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[Bug OR ZEP] Issue with #ZTTools-Variable in F9 Menu   [Bug]

By: Ron Metzger       
Date: Dec 05,2015 at 13:54
In Response to: [Bug] Issue with #ZTTools-Variable in F9 Menu (Thomas Salein)

> > If ZTree searched #ZTTools first, unconditionally, and if some tool
> > existed *both* in #ZTTools *and* somewhere else in the %PATH%, then there
> > would be no (easy) way to call the one in the %PATH%. The way it works
> > now, if I enter it as "rar.exe" then ZTree looks for whatever
> > "rar.exe" can find in the default path, otherwise if it's
> > "%#ZTTools%\rar.exe" then it only uses the one in that specific
> > location. That leaves the choice to me, and I appreciate having choices.

> Sorry, I don't agree, because it urges you to have _two different_ F9
> application menues. One for your hard disk, calling "rar.exe", and one
> for your usb disk, calling "%#ZTTools%\rar.exe".
> What's then the benefit of a #ZTTools variable? I could set an own one
> before starting ZTWIN.BAT:

Sorry, I Don't Agree, because your menus referencing %#ZTTools% will reference whatever instance of ZTree you have running. Same menu, dynamic location depending on whichever instance of ZTree you launched. In fact that is the point of the variable %#ZTTools%.

So, to me, locating 'Rar.exe' in the %#ZTTools% directory is NOT messy. This allows me to fully test updates to Rar (or other tools) located in %ProgramFiles(x86)% before changing ZTree settings. This leaves ZTree fully functional until I decide the updates are beneficial.

In portable mode, running off USB drives or the like, following the PATH for installed files is a dicey at best. Do the Installed files use the same command line parameters, etc., as ZTree is configured to use? Depending on the version installed, things like Archiver.bb2 may need changes. How would you control this?

> What is the benefit of such a variable if it is not used like the path
> variable?

Portability! Running off USB drives changes Drive Letters, etc. Placing files relative to x:\ZTreeWin (or whatever directory you place ZTree Win on your flash drive), makes it easy to locate whatever tools that have tested and verified to run correctly on foreign systems that may not be running well.

> Moreover it may leave some mess, as ZTree uses via #ZTMenu the last F9
> application menu it had, when you had two instances running, and that may
> even be the one on your usb drive which is still sticking in the port.

What is the Mess?

> So I would clearly prefer another behaviour of ZTree concerning the
> usage of this ZTTools variable: use it like part of the path variable,
> i.e.
> a) if "rar.exe" is not found in %Path% search in %#ZTTools%
> or
> b) if "rar.exe" is not found in %#ZTTools% search in %Path%

Then this is not a [Bug] but a [ZEP]!

Please submit it as a ZEP and be prepared to justify your request with real world examples of how ZTree for Windows and All users would benefit. Recognize that others may have counter examples of how to do the same thing or reasons why they disagree with the request.

I have serious concerns with this proposed change and if implemented I see problems with tools not running as expected from system to system. This would create support issues.

Good luck,
Ron Metzger

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