How to integrate the Archive Manager into Files?

Is Bug #1388677 what you mean? If so mark it as affecting you also and add a comment.

Code to handle compressed files is unlikely to be added to Files itself, the preference is to contract out specialist tasks.

There is also Bug #1492225 which may be relevant.

I am sorry, maybe, my request was ambiguous.

What I mean by open is actually: "treating as if it were a directory".

To me, an archive has both the properties of a file and the properties of a directory. I actually want to **change into** an archive via Files as I can do with a directory (by double-click or right-click+"open in").

I find it confusing to have two different applications that almost behave/do the same.

Regarding the bugs:
https://answers.launchpad.net/bugs/1388677 : that would be a nice addition, indeed
https://bugs.launchpad.net/pantheon-files/+bug/1492225 : well, I cannot follow. The workflow he describes is quite technical to me.

I agree it would be convenient but to transparently move between views of a compressed directory (which is actually a single file) and a real uncompressed directory in Files would be technically difficult (its not immediately obvious to me how to do it anyway) so it is probably not going to happen any time soon I am afraid. The best I can think of is to import a lot of code from File Roller to create a compressed folder viewing widget which could be embedded in a Files view. But it would not behave the same as a native Files View. You might just as well have a separate File Roller window.

I understand; take your time.

I am used to that feature on Windows and it makes operating on archives extremely convenient; so I am missing it badly.

Shall I file another wishlist bug?

Yes do file a wishlist bug, but check there isn't one already. I had a feeling there was but I couldn't find it with a quick look.

I think I found it: https://bugs.launchpad.net/pantheon-files/+bug/1396268

But I don't know what problems Daniel has decided upon.

Yes, that's the one I was thinking of. It is not technically trivial; I am not sure whether Dan had some UX objections too. I think the preference is to go the "Unix" way and have several smaller specialised programs rather than try to cram too much into one program.

I think I understand.

As one can see there are some guys that would like to see that functionality. It just feels too natural. I still dislike the way Linux (Ubuntu, eOS etc.) handles archives. Windows feels far better (as said before: archive = folder; no matter if compressed/different filesystem/tar etc).

Regarding the technical difficulties, I don't know. Somehow, there must be a way to list all items in an folder. So, why shouldn't it be able to list all items in an archive?

Thinking more about this, Files' internal abstraction could benefit from this. Inspecting the network would need to serve the same interface ("list all items in XXX").

Can I help here somehow?

I think there might be a way to get gvfs mount a compressed file so that it appears as a virtual filesystem (like, for example, recent://), in which case little change to Files would be required. I'll try to find time to look into it further when I've finished the branches I am currently working on.

Great to hear. Let me know when you need some testing or so.

Sign me up as a bug-tester for this, as well! I really like the idea, especially since I handle a -LOT- of tarballs, and Files is the only file manager left (that is, with active development) that has Miller columns (also an awesome feature... please don't remove it!)

Anyways, Jeremy, what about coding a file-roller files-plugin type of deal, kind of like the dropbox or bluetooth plugins?

Andres: Sorry I missed your comment before. Thanks for the offer to be a bug-tester and for your interest in elementaryos and pantheon-files. Yes, using some kind of file-roller plugin is worth investigating. It might take some time for me to get round to it, but of course any other developer is welcome to help!

you can do this job in many ways like it depends upon your task authority lets check some important points about it here https://techynewx.com/ and chose the way in which you want to manage these files.