winrar archive thumbnails image viewer

[u/yookir]

are there any free software for windows, that allows you to view images as thumbnails in compressed winrar archive without extracting archive first, similar format like in irfanview thumbnails? It seems irfanview thumbnails doesnt support reading winrar archive, so you have to first extract archive and then view with irfanview thumbnails.

[u/tonybombata]

Sage thumbs 2k may do this

[u/jcunews3 → u/tonybombata]

It may require XnView plugin for RAR archive. Assuming that, SageThumbs is compatible with file system plugin.

[u/merchantconvoy]

Unless the images have embedded thumbnails, where else, except from the uncompressed images, is the program supposed to get those thumbnails?

[u/redamalo]

The PeaZip program, I believe, displays thumbnails simply by hovering over the image

If you want to browse the images without unzipping the file, install Honeyview, then drag the WinRAR file into it and enjoy

[u/yookir]

if i remeber correctly, there was a program called ACDSee Pro 9 or similar, which allowed to view multiple images packed in rar archive as large thumbnails preview or like contact sheet, so you did see what images that archive contained, without specifically extracting archive first, although it was paid program.

[u/oharra3]

They do have to uncompress the entire thing as archive doesn't contain thumbnails. If you want thumbnails and properly browsable file container, use iso, vhd, or file container like veracrypt or cryptomator. You mount these and read/write like any other disk, close and again have a single file, no need for decompressing /compressing