Optimize archive on Context Menu

[bsiegel]

I would really like to see “Convert to ZIP/7Z/etc…” as options for the shell extension under Extraction, just like there are options for “Compress to ZIP/7Z/etc…” under Compression. It would be awesome to be able to right click a zip and just hit “Convert to myarc.7z” to have it one-click convert with my current settings.

[Luxor]

What’s the matter with the Convert Shell extension that’s already available?
Surely adding different Shell extensions for converting to individual types of archive will leave you with quite a big list of shell extensions. I know it means one extra click on the mouse but surely that’s preferable.

[bsiegel]

They would just be options to add, just as they are already with the “Compress to ZIP/etc”. Look in your PowerArchiver configuration. Under Shell Extensions -> Compression, there are 6 different “Compress to <format>…” options, but they are not all active by default. I propose the same for “Convert to <format>…” on the Extraction tab. They would be available but not (all) be enabled by default, as that would fill up the list with potentially useless options.

Edit: Also, it’s three button clicks (OK, OK, Close) after you pick the item off the right-click menu (four if you change the destination format), plus it launches the full PowerArchiver application instead of the little window that displays when you do “Compress to <format>”, which takes a lot longer to load.</format></format></format>

[Luxor]

@bsiegel:

Also, it’s three button clicks (OK, OK, Close) after you pick the item off the right-click menu (four if you change the destination format)

I’ll let you have 3 but not 4.
If you wanted to change the destination format I’m guessing that would have to be an additional click on your wished for method too. ;)

[bsiegel]

Nope, because you’d add whichever ones to your context menu you want, just like with “Compress to <format>…”.

So say I added “Convert to ZIP…” and “Convert to 7Z…” because those are the ones I use most commonly. When I right click a .zip, I would see “Convert to <file>.7z”, when I right click a .7z, I would see “Convert to <file>.zip”, and when I right click any other archive, I would see both options.</file></file></format>

[Luxor]

Fair enough I miscalculated. :p

I personally prefer the way it is now though and like to keep my shell extensions to a minimum.

[bsiegel]

I do too, but in this case I think it’s worth it. The nice thing about how PowerArchiver works is it knows enough to show the “Compress” menu entries only for uncompressed files and “Extract” entries for compressed files :)

I’d really only use the zip & 7z options, so in most cases I’d only see one extra menu entry anyhow. Every so often when I come across a .gz or something I might see both.

[TBGBe]

Presumably, you would want to use the compression profiles for these options (so that you can preset the various compression options).
Wouldn’t that mean there would have to be multiple shell entries for each format (eg fast, solid, encrypted etc)?

Maybe, you could also have a “use as shell entry” option in the profile configuration?

Seems like we are multiplying the configuration option choices here.

[bsiegel]

Nonono, it would work /exactly/ as the current “Compress to <format>” options work, except you would see them in the context menu on existing archives. They would use the last selected settings for the specified format automatically.</format>