xplorer2 v3.1 released
Moderators: fgagnon, nikos, Site Mods
-
- Site Admin
- Posts: 16295
- Joined: 2002 Feb 07, 15:57
- Location: UK
xplorer2 v3.1 released
a small update, free for v3 license holders, just use HELP > CHECK FOR UPDATES menu command or the equivalent from ribbon's FILE tab.
the most important changes are here
http://zabkat.com/blog/tc-plugins.htm
for the full changelog click here
the most important changes are here
http://zabkat.com/blog/tc-plugins.htm
for the full changelog click here
-
- Member
- Posts: 9
- Joined: 2015 Jul 25, 17:42
Re: xplorer2 v3.1 released
TC plugins support is a great addition!
However, I'm not sure about the implementation:
"extract all files in any folder you like e.g. C:\PLUGINS\some plugin"
"xplorer² reads TC plugins from a file called TCPLUGINS.INI located in shell:appdata\ZABKAT folder"
Wouldn't it be better to store the .ini in the Xplorer2 folder, and support relative path syntax in the .ini file so that I can store plugins in a sub-folder of Xplorer2? That would make it a lot more portable.

However, I'm not sure about the implementation:
"extract all files in any folder you like e.g. C:\PLUGINS\some plugin"
"xplorer² reads TC plugins from a file called TCPLUGINS.INI located in shell:appdata\ZABKAT folder"
Wouldn't it be better to store the .ini in the Xplorer2 folder, and support relative path syntax in the .ini file so that I can store plugins in a sub-folder of Xplorer2? That would make it a lot more portable.
-
- Member
- Posts: 9
- Joined: 2015 Jul 25, 17:42
Re: xplorer2 v3.1 released
Also, I was able to get the "FileInfo 2.22" lister to properly display tabs with info on the selected file, but I wasn't able to get "DirSizeCalc Charts 1.10" to work (it doesn't display any information in Preview->Native). Am I doing anything wrong? I was hoping to deprecate TreeSize with that lister 

-
- Platinum Member
- Posts: 4797
- Joined: 2008 Sep 30, 06:52
- Location: Baile Átha Cliath
Re: xplorer2 v3.1 released
Relative paths are supported - relative to the x2 EXE itself, when the PLUGINS.INI is placed in the same folder as x2.Pingouin wrote:Wouldn't it be better to store the .ini in the Xplorer2 folder, and support relative path syntax in the .ini file so that I can store plugins in a sub-folder of Xplorer2? That would make it a lot more portable.
In other words, for portability, if you place the PLUGINS.INI within the x2 folder, x2 will read it (instead of using the default appdata folder). If that INI includes a relative reference such as:
[ContentPlugins]
0=Plugins\NTFSFileStreams.wdx64
...where the folder "Plugins\" is a subfolder relative to the EXE, and the plugin is appropriately within the 'Plugins' subfolder, x2 will find it. (The WDX/WLX file relativity is solely to the EXE, not the INI file itself, even though they appear to be the same.)
What this also means is that I probably should add relative-path handling into the plugins-manager. No end of fun there, I'm sure.


This paradigm is only really suitable for portable use, because some plugins themselves automatically modify the INI file, or maintain their own INI's as appropriate - thus requiring direct Write-Access to the folder, which (for those who use it) UAC may "discourage".
As for DirSizeCalc "Charts"... I don't get a display either, regardless of whether the DSC WDX is installed at the same time or not. It does work in TC, though, but its functionality may not transfer over directly, as it seems to be dependant upon TC using the <F3> keystroke to fire the viewer-event (which in turn fires the folder calculation).

-
- Member
- Posts: 9
- Joined: 2015 Jul 25, 17:42
Re: xplorer2 v3.1 released
Thanks Kilmatead!
You're right, it works just fine by copying the TCPLUGINS.ini in the Xplorer2 folder, and using relative pathes in the .ini file works fine too.
I suppose I could have tried before posting here!
Also thanks for confirming that DirSizeCalc charts don't work, I thought it was just me being silly. To be honest, I'm not overly disappointed that the very first attempt at implementing support is not 100% compatible. Both content plugins I tried work fine though.
*EDIT* By the way, I used your utility to generate the .ini file and then trimmed the path to be relative, so as far as I'm concerned, your toll is still useful and doing a fine job.
You're right, it works just fine by copying the TCPLUGINS.ini in the Xplorer2 folder, and using relative pathes in the .ini file works fine too.
I suppose I could have tried before posting here!
Also thanks for confirming that DirSizeCalc charts don't work, I thought it was just me being silly. To be honest, I'm not overly disappointed that the very first attempt at implementing support is not 100% compatible. Both content plugins I tried work fine though.
*EDIT* By the way, I used your utility to generate the .ini file and then trimmed the path to be relative, so as far as I'm concerned, your toll is still useful and doing a fine job.
-
- Site Admin
- Posts: 16295
- Joined: 2002 Feb 07, 15:57
- Location: UK
Re: xplorer2 v3.1 released
another way for portability is to use environmental variables in paths declared in the INI file, e.g %X2DIR% is replaced by x2 installation folder
what is the URL of the plugin that doesn't work?
ps. note to kilmatead this may require a rethink for your plugin tool
what is the URL of the plugin that doesn't work?
ps. note to kilmatead this may require a rethink for your plugin tool
-
- Platinum Member
- Posts: 4797
- Joined: 2008 Sep 30, 06:52
- Location: Baile Átha Cliath
Re: xplorer2 v3.1 released
Clicky. DirSizeCalcCharts.wlx64 works fine within TC itself, but does nothing in x2.nikos wrote:what is the URL of the plugin that doesn't work?
And if you were to actually read what I wrote above, you'd note that I already said that myself!nikos wrote:ps. note to kilmatead this may require a rethink for your plugin tool


-
- Member
- Posts: 9
- Joined: 2015 Jul 25, 17:42
Re: xplorer2 v3.1 released
Couldn't you just require your tool to be run from the Xplorer2 folder (which I'd expect people to do anyway) and when writing the path do:Kilmatead wrote: And if you were to actually read what I wrote above, you'd note that I already said that myself!<Sigh> A poor slave's toil is never appreciated.
PluginsPath = the path as you currently get it
x = app.path
if(PluginsPath.substr(0,x.length)=x) PluginsPath=PluginsPath.substr(x.length+1,999)
That's effectively what I did manually. Excuse me if I'm being thick, I'm not really a hardcore coder!

Nykos,
Can lister plugins be executed on folders too, or are they only triggered on files? If the latter, that could explain why DirSizeCalc doesn't work.
Also, people might like to know that they don't need the "pluginst.inf" file from TC. I know it's tiny and all, but I like to keep my things neat and lean

-
- Platinum Member
- Posts: 4797
- Joined: 2008 Sep 30, 06:52
- Location: Baile Átha Cliath
Re: xplorer2 v3.1 released
Well, the tool automatically looks for the PLUGINS.INI in its local folder first, and uses that one (even if one also exists in appdata), so that takes care of itself. I wouldn't "require" the local folder simply because it can also be used for managing the TC plugins for Nikos' x2-daughter-project DeskRule which has its own installation location.Pingouin wrote:Couldn't you just require your tool to be run from the Xplorer2 folder (which I'd expect people to do anyway)
The issue is made somewhat more complicated by the fact that the environmental variable %X2DIR% only exists while x2 is actually running, so it can't be considered a reliable source of data in the real-world. When the tool re-writes the plugin-paths in the INI it'll have to distinguish when relative paths are actually applicable, and when the user is just trying to pull a fast one.

As you surmised, doing the relative-path-dance is not that difficult, but it will require some re-jigging to blend in logically, considering most people would never use it (a surprising number of users either can't access the installation folder itself due to admin-permissions or have an irrational fear of messing around in there themselves). It would also help if Nikos would digitally sign the Consul programme, which might quell some people's squeamishness. Last time he wanted my first-born for that, so this time I'm expecting to have to single-handedly undermine the economy of Western Europe in favour of Cyprus or something equally devious.
Ultimately though, working with strings in the C language is an adventure that only true masochists can fully appreciate, so "plan before action" is always the better motto.

-
- Site Admin
- Posts: 16295
- Joined: 2002 Feb 07, 15:57
- Location: UK
Re: xplorer2 v3.1 released
that must be it, I made an assumption that previewers only apply on files, so anything that works on folders gets the boot. At present the file hypothesis runs very deep in xplorer2, so I can't change it without a lot of effortPingouin wrote:Can lister plugins be executed on folders too, or are they only triggered on files?
-
- Platinum Member
- Posts: 4797
- Joined: 2008 Sep 30, 06:52
- Location: Baile Átha Cliath
Re: xplorer2 v3.1 released
I take it that's Nikospeak for "I prefer to spend the day watching my son fall off his tryke onto his head in the park, rather than prove to the world what a consummate professional I strive to be", yeah?nikos wrote:At present the file hypothesis runs very deep in xplorer2, so I can't change it without a lot of effort

Incidentally, further proof that age is getting the better of me, it seems that the word Tryke does not mean what it once did in the Urban Dictionary of my mind.


-
- Gold Member
- Posts: 534
- Joined: 2008 Jan 05, 18:58
Re: xplorer2 v3.1 released
Pretty darn cool!
Works like a charm. Thanks for adding this Niko. And thanks for the cool tool Mr. Kilmatead.

Perhaps someone will start a thread for folks to post about their fave plugins and/or implementation of them...
EDIT: Here's another screenshot, with columns for a WDX plugin called decIco.
Oddly, the "Configuration" string that was in there by default was It did not work like that.
I changed it to EXT = "ICO" per Kilman's directions (as seen in image). Works fine now.

Pretty darn cool!
Works like a charm. Thanks for adding this Niko. And thanks for the cool tool Mr. Kilmatead.

Perhaps someone will start a thread for folks to post about their fave plugins and/or implementation of them...
EDIT: Here's another screenshot, with columns for a WDX plugin called decIco.
Oddly, the "Configuration" string that was in there by default was
Code: Select all
[0]=0&[1]=0&[2]=1&[3]=0|[0]=0&[1]=0&[2]=2&[3]=0|[0]="i"&[1]="c"&[2]="n"&[3]="s"
I changed it to EXT = "ICO" per Kilman's directions (as seen in image). Works fine now.

Pretty darn cool!
-
- Platinum Member
- Posts: 4797
- Joined: 2008 Sep 30, 06:52
- Location: Baile Átha Cliath
Re: xplorer2 v3.1 released
As your wife has no doubt made very clear to you by now, if you wiped that silly grin off your face and were more of a Go-Getter in this world you would have not only told your tyrannical boss where he can stick the key to his executive washroom if he doesn't give you an annual raise - but you would also have already started such a thread yourself (a part of the forum named "Especially Useful Nonsense" or something).kunkel321 wrote:Perhaps someone will start a thread for folks to post about their fave plugins and/or implementation of them...

And, just to sweeten your own sense of accomplishment in a world that values such ridiculous things, you could also attain your much-coveted 500'th post at the same time.


(Disclaimer: The 500'th post grants upon the receiver a single free chance to humiliate Nikos any way the receiver sees fit. Subject to so many terms and conditions that it's next to impossible to collect on that bargain, but as they say at Christmas, it's the thought that counts.)
-
- Platinum Member
- Posts: 4797
- Joined: 2008 Sep 30, 06:52
- Location: Baile Átha Cliath
Re: xplorer2 v3.1 released
That detect string was looking at the first three-bytes of each file trying to identify a particular subset of patterns (probably some binary header for old-style PNG-based icons or something). Never really understood why a dev would opt for such a specific and resource-hungry method to identify files... but perhaps he had something else in mind.kunkel321 wrote:Oddly, the "Configuration" string that was in there by default [...] did not work
(I am also assuming that x2's implementation for plugins actually facilitates that level of binary extraction - I've never specifically tested it - so some experimentation might be needed to verify if this is a one-off thing or endemic...)
-
- Gold Member
- Posts: 428
- Joined: 2011 Jan 23, 18:58
- Location: Sydney AU
Re: xplorer2 v3.1 released
Hmmm, that's another reason not to show avatars - kunkel321's reminds me of Australia's immediate past PM.Kilmatead wrote:
RP
Windows 10 Pro (64 bit) version 1809 - Xplorer2 version: Pro 2.5.0.4 [Unicode] x64 2014-06-21