Can someone explain the logic behind IE and file copying??!??

[Matt]

Can someone please explain why IE when I download a file, insists on
writing it to a temp directory, and THEN copying it when it's done
downloading? If I download a 700meg ISO file it requires double that
space! Why not just MOVE the file? That would be instintaneous! Why
COPY?!?! And why not just write to the default location?

 

[Martin Magnusson]

Can someone please explain why IE when I download a file, insists on
writing it to a temp directory, and THEN copying it when it's done
downloading?

I guess the reason that files are downloaded to a temp directory first
is to keep users from trying to load unfinieshed files. But why they are
copied and not moved, that is mysterious indeed.

If you want to use a more sensible browser with an excellent UI, I can
recommend Opera.

/ martin

 

[Danny Mingledorff]

Isn't a "move" technically a copy followed by a delete?

 

[Ricardo M. Urbano - W2K/NT4 MVP]

Can someone please explain why IE when I download a file, insists on
writing it to a temp directory, and THEN copying it when it's done
downloading? If I download a 700meg ISO file it requires double that
space! Why not just MOVE the file? That would be instintaneous! Why
COPY?!?! And why not just write to the default location?

Good question and I wish I knew the answer. I could make educated
guesses, but they would be just that.

Try an IE group. Maybe someone over there might know.

 

[Bob I]

Yep, that's exactly what it is.

Isn't a "move" technically a copy followed by a delete?

 

[Bob I]

I think only if going to a different partion.

Isn't a "move" technically a copy followed by a delete?

 

[J.W.]

Can someone please explain why IE when I download a file, insists on
writing it to a temp directory, and THEN copying it when it's done
downloading? If I download a 700meg ISO file it requires double that
space! Why not just MOVE the file? That would be instintaneous! Why
COPY?!?! And why not just write to the default location?

AntiVirus software? They can put it in the temp directory, scan it,then
to it's final destination...

 

[Rob Stow]

Matt <[email protected]> is believed to have written in



AntiVirus software? They can put it in the temp directory, scan it,then
to it's final destination...

Copying from Temp to the final location and then deleting
from Temp works regardless of where Temp and the final
location are. However, Moving only works when both are
on the same partition. Good programmers would have written
code that would use a Move if it was possible, and only use
Copy/Delete if a Move was not possible - but lazy programmers
simply opt for the "one size fits all" approach.

As for why not simply writing to the final location selected
by the user - god only knows and he ain't telling. That
is why I use professionally made software rather than crapware
like IE - especially for downloading large files.

 

[Rick]

Copying from Temp to the final location and then deleting
from Temp works regardless of where Temp and the final
location are. However, Moving only works when both are
on the same partition. Good programmers would have written
code that would use a Move if it was possible, and only use
Copy/Delete if a Move was not possible - but lazy programmers
simply opt for the "one size fits all" approach.

As for why not simply writing to the final location selected
by the user - god only knows and he ain't telling. That
is why I use professionally made software rather than crapware
like IE - especially for downloading large files.

80% of the world is still using dialup internet connections,
and losing these connections on a regular basis. Maybe
you wouldn't mind having partially written files scattered
all over your drives, most other people would mind.

Rick

 

[Guest]

a move, if on the same physical disk, is simply changing
the FAT entries and pointing to a different location than
was originally set, so it takes a couple nanoseconds most
likely. You can try this at home by finding a large file
on your hard drive and doing a cut and paste somewhere
else on that disk and see how quick a multi-hundred meg
file moves.

Copying is re-writing the file entirely, so that's going
to take some time.

 

[Matt]

AntiVirus software? They can put it in the temp directory, scan it,then

80% of the world is still using dialup internet connections,
and losing these connections on a regular basis. Maybe
you wouldn't mind having partially written files scattered
all over your drives, most other people would mind.

Rick

If the end user can't figure out to delete a file they saved on the
desktop or wherever that's their problem!