September 23, 20223 yr Maybe there are other programs for this. I know in XP< you have compressed folders. And with 98plus, you can work in zip files using explorer. I found an old disk, in a large collection of stuff, called "MagicZip 98". I know MagicZip is still a thing. I just didn't know it existed back then. It is basically compressed folders, for Win9x. It also supports a handful of other file archive types. But only zip files are supported with folder like access. Folder access is also available at the command line. It isn't anything earth shattering, but it would have come in handy a time or two. Just thought I'd share the find. I guess there is a version called "MagicZip 2000". From a read of a site, with a 30-day evaluation download (link not active), it also supports 95<.
September 23, 20223 yr Check out Iceows if you're into that kind of explorer integration for archives, it's freeware and supports a bunch of archive types, no 7z support though, too old I guess.
September 24, 20223 yr Author I tried Iceows. It is a nice program. It lacks the main thing I found interesting about "MagicZip 98". Zip files become actual folders, to the system. Iceows does convert a zip file to a folder, viewed with explorer. But the command prompt still reads it as a file. Iceows looks like it is better than "Zip Folders" from 98plus. "MagicZip 98" is more like "Compressed Folders" on XP. So for example, I could have a bunch of Pdf files in a Zip archive. I can use any program to browse and open a Pdf file, from the Zip archive, as if it where a regular folder. With Iceows you can run an Exe from inside a Zip archive, converted to a folder. But you cannot create a shortcut for the Exe, place it on your desktop, and run it. You can do this with "MagicZip 98". If when you installed a program you installed it to "C:\Program Files\ProgramName.zip", then compressed it (Zip), and then renamed it from ProgramName.zip.zip to ProgramName.zip you'd be able to run it like normal. All of the registry entries and shortcuts would still comply with it. But, thanks for the heads up. I now have Iceows added to my collection :)
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