Robert Rolf wrote: > Peter wrote: >=20 >> Robert Rolf ualberta.ca> writes:=20 >>=20 >>> replacements that you really like. I find there are too many to >>> choose from, so hope an experienced user has some recommendations. >>=20 >> As others have said, copying locked files is a bad idea, but copying >> a part of an important file is better than not copying it.=20 >>=20 >> Browsers which work on Windows, all free: Firefox Opera Safari >=20 > Yes, they do work, but also write lock their temp files. There is a reason why programs do that. It is generally an indication that the file is not guaranteed to be in a consistent state while it is locked, and that makes copying it to be of doubtful value -- unless you are an expert and know what you're doing, in which case you usually have expert tools that do what you need to do. > My 'problem' is that I am trying to copy some files out of the temp > directory, that are being created by Internet Explorer, that are > 'complete' but write locked until the window/tab using them closes, > which immediately deletes them.=20 Have you used lower level, command line tools like the built-in 'copy' of cmd.exe, or xcopy.exe? Or any of the many specialized file copy programs (whether GUI or cmd line)? What you are doing sounds not like something a generic file manager would (should) allow a (generic) user to do.=20 > Using the suggested 'backup' program(s) did work, but at the cost of > having to set up a 'backup session' pointing to where I wanted to > push the files. A small effort to accomplish what I wanted.=20 Not sure what you meant here... if it was a /small/ effort to accomplish what you wanted, there doesn't seem a problem. If it was a small /effort/, there may be one :) =20 > Thank you for the recommendations. If Windows Explorer were not so > frustrating to users, I doubt that others would have bothered to > write so many 'better' replacements.=20 One obvious question is... if you think there are so many better replacements, why do you still use it? After all, nobody forces you to use it; it's just one more piece of software that comes for free with the OS and nobody is forced to actually use it. Don't get into the same rail as the people who complain about the "Windows command line" being weak, but don't bother to install their beloved Bash on Windows -- or any of the many other, quite usable command line interfaces available (or even learn how to use cmd.exe properly). As I wrote, I have my gripes with Windows Explorer, but so far I haven't found a replacement that makes it worth for me to switch for general file system work. Which to me means that there is no better one. And all those 'better' ones (note the quotes) don't help :) Besides, there's a good chance that many 3rd party GUI file managers won't copy locked files either, for the already cited reasons. Gerhard --=20 http://www.piclist.com PIC/SX FAQ & list archive View/change your membership options at http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist .