Multi Commander 6.4 Alpha

[Mathias (Author)]

This alpha release contains some minor bugs fixes.
But the biggest change is that the whole file system scanning process have been refactored and remodeled.
The file system scanning process is one of the oldest part of MC and over time features have been added to that process to support more things.
It made the file system scanning process and updates of filesystem caches more and more complex.
So much that it needed to be restructured, to get a better view of it and to be able to fix some issues.
Before the file system scanning was semi asynchronous (it was running it background, But the UI parts was still responsible for some parts.)
Also in some situation it was not possible to run it completely the background, like when doing recursive scanning ( Like when showing filesystem in flat mode)

Now the file system scanning process is almost completely a asynchronous process. And recursive scanning (flat mode) will now also be running in the background and in flat mode you can also abort the scanning with the ESC key.

Know issues..
* There are some edge cases/situation left to fix. That can make a panel lock up and not scan anymore (I think it is waiting for a scan to complete.) But it is rare and only for special situations.
* Also if you really hammer it hard and cancel/start scan.. it can come into a situation where it crashes MC..  rare.. but not impossible..

There is a settings in Explorer Panel tweak setting where you can enable/disable this new scanning and if disabled again it will then go back to the old way..

Because this is early Alpha I did not want to push it out via the normal Beta channel that automatically update MC if you that checked.
It need more tested before it is sent out.

Portable downlaods for v6.4.0.2093 ALPHA
Portable - 64bit
Portable - 32bit

** If you test this release - Please report any issues you find around scanning the file system here or send me a mail **

[AlanJB]

Initial testing on 64-bit looks very promising.

I copied 60Gb from one physical HDD to another and, while that was running, started a second copy in its own queue in the other direction.  While both were running, I created a directory on one drive, copied the MC install folder into it and deleted the contents of my \Temp\ folder from the other drive.

All operations completed in good time without a single error or any (observable) slowdown.

Looking good, Mathias

Alan

[AlanJB]

Mathias,
  may I make a suggestion regarding alpha/beta testing?

As someone who single-handedly developed and maintained 60+ mission-critical applications for a multi-£million, global business and who did all the alpha (and most of the beta)-testing, I know how easy it is to "overlook" your own coding errors and also carry out effective regression testing.

When you get some change to the code-base ready for alpha, ask your testers here on the forum to specifically test an aspect of the application that may break something.

That way, you have less to think about all on your own and you will get "real-world" feedback from those of us who use MC all the time and who rely on the new version working as expected.

Just an idea...

Alan

[Mathias (Author)]

Mathias,
  may I make a suggestion regarding alpha/beta testing?

As someone who single-handedly developed and maintained 60+ mission-critical applications for a multi-£million, global business and who did all the alpha (and most of the beta)-testing, I know how easy it is to "overlook" your own coding errors and also carry out effective regression testing.

When you get some change to the code-base ready for alpha, ask your testers here on the forum to specifically test an aspect of the application that may break something.

That way, you have less to think about all on your own and you will get "real-world" feedback from those of us who use MC all the time and who rely on the new version working as expected.

I did that before.. But the problem is that almost nobody is reporting error. I think that they think somebody else will report that. so nobody does it.

I have tested it a bit myself now I it should be safe to release as public beta..  So public BETA will be out soon. And that will go out to more users. Everybody that checked it in settings in will get it. and it is a bigger group. So sometimes I get some more feedback there.

[Matthias515566]

There are Problems in Windows XP with the Alpha Version

Strange Error Message: "Failed to open or read config file : G:\\Config\MultiCommander.xml It might be corrupt, try to replace it with a backup or delete it"

But the same Portable installation works good in Windows 10. The Config is´nt corrupt.

Other problems i didnt see.

Can i replace the integrated installation with the portable alpha?

[AlanJB]

That is a strange message.

I have just compared the two Multicommander.xml files from 6.2 and 6.4 and the only differences are minor: settings I have left as default in 6.4 and those I have tailored in 6.2.  Nothing that could suggest corruption.

Re you sure the path to drive G: exists and is mapped correctly?

Alan

[Mathias (Author)]

There are Problems in Windows XP with the Alpha Version

Strange Error Message: "Failed to open or read config file : G:\\Config\MultiCommander.xml It might be corrupt, try to replace it with a backup or delete it"

But the same Portable installation works good in Windows 10. The Config is´nt corrupt.

Other problems i didnt see.

Can i replace the integrated installation with the portable alpha?

Opss.. Yes.. the Alpha do not work on XP.  I Forgot to say that..
(It is because the XP support in VS2015 is broken and MS is not going to fix it.. Release of MC is normally built using VS2013 and it creates output that works on XP)

[Matthias515566]

Sorry for Off Topic, but i have to say that Micrtosoft should first give uns a real alternative to Outlook Express and not such accidents like Windows Live Mail together with Windows Search. I always disalbling Windows Search. Maybe the legacy search of Outlook 64 bit works for good email searching, but i have no good way to export my emails from Outlook Express to Outlook 64 bit.

Your Alpha Release have i only portable installed and found no bugs. But i noticed that the flat view works not. I deleted a locked Windows.old Folder with Unlocker and attempted watching it with MC and Flat View. VS - Very interesting, is MC C++  od VB or what programming language?

[Mathias (Author)]

Sorry for Off Topic, but i have to say that Micrtosoft should first give uns a real alternative to Outlook Express and not such accidents like Windows Live Mail together with Windows Search. I always disalbling Windows Search. Maybe the legacy search of Outlook 64 bit works for good email searching, but i have no good way to export my emails from Outlook Express to Outlook 64 bit.

Btw.. The Mail App in Win10 works very well, I Like it.  But it depends on your needs are

Your Alpha Release have i only portable installed and found no bugs. But i noticed that the flat view works not. I deleted a locked Windows.old Folder with Unlocker and attempted watching it with MC and Flat View. VS - Very interesting, is MC C++  od VB or what programming language?

Flat does not work for you ?  It works without any issue for me..
What does not work..  What happens.. incomplete result. no result ? hang ?
Does it work in some places and some not. ? and if so.. what is different? permission maybe ?

VS - Very interesting, is MC C++  od VB or what programming language?

C++

[Matthias515566]

Sometimes i should read whats new here: http://multicommander.com/blog

Flat File View works only when not much Files and Folders are in the Folder. If to much Content in the Folder for Flat View, MC Freeze. I thought when a new scanning method added, maybe this works now. Some other Commanders can show the whole HDD in Flat View, and some surprise me how fast this works because they slower with other things.

C++ seems to be a good language.

"Mail App in Win10" - I don´t use Windows Store Apps. The only App which i use are the Configuration App with the Half of the steering system, and i am angry about. They have enough Money in Redmond to create only one steering system. I disable in Windows 10 alot of things and i use always Classic Shell since Windows 7.

[Mathias (Author)]

No. that post is old. The new version fixes those old issues
The new scanning does not have the issues of the old since it is now running in the background.
I tested it with over 2.5M files.  take some time but you see progress of it as ir count found files.
 So if you have issue. It is not because the number of files.

So what does not work? What happen. Do work in some places and not is some other? If so what are the difference

[ice-man]

I think you need to make it more clean that you need to enable the new file scanning in that version.

Or just release a new alpha, The latest private alpha has it 'on' by default.. so that would solve that problem and it also have some of the annoying bugs fixed.

[Mathias (Author)]

I think you need to make it more clean that you need to enable the new file scanning in that version.

Or just release a new alpha, The latest private alpha has it 'on' by default.. so that would solve that problem and it also have some of the annoying bugs fixed.

Was planing on releasing a new today. But I got one annoying tricky issue left that I want to fix first. so Maybe tomorrow night.