XYplorer Beta Club

I know that several people have asked why XYplorer does not support the now nearly universal handling of ZIP files as folders. This was a MAJOR disappointment for me but I decided I'd fix it myself rather than complain. A program called ZipMagic has been around for many years and introduced the concept of ZIP folders long before Microsoft added it to Windows. I used to use it but had not kept up-to-date since the feature seemed redundant lately. However, the authors have not been sitting on their hands and currently produce a version of ZipMagic that retains the ZIP folders feature but adds many other useful updates.

So I bought the latest version assuming that it would add this very important feature to XYplorer. Alas, all the features of ZipMagic are now available in PowerDesk, Ultra Explorer, Directory Opus and even Windows Explorer but for some reason XYplorer refuses to list the ZipMagic ZIP folders in the directory tree like all the others.

I bought XYplorer because PowerDesk is too buggy, Directory Opus has a "new" lousy search engine and the others are just feature poor. I was hoping that XYplorer would be the one file manager I could use all the time (the missing FTP capability was fixed by adding WebDrive). Unfortunately, the stubborn refusal to work with ZIP folders is going to force me to relegate XYplorer to a back seat, use Directory Opus most of the time and keep hoping someone will create a file manager with all the necessary features.

Has anyone else tried the combination of XYplorer with ZipMagic and got it working? Are there some configuration settings I need to change to make it stop ignoring ZIP folders? Perhaps turning off all ZIP support in XYplorer itself and hoping it will let ZipMagic do its job?

BUMP...

Has anybody found settings that will make XYplorer stop ignoring ZipMagic? Or any other workaround that will make ZIP files appear as folders in the tree? This is a serious limitation to using XYplorer and I don't understand why it has to be so difficult to implement (everybody else seems able to do it without difficulty).

XYplorer is not just an Explorer skin with some extra functions like all those other file managers. That's why ZipMagic does not work here out of the box.

PS: Just saw this on their website (http://www.zipmagic.co/screenshots.html):

Unified 32-64 Bit Installer:
Automatically Install the Correct Files for Your OS

Our competition asks you to choose what type of setup file to download for your system - you'll just have to know. ZIPmagic's installer doesn't expect you to know anything - and will install all the correct files on your computer, automatically picking the right bitness without letting you make a mistake. Installing all software should be this easy!

This *might* (also) explain it: XYplorer NEEDS the 32-bit version also on a 64-bit OS. So they might be just too smart here...

ZIPmagic's installer doesn't expect you to know anything

Nice approach to their customers

Any updates to this?

Maybe not the answer you were looking for... anyway I use Pismo File Mount Audit Package to mount ZIP files (read only). It also mounts ISOs but I had a few incompatibilities there (still need a "classic" ISO mounter such as Daemon Tools to understand).
Tried ZipMagic once but it was ugly as hell (I care a lot also as a software looks ).

I use WinRAR ( http://www.rarlab.com/ ). In XYP, I set up a toolbar button to extract zip files and a button to open zip files in WinRAR. I can drag and drop files to/from zip files that are open in WinRAR. Of course I am dealing with two application windows but everything works well for my purposes. I own Directory Opus 10 and 11 and IMHO the application has become a nightmare to use. I ditched 11 and kept 10 and the only reason I use Opus is for its dual pane folder sync. Overall, XYP is the superior file manager.

Can the recent preview achievements make this possible anytime soon...?
(+RAR support???)

@Don: Is this on your plan list?

binocular222 wrote:@Don: Is this on your plan list?

There has been a lot wished and discussed in this thread, so you might have to be a bit more specific with your question if you care for a helpful answer.

I mean "handling of ZIP files as folders".

thanks ale for the Pismo tip! This is a nearly perfect solution with a small script gearing it, only drawback being XY not properly navigating backwards.