[Goku]

Today I was thinking if would be possible to show thumbnails of ACE files in Windows Explorer.
It turns out, it is possible:

http://i.imgur.com/DIsc99x.png

http://i.imgur.com/ocmCnQf.png

Why no one did this earlier?
I modified a little the example from here:

https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/cc144114(v=vs.85).aspx

But I know nothing about COM programming so it doesn't work perfect ..

[Jovet]

I swear I used to get .ace thumbnails somehow back on XP. It might have been through the MWGraphics thumbnail extension, but I don't remember. I have it installed but it doesn't seem to work correctly in Windows 7.

The thumbnail extension I currently use doesn't support .pcx or .ace which has always disappointed me. But it is kinda confusing to configure. It is so confusing, I can't even tell if I actually ever installed it on this machine, or find any record of it so I can remember its name...

[Goku]

http://koniec.org/Ms...umbnails_v1.zip

1. Download and extract the files somewhere.
2. Open cmd or powershell as administrator, go to directory where the files are and register the lib using:
Regsvr32.exe CppShellExtThumbnailHandler.dll

Now all .ace files will have thumbnails like other images. :)

If you don't like it, unregister the lib using:
Regsvr32.exe /u CppShellExtThumbnailHandler.dll
And remove the files.

Lib is only 64 bit!

[Jovet]

Works for me!

[conductorchris]

works great. Thank you! Very handy - no more opening up TgaTool just to see what the file is.
Christopher

[Csantucci]

A 32 bit lib would be welcome ;)

[burgerbern]

Works for me as well

[Jovet]

conductorchris, on 09 February 2017 - 12:29 PM, said:

Very handy - no more opening up TgaTool just to see what the file is.

You can always use the "MW View" graphics package, which will allow you to simply double-click an .ace file to open a preview window for it. That's what I've done for years.

[conductorchris]

I had set my system up so .ace files open with TGA tool, so I get the same effect of double clicking and opening. And then a 1click open to photoshop. But this is nicer.

[I did so, by right clicking on an .ace file and choosing "open with" and setting it to TGA Tool]

I never knew about MW View until this conversation!

Christopher

[burgerbern]

I generally just double click and have the ace open in TGA tools which is great but its no good if you are trying to find an ace file that you know what it looks like but have no idea which one it is by name, by being able to view the thumbnail in explorer you can quickly scan through the files to find the one to open, will save me loads of time i am sure