I have both *.ini *.reg backup/saved.

[nikos]

ok i will remedy this in the next available opportunity  :roll:

[gufus]

ok i will remedy this in the next available opportunity  :roll:

Myself, I just use *.ini files.  8)