Peazip archive manager - Feedback

[edee]

I have been searching for a good archiver that will handle both .zip and .rar files and after reading the review here : PeaZip - Freeware Portable Archive Manager | The Windows Club
I thought Peazip might be it ....... what was I thinking ...duh , think again

Gotta tell ya , Peazip did not even make 10 minutes on my system .

First thing that I absolutely did not like is that is reassociates your archive icons without even asking you first ...... a big no , no in my book , if your gonna make visual changes to someones system .....ASK and give them the option to opt out of it .

Second , it was supposed to be easy to use ...... hmmm , I would not call me technologicaly challenged but I am not slouch when it comes to pc's and I could not for the life of me figure how to extract a password protected rar file , winrar makes this childs play .

Third , after uninstalling the program did not reassociate my archive icons , I had to manually rebuild my icon cache , not that do not know how to do it but it is really annoying that the programmer did not have the presence of mind to even put things back the way it was should the user unistall his software , it's like he did not even care .

Whomever programmed this software has a long way to go , I would not recommend this software to anyone , especially novices , stick with the Windows extraction utility for zip files and winrar for rar files .
To date I have found nothing easier to use , there are those that claim they are easier to use but not in my book .
If it's compression ratio's your looking at , a few bytes really does not make a difference in my mind then to put up with the little annoyances like what occured to me this morning with Peazip.

File it where it belongs ...... G-a-r-b-a-g-e

[Cithel]

stick with the Windows extraction utility for zip files and winrar for rar files

Why not just use WinRAR for both zip and rar files? Right click and unzip. Piece of cake.

[leofelix]

Thank you for your feedback,

You might like to try

7-Zip

which is freeware and open source

• High compression ratio in new 7z format with LZMA compression
• Supported formats:
  
  • Packing / unpacking: 7z, ZIP, GZIP, BZIP2 and TAR
  • Unpacking only: ARJ, CAB, CHM, CPIO, DEB, DMG, HFS, ISO, LZH, LZMA, MSI, NSIS, RAR, RPM, UDF, WIM, XAR and Z.
  
  
• For ZIP and GZIP formats, 7-Zip provides a compression ratio that is 2-10 % better than the ratio provided by PKZip and WinZip
• Strong AES-256 encryption in 7z and ZIP formats
• Self-extracting capability for 7z format
• Integration with Windows Shell
• Powerful File Manager
• Powerful command line version
• Plugin for FAR Manager
• Localizations for 74 languages

I no longer use either Winzip and WinRar from ages since I found out 7-zip

[bandicoat]

Well, I'm still scratching my head reading this:

I am not slouch when it comes to pc's and I could not for the life of me figure how to extract a password protected rar file , winrar makes this childs play .

What?
Just double-click on the archive and you will see both PeaZip and WinRar pretty much do the same:
- marks the encrypted files with a "*" after the file name
- have a status bar icon on the left to set the password
- if you forget to do this, ask for the password when you are going to extract or test an encrypted file, and keep the password for the session or until you change it.
It seems quite pretty much the same to me, as long as we compare the two applications in handling password protected Rars, how can one of this be a childs play and the other so hard to figure out "for the life of me"?
LOL, but of course it may just be me being a slouch!

[bandicoat]

Third , after uninstalling the program did not reassociate my archive icons , I had to manually rebuild my icon cache

That's very strange, later I've tried to unistall/reinstall the software to see what happens.
As for what I can see, after uninstalling PeaZip the .zip file are successfully re-associated with the builtin Windows' utility, and the icon appears to be the expected one!
Tried and tried again, on my old Vista desktop (32 bit) and the new notebook (Windows 7 64 bit, it rocks!), still no problems whatsoever.
Just a note, it does not happen instantly but after some seconds of delay, probably the time needed to Windows to refresh - waaays faster on the 7 machine.

[edee]

Why not just use WinRAR for both zip and rar files? Right click and unzip. Piece of cake.

You are absolutely correct Cithel , was not even thinking that when I posted last night .

Bandicoat - I'm just telling you what happened to me , I was not asked to reassociate my archive icons when I installed and when I uninstalled it did not return the icons that it reassociated to their previous state , I had to manually rebuild my icon cache - Thinking back I could have probably just rebooted and it would have done it all by itself but I was in the middle of other important things and could not reboot .

As far as the winrar and child play comment goes - it is what it is , I can double click a password protected rar file winrar asks me for the password and where I want it extracted and boom it's done , it's as simple as that ....... how much easier can it be ? so why your scratching you head I do not know because you cannot tell me that Peazip can extract a passworded rar file in two easy steps that a 5th grader can figure out.
If I did not know any better , judging by the date of your registration here and amount of posts one would think that you are associated with Peazip.

Just an FYI , my machine :
Windows 7 Home Premium 64 bit
6 gigs ram
Intel Pentium Dual Core 2.6 / 2.6 ghz processor

[bandicoat]

I can double click a password protected rar file winrar asks me for the password and where I want it extracted and boom it's done , it's as simple as that ....... how much easier can it be ?

I'm using PeaZip since 2.7 version and I'm also using WinRar from many years ago, and both works exactly that way, me too I'm just sharing what's my experience.
I doubleclick on a password protected rar (or zip, or 7z) and I can enter the password clicking on the icon (in WinRar looks like a key, in PeaZip like a padlock).
Or, when I try to extract or drag something from inside the archive both programs ask me to enter the password, and btw it works pretty much in the same way in other similar programs I've ever tried.
However, this is just my experience, so I'm scratching my head because from the op I cannot get what did got wrong in your case.

[HappyAndyK]

Thanks edee, I have added a line about your experience in the blog post.

[bandicoat]

Thanks edee, I have added a line about your experience in the blog post.

Andy, I'm more and more scratching my head trying to understand what value does adding this line brings, as you can judge this post's relevance by a simple fact: edee's "experience" points out 3 claims, all false or at least grossly inaccurate:

1) "reassociates your archive icons without even asking you first"
anyone capable to read English can see the program's installer asking you if you are Ok with the standard installation or you want custom installation (that, as installer text explains, configures file associations).
It is quite a standard to have a straightforward default install and a more articulated custom install that let you select file associations, or at least it is quite normal in my user experience to expect this behavior form an installer.

2) "I could not for the life of me figure how to extract a password protected rar file , winrar makes this childs play"
False: the task is performed exactly as in WinRar, which edee uses as comparison.
Both application have the icon to enter password in the same place, and both applications asks you the password if you forget to enter it.
I'm using and liking both the application from a while, and I can say it works seamlessly for both ones.

3) "after uninstalling the program did not reassociate my archive icons , I had to manually rebuild my icon cache"
Inaccurate, it's up to Windows to redraw the icons.
They may be back in a matter of seconds or minutes, depending on how much the machine is busy and what is it doing, or after the first reboot, or leaving and re entering the session.
But manually rebuilding the icon cache is certainly a wrong (and dangerous, for pc's newcomers) advice, and it should clearly recommended to avoid it!

[edee]

Bandicoat ........ Are you in anyway associated with this software , because it sound to me like you have something at stake here ?

Andy, I'm more and more scratching my head trying to understand what value does adding this line brings, as you can judge this post's relevance by a simple fact: edee's "experience" points out 3 claims, all false or at least grossly inaccurate: - Innaccurate ? do you need me to sit you down in front of my system and do a complete install and unistall of this software for you to see ? I want you to know that I give credit where credit is due and when something is crap it is crap , I pull no punches with anything or anyone , it is what it is and after this post I would appreciate it andy if you would lock it because I will not defend myself to this anymore .


1) "reassociates your archive icons without even asking you first"
anyone capable to read English can see the program's installer asking you if you are Ok with the standard installation or you want custom installation (that, as installer text explains, configures file associations).
It is quite a standard to have a straightforward default install and a more articulated custom install that let you select file associations, or at least it is quite normal in my user experience to expect this behavior form an installer. - EVERY SINGLE PIECE OF SOFTWARE I have ever installed , if it was going to re associate anything on my system it ASKED ME FIRST and gave me the option not to do it , don't give me this bull between a typical and custom install , I'm alot smarter then that .... speak to me in an intelligent conversation , don't try to play me for a fool , what this software does with ones icons is underhanded plain and simple .....end of story .


2) "I could not for the life of me figure how to extract a password protected rar file , winrar makes this childs play"
False: the task is performed exactly as in WinRar, which edee uses as comparison.
Both application have the icon to enter password in the same place, and both applications asks you the password if you forget to enter it.
I'm using and liking both the application from a while, and I can say it works seamlessly for both ones. - Listen I tried twice to open a password protected rar file , TWICE I put in the password where the software told me it should go and TWICE the file would not open . YET IN WINRAR one step and that was it , the file opened .


3) "after uninstalling the program did not reassociate my archive icons , I had to manually rebuild my icon cache"
Inaccurate, it's up to Windows to redraw the icons.
They may be back in a matter of seconds or minutes, depending on how much the machine is busy and what is it doing, or after the first reboot, or leaving and re entering the session.
But manually rebuilding the icon cache is certainly a wrong (and dangerous, for pc's newcomers) advice, and it should clearly recommended to avoid it! - Pure and simple BS ! I uninstalled what I am going to call "your software" from here on out , IT DID NOT re associate my icons , IT IS NOT up to Windows to reassociate my icons , it is up the the programmer who WROTE the software to have the uninstaller tell Windows to reassociate the icons which obviously was never done . I am not saying this software is total crap , it needs work and was released prematurely to the public ........ take it back , write it correctly , release it for testing then come back .
BTW - Manually rebuilding you icon cache is not dangerous , a 5 year old can do it when taught correctly .

Bandicoat - it seems to me that you have something at stake with this software , otherwise you would not be trying so hard to discredit my claims , Peazip is NOT ready for public release , plain and simple .

HappyAndyK - Can you please lock this thread , I do not have the time nor the energy to argue with such claims , it is fruitless because no matter what I come up with he will come up with some inane comment to try and discredit me ........ anyone who would like to substantiate my claims can install this software to see what I am talking about ....... hows that for ya Bandi ?