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Portable App has Problem with Read-Only Folder Attribute


HoppaLong

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XP Pro_SP3

An ancient glitch with XP has never been a problem, until I tried a portable app called File Extension
Changer on a USB flash drive.

Read-only is automatically ticked in all XP folders.  There are thousands of posts and blogs about
this subject.  Here is an old Neowin post explaining why all XP folders are created with a read-only
attribute.

https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/647556-read-only-unchecking-bugged/

File Extension Changer displays an error message (see attached image) because every folder appears
to be write-protected.  We all know that a read-only folder attribute is usually meaningless in XP.

The solution would be simple if unticking read-only worked.  It doesn't.  Is there a workaround for
this problem, or should I abandon File Extension Changer?

Error Message.jpg

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No, the issue is that (as explained on the thread you posted a link to), the "read only" tick is not a "read only" tick (when it comes to directories).

It is not "news", it is like 16 (sixteen) years or more that it behaves like that and IF it was a problem no program would have been able to write or rename any file in the last 16 years or so. :w00t:

The file extension changer (if it doesn't work and if it doesn't work because of that) could be badly written. (or maybe - since you mentioned a "portable app" it has been modified to be made portable in such a way that it doesn't work anymore), BUT it is improbable that the reason why it doesn't work for you is that "read only" tick, as if it is that, it would have not worked for anyone, ever, but of course it is possible. :dubbio:

Get yourself another program that actually works, there should be tens of them.

OR provide a link to the program, so that someone can check if it works.

jaclaz
 

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Yes jaclaz, I said it was an "ancient glitch" in the first sentence of my post.

Many years ago it was clearly understood that all folders in XP "appeared" to have a read-only tick, but
it should be completely ignored.  It effected nothing.  If you google this subject you'll find countless old
posts, because that tick scared a lot of people.  They actually dumped and reinstalled their systems over
and over, trying to make this harmless glitch go away!

I downloaded the portable version of File Extension Changer from Softpedia:

http://www.softpedia.com/get/PORTABLE-SOFTWARE/System/File-management/Windows-Portable-Applications-File-Extension-Changer-Portable.shtml

I wish this app had worked.  It's suppose to create batch files that REDO and UNDO the extension changes.
I know there are many similar apps, but this one had the options I needed.

File-Extension-Changer-Portable_1.png

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The home page of the program is now here (softpedia has the old geocities address) :

http://myfreewares.weebly.com/file-extension-changer.html

It seems like it has been used (and tested) for years, so I find it improbable that it suffers from the issue you think is caused by the folder read only tick.

But at first sight it is actually poorly coded.

Namely an error message should always be specific and actually tell you what the issue is.

I cannot add a file via Add Files button (ActiveX error) and - depending on the settings - I can have your same error or a success message (whilst it did NOTHING OR it actually changed the extension).

With the installed version it *somehow* works[1].

You need in the SAME directory where the "File Extension Changer.exe" is the following sub-directories:

Backup

Logs

Redo

If you have not them (and you select the features Backup and/or Log and/or Redo) the thingy will throw that error.

With those directories in place even the Portable version works.

jaclaz

[1] but there is NO connection whatever with the "read only" directory tick, now, for no apparent reason:

jumping1.gif

https://www.exploratorium.edu/brain_explorer/images/jumping2.gif



 

Edited by jaclaz
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