diff --git a/combine.py b/combine.py
index e96869e..3575368 100644
--- a/combine.py
+++ b/combine.py
@@ -1,159 +1,246 @@
 import os
 import datetime
-from typing import List, Optional
+import logging
+import re
+import tempfile
+import zipfile
+from concurrent.futures import ThreadPoolExecutor
+from typing import List
+import threading
+
+# Configure logging
+logging.basicConfig(level=logging.INFO, format='%(asctime)s - %(levelname)s - %(message)s')
 
 class FileCombiner:
+    """Combines multiple files into a single output file, with various options."""
+
     def __init__(self):
-        self.extensions = ['.php']
-        self.output_file = "combined_files.txt"
         self.source_dir = "."
+        self.output_file = "combined_files.txt"
+        self.extensions = []  # Empty list means all extensions are included
+        self.exclude_folders = ['.git']
+        self.exclude_patterns = []
         self.include_line_numbers = False
         self.include_timestamp = False
-        self.add_syntax_highlight = False
-        self.exclude_folders: List[str] = []
         self.include_file_size = False
+        self.add_syntax_highlight = False  # Requires manual language specification in output
         self.max_file_size_mb = None
-        
+        self.create_zip_archive = False
+        self.exclude_images = False  # Basic image extension check, not fully reliable
+        self.exclude_executable = False
+        self.exclude_temp_and_backup_files = False
+        self.exclude_hidden_files = False
+        self.num_worker_threads = 4
+        self.lock = threading.Lock()
+
+
     def get_user_preferences(self):
-        """Interactive menu to get user preferences"""
+        """Interactively gets user preferences for file combination."""
+
         print("\n=== File Combiner Configuration ===")
-        
-        # Source directory
-        print("\n1. Select source directory:")
-        user_dir = input(f"Enter directory path (press Enter for current directory): ").strip()
-        if user_dir and os.path.isdir(user_dir):
-            self.source_dir = user_dir
-            
-        # File extensions
-        print("\n2. Select file extensions to combine:")
-        print("Common options: 1) PHP files 2) Python files 3) All files 4) Custom")
-        ext_choice = input("Enter your choice (1-4): ").strip()
-        if ext_choice == "1":
-            self.extensions = ['.php']
-        elif ext_choice == "2":
-            self.extensions = ['.py']
-        elif ext_choice == "3":
-            self.extensions = []  # Empty list means all files
-        elif ext_choice == "4":
-            exts = input("Enter extensions separated by comma (e.g., .php,.py,.js): ").strip()
-            self.extensions = [ext.strip() for ext in exts.split(',') if ext.strip()]
-            
-        # Output file
-        print("\n3. Configure output:")
-        output_name = input("Enter output filename (press Enter for 'combined_files.txt'): ").strip()
-        if output_name:
-            self.output_file = output_name if output_name.endswith('.txt') else output_name + '.txt'
-            
-        # Additional options
-        print("\n4. Additional options (enter y/n for each):")
-        self.include_line_numbers = input("Include line numbers? ").lower().startswith('y')
-        self.include_timestamp = input("Include file timestamps? ").lower().startswith('y')
-        self.include_file_size = input("Include file sizes? ").lower().startswith('y')
-        self.add_syntax_highlight = input("Add syntax highlighting markers? ").lower().startswith('y')
-        
-        # Exclusions
-        print("\n5. Exclusion options:")
-        if input("Do you want to exclude specific folders? (y/n) ").lower().startswith('y'):
-            folders = input("Enter folder names to exclude (comma-separated): ").strip()
-            self.exclude_folders = [f.strip() for f in folders.split(',') if f.strip()]
-            
-        # File size limit
-        if input("\nDo you want to set a maximum file size limit? (y/n) ").lower().startswith('y'):
+
+        self.source_dir = self._get_input("Source directory (default: .): ", self.source_dir, os.path.isdir)
+        self.output_file = self._get_input("Output file name (default: combined_files.txt): ", self.output_file)
+        self.extensions = self._get_list_input("File extensions to include (comma-separated, or Enter for all): ")
+        self.exclude_folders = self._get_list_input("Folders to exclude (comma-separated, default: .git): ", self.exclude_folders)
+        self.exclude_patterns = self._get_list_input("Regex patterns to exclude (comma-separated): ")
+
+        self.include_line_numbers = self._get_boolean_input("Include line numbers? (y/n): ")
+        self.include_timestamp = self._get_boolean_input("Include timestamps? (y/n): ")
+        self.include_file_size = self._get_boolean_input("Include file sizes? (y/n): ")
+        self.add_syntax_highlight = self._get_boolean_input("Add syntax highlighting (requires manual language spec)? (y/n): ")  # Clarify manual aspect
+        self.max_file_size_mb = self._get_float_input("Max file size to include (MB, or Enter for no limit): ")
+        self.create_zip_archive = self._get_boolean_input("Create zip archive of output? (y/n): ")
+        self.exclude_images = self._get_boolean_input("Exclude common image files (basic check, not fully reliable)? (y/n): ")
+        self.exclude_executable = self._get_boolean_input("Exclude executable files? (y/n): ")
+        self.exclude_temp_and_backup_files = self._get_boolean_input("Exclude temp/backup files? (y/n): ")
+        self.exclude_hidden_files = self._get_boolean_input("Exclude hidden files? (y/n): ")
+        self.num_worker_threads = self._get_int_input("Number of worker threads (default: 4): ", 4, lambda x: x > 0)
+
+
+    def _get_input(self, prompt: str, default: str = None, validator=lambda x: True) -> str:
+        while True:
+            value = input(prompt).strip()
+            if not value:
+                return default
+            if validator(value):
+                return value
+            print("Invalid input.")
+
+
+    def _get_list_input(self, prompt: str, default: list = None) -> list:
+        value = input(prompt).strip()
+        if not value:
+            return default or []
+        return [x.strip() for x in value.split(',') if x.strip()]
+
+
+    def _get_boolean_input(self, prompt: str) -> bool:
+        return self._get_input(prompt + " (y/n): ", "n", lambda x: x.lower() in ('y', 'n')) == 'y'
+
+
+    def _get_float_input(self, prompt: str) -> float or None: # returns float or None for no input
+        while True:
+            value = input(prompt).strip()
+            if not value:
+                return None  # Allow no input, return None
+            try:
+                return float(value)
+            except ValueError:
+                print("Invalid input. Please enter a number.")
+
+
+    def _get_int_input(self, prompt: str, default: int, validator=lambda x: True) -> int:
+        while True:
+            value = input(prompt).strip()
+            if not value:
+                return default
             try:
-                self.max_file_size_mb = float(input("Enter maximum file size in MB: "))
+                int_value = int(value)
+                if validator(int_value):
+                    return int_value
+                else:
+                    print("Invalid input. Value does not meet criteria.")
             except ValueError:
-                print("Invalid input. No file size limit will be applied.")
+                print("Invalid input. Please enter an integer.")
+
 
     def should_process_file(self, filepath: str) -> bool:
-        """Check if file should be processed based on settings"""
-        # Check extensions
+        """Determines whether a file should be included in the combination based on user settings."""
+
         if self.extensions and not any(filepath.endswith(ext) for ext in self.extensions):
             return False
-            
-        # Check excluded folders
         if any(folder in filepath for folder in self.exclude_folders):
             return False
-            
-        # Check file size
-        if self.max_file_size_mb:
-            size_mb = os.path.getsize(filepath) / (1024 * 1024)
-            if size_mb > self.max_file_size_mb:
+        if self.exclude_patterns and any(re.match(pattern, filepath) for pattern in self.exclude_patterns):
+            return False
+        try:
+            file_size = os.path.getsize(filepath)
+            if self.max_file_size_mb and file_size > self.max_file_size_mb * 1024 * 1024:
                 return False
-                
+        except OSError:
+            logging.warning(f"Could not get size of {filepath}. Skipping.")
+            return False
+        if self.exclude_images and any(filepath.lower().endswith(ext) for ext in ['.jpg', '.jpeg', '.png', '.gif', '.bmp', '.tiff']):
+            return False  # Basic image file extension check.
+        if self.exclude_executable and os.access(filepath, os.X_OK):
+            return False
+        if self.exclude_temp_and_backup_files and (filepath.startswith(tempfile.gettempdir()) or any(filepath.endswith(ext) for ext in ['.tmp', '.temp', '.bak', '~'])):
+            return False
+        if self.exclude_hidden_files and os.path.basename(filepath).startswith('.'):
+            return False
+
         return True
 
+    def _process_file(self, filepath: str, outfile):
+        """Processes and writes a single file to the output."""
+        try:
+            with open(filepath, 'r', encoding='utf-8') as infile:
+                content = infile.read()
+                with self.lock:  # Lock to prevent race conditions with multithreading
+                    self._write_file_header(outfile, filepath)
+                    if self.add_syntax_highlight:
+                        ext = os.path.splitext(filepath)[1]
+                        outfile.write(f"```{ext[1:] if ext else ''}\n")  # Manual language specification
+                    if self.include_line_numbers:
+                        for i, line in enumerate(content.splitlines(), 1):
+                            outfile.write(f"{i:4d} | {line}\n")
+                    else:
+                        outfile.write(content)
+                    if self.add_syntax_highlight:
+                        outfile.write("```\n")
+                    outfile.write("\n")
+
+            return 1, os.path.getsize(filepath)  # Return file count and size
+        except Exception as e:
+            logging.error(f"Error reading {filepath}: {e}")
+            with self.lock:
+                outfile.write(f"Error reading {filepath}: {e}\n\n")
+            return 0, 0 # File not read, size is 0.
+
+    def _write_summary(self, outfile):
+        """Writes the initial summary information to the output file."""
+        outfile.write("=== File Combination Summary ===\n")
+        outfile.write(f"Generated on: {datetime.datetime.now()}\n")
+        outfile.write(f"Source directory: {os.path.abspath(self.source_dir)}\n")
+
+        outfile.write(f"Included extensions: {', '.join(self.extensions) if self.extensions else 'All'}\n")
+        outfile.write(f"Excluded folders: {', '.join(self.exclude_folders)}\n")
+
+        outfile.write("=" * 80 + "\n\n")
+
+    def _write_file_header(self, outfile, filepath):
+        outfile.write("=" * 80 + "\n")
+        outfile.write(f"File: {os.path.relpath(filepath, self.source_dir)}\n")  # Use relative path
+        if self.include_timestamp:
+             timestamp = datetime.datetime.fromtimestamp(os.path.getmtime(filepath))
+             outfile.write(f"Last Modified: {timestamp}\n")
+
+        if self.include_file_size:
+            size = os.path.getsize(filepath)
+            outfile.write(f"Size: {size / 1024:.2f} KB\n")
+        outfile.write("=" * 80 + "\n\n")
+
+
+    def _write_combination_summary(self, outfile, files_processed, total_size):
+        """Writes the final combination summary to the output file."""
+
+        outfile.write("=" * 80 + "\n")
+        outfile.write(f"Total files processed: {files_processed}\n")
+        outfile.write(f"Total size: {total_size / 1024 / 1024:.2f} MB\n")
+
+
     def combine_files(self):
-        """Combine files according to user preferences"""
+        """Combines the files according to the user preferences."""
+
+
         try:
             with open(self.output_file, 'w', encoding='utf-8') as outfile:
-                # Write configuration summary
-                outfile.write("=== File Combination Summary ===\n")
-                outfile.write(f"Generated on: {datetime.datetime.now()}\n")
-                outfile.write(f"Source directory: {os.path.abspath(self.source_dir)}\n")
-                outfile.write(f"File types: {', '.join(self.extensions) if self.extensions else 'All files'}\n")
-                outfile.write("=" * 80 + "\n\n")
-
-                files_processed = 0
-                total_size = 0
-
-                for dirpath, dirnames, filenames in os.walk(self.source_dir):
-                    # Remove excluded folders
-                    dirnames[:] = [d for d in dirnames if d not in self.exclude_folders]
-                    
+                self._write_summary(outfile)
+
+
+                file_paths = []
+                for dirpath, dirnames, filenames in os.walk(self.source_dir, followlinks=False): # followlinks=False added
+                    dirnames[:] = [d for d in dirnames if d not in self.exclude_folders]  # Exclude specified directories
                     for filename in filenames:
                         filepath = os.path.join(dirpath, filename)
-                        
-                        if not self.should_process_file(filepath):
-                            continue
-
-                        # Write file header
-                        outfile.write("\n" + "=" * 80 + "\n")
-                        outfile.write(f"File: {filename}\n")
-                        outfile.write(f"Location: {os.path.relpath(filepath, self.source_dir)}\n")
-                        
-                        if self.include_timestamp:
-                            timestamp = datetime.datetime.fromtimestamp(os.path.getmtime(filepath))
-                            outfile.write(f"Last modified: {timestamp}\n")
-                            
-                        if self.include_file_size:
-                            size = os.path.getsize(filepath)
-                            outfile.write(f"Size: {size/1024:.2f} KB\n")
-                            total_size += size
-
-                        outfile.write("=" * 80 + "\n\n")
-
-                        # Write file content
-                        try:
-                            with open(filepath, 'r', encoding='utf-8') as infile:
-                                if self.add_syntax_highlight:
-                                    ext = os.path.splitext(filename)[1]
-                                    outfile.write(f"```{ext[1:] if ext else ''}\n")
-                                    
-                                if self.include_line_numbers:
-                                    for i, line in enumerate(infile, 1):
-                                        outfile.write(f"{i:4d} | {line}")
-                                else:
-                                    outfile.write(infile.read())
-
-                                if self.add_syntax_highlight:
-                                    outfile.write("\n```\n")
-                                    
-                                outfile.write("\n")
-                                files_processed += 1
-                                
-                        except Exception as e:
-                            outfile.write(f"Error reading file: {str(e)}\n")
-
-                # Write summary at the end
-                outfile.write("\n" + "=" * 80 + "\n")
-                outfile.write(f"Total files processed: {files_processed}\n")
-                outfile.write(f"Total size: {total_size/1024/1024:.2f} MB\n")
-
-            print(f"\nSuccessfully combined {files_processed} files into {self.output_file}")
-            print(f"Total size: {total_size/1024/1024:.2f} MB")
-            
+                        if self.should_process_file(filepath):
+                            file_paths.append(filepath)
+
+                with ThreadPoolExecutor(max_workers=self.num_worker_threads) as executor:
+                    results = executor.map(self._process_file, file_paths, [outfile] * len(file_paths))
+                    files_processed, total_size = sum([r[0] for r in results]), sum([r[1] for r in results])
+
+                self._write_combination_summary(outfile, files_processed, total_size)
+
+            if self.create_zip_archive:
+                self._create_zip_archive()
+
+            logging.info(f"Combined {files_processed} files into {self.output_file}")
+            logging.info(f"Total size: {total_size / 1024 / 1024:.2f} MB")
+
+            print(f"\nCombined {files_processed} files into {self.output_file}")
+            print(f"Total size: {total_size / 1024 / 1024:.2f} MB")
+
         except Exception as e:
-            print(f"An error occurred: {str(e)}")
+            logging.error(f"An error occurred: {e}")
+            print(f"An error occurred: {e}")
+
+
+
+    def _create_zip_archive(self):
+        zip_filename = self.output_file.replace('.txt', '.zip')
+        try:
+            with zipfile.ZipFile(zip_filename, 'w', zipfile.ZIP_DEFLATED) as zipf:
+                zipf.write(self.output_file, arcname=os.path.basename(self.output_file)) # Use arcname for correct filename in zip
+            logging.info(f"Created zip archive: {zip_filename}")
+            print(f"Created zip archive: {zip_filename}")
+
+        except Exception as e:
+            logging.error(f"Error creating zip archive: {e}")
+            print(f"Error creating zip archive: {e}")
+
+
 
 def main():
     combiner = FileCombiner()
@@ -161,4 +248,4 @@ def main():
     combiner.combine_files()
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
-    main()
+    main()
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/combined_files.txt b/combined_files.txt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a4d6252
--- /dev/null
+++ b/combined_files.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,670 @@
+=== File Combination Summary ===
+Generated on: 2024-10-30 10:26:39.975657
+Source directory: C:\Users\g1n\Documents\Github\textcodecombiner
+Included extensions: All
+Excluded folders: .git
+================================================================================
+
+================================================================================
+File: combine.py
+================================================================================
+
+import os
+import datetime
+import logging
+import re
+import tempfile
+import zipfile
+from concurrent.futures import ThreadPoolExecutor
+from typing import List
+import threading
+
+# Configure logging
+logging.basicConfig(level=logging.INFO, format='%(asctime)s - %(levelname)s - %(message)s')
+
+class FileCombiner:
+    """Combines multiple files into a single output file, with various options."""
+
+    def __init__(self):
+        self.source_dir = "."
+        self.output_file = "combined_files.txt"
+        self.extensions = []  # Empty list means all extensions are included
+        self.exclude_folders = ['.git']
+        self.exclude_patterns = []
+        self.include_line_numbers = False
+        self.include_timestamp = False
+        self.include_file_size = False
+        self.add_syntax_highlight = False  # Requires manual language specification in output
+        self.max_file_size_mb = None
+        self.create_zip_archive = False
+        self.exclude_images = False  # Basic image extension check, not fully reliable
+        self.exclude_executable = False
+        self.exclude_temp_and_backup_files = False
+        self.exclude_hidden_files = False
+        self.num_worker_threads = 4
+        self.lock = threading.Lock()
+
+
+    def get_user_preferences(self):
+        """Interactively gets user preferences for file combination."""
+
+        print("\n=== File Combiner Configuration ===")
+
+        self.source_dir = self._get_input("Source directory (default: .): ", self.source_dir, os.path.isdir)
+        self.output_file = self._get_input("Output file name (default: combined_files.txt): ", self.output_file)
+        self.extensions = self._get_list_input("File extensions to include (comma-separated, or Enter for all): ")
+        self.exclude_folders = self._get_list_input("Folders to exclude (comma-separated, default: .git): ", self.exclude_folders)
+        self.exclude_patterns = self._get_list_input("Regex patterns to exclude (comma-separated): ")
+
+        self.include_line_numbers = self._get_boolean_input("Include line numbers? (y/n): ")
+        self.include_timestamp = self._get_boolean_input("Include timestamps? (y/n): ")
+        self.include_file_size = self._get_boolean_input("Include file sizes? (y/n): ")
+        self.add_syntax_highlight = self._get_boolean_input("Add syntax highlighting (requires manual language spec)? (y/n): ")  # Clarify manual aspect
+        self.max_file_size_mb = self._get_float_input("Max file size to include (MB, or Enter for no limit): ")
+        self.create_zip_archive = self._get_boolean_input("Create zip archive of output? (y/n): ")
+        self.exclude_images = self._get_boolean_input("Exclude common image files (basic check, not fully reliable)? (y/n): ")
+        self.exclude_executable = self._get_boolean_input("Exclude executable files? (y/n): ")
+        self.exclude_temp_and_backup_files = self._get_boolean_input("Exclude temp/backup files? (y/n): ")
+        self.exclude_hidden_files = self._get_boolean_input("Exclude hidden files? (y/n): ")
+        self.num_worker_threads = self._get_int_input("Number of worker threads (default: 4): ", 4, lambda x: x > 0)
+
+
+    def _get_input(self, prompt: str, default: str = None, validator=lambda x: True) -> str:
+        while True:
+            value = input(prompt).strip()
+            if not value:
+                return default
+            if validator(value):
+                return value
+            print("Invalid input.")
+
+
+    def _get_list_input(self, prompt: str, default: list = None) -> list:
+        value = input(prompt).strip()
+        if not value:
+            return default or []
+        return [x.strip() for x in value.split(',') if x.strip()]
+
+
+    def _get_boolean_input(self, prompt: str) -> bool:
+        return self._get_input(prompt + " (y/n): ", "n", lambda x: x.lower() in ('y', 'n')) == 'y'
+
+
+    def _get_float_input(self, prompt: str) -> float or None: # returns float or None for no input
+        while True:
+            value = input(prompt).strip()
+            if not value:
+                return None  # Allow no input, return None
+            try:
+                return float(value)
+            except ValueError:
+                print("Invalid input. Please enter a number.")
+
+
+    def _get_int_input(self, prompt: str, default: int, validator=lambda x: True) -> int:
+        while True:
+            value = input(prompt).strip()
+            if not value:
+                return default
+            try:
+                int_value = int(value)
+                if validator(int_value):
+                    return int_value
+                else:
+                    print("Invalid input. Value does not meet criteria.")
+            except ValueError:
+                print("Invalid input. Please enter an integer.")
+
+
+    def should_process_file(self, filepath: str) -> bool:
+        """Determines whether a file should be included in the combination based on user settings."""
+
+        if self.extensions and not any(filepath.endswith(ext) for ext in self.extensions):
+            return False
+        if any(folder in filepath for folder in self.exclude_folders):
+            return False
+        if self.exclude_patterns and any(re.match(pattern, filepath) for pattern in self.exclude_patterns):
+            return False
+        try:
+            file_size = os.path.getsize(filepath)
+            if self.max_file_size_mb and file_size > self.max_file_size_mb * 1024 * 1024:
+                return False
+        except OSError:
+            logging.warning(f"Could not get size of {filepath}. Skipping.")
+            return False
+        if self.exclude_images and any(filepath.lower().endswith(ext) for ext in ['.jpg', '.jpeg', '.png', '.gif', '.bmp', '.tiff']):
+            return False  # Basic image file extension check.
+        if self.exclude_executable and os.access(filepath, os.X_OK):
+            return False
+        if self.exclude_temp_and_backup_files and (filepath.startswith(tempfile.gettempdir()) or any(filepath.endswith(ext) for ext in ['.tmp', '.temp', '.bak', '~'])):
+            return False
+        if self.exclude_hidden_files and os.path.basename(filepath).startswith('.'):
+            return False
+
+        return True
+
+    def _process_file(self, filepath: str, outfile):
+        """Processes and writes a single file to the output."""
+        try:
+            with open(filepath, 'r', encoding='utf-8') as infile:
+                content = infile.read()
+                with self.lock:  # Lock to prevent race conditions with multithreading
+                    self._write_file_header(outfile, filepath)
+                    if self.add_syntax_highlight:
+                        ext = os.path.splitext(filepath)[1]
+                        outfile.write(f"```{ext[1:] if ext else ''}\n")  # Manual language specification
+                    if self.include_line_numbers:
+                        for i, line in enumerate(content.splitlines(), 1):
+                            outfile.write(f"{i:4d} | {line}\n")
+                    else:
+                        outfile.write(content)
+                    if self.add_syntax_highlight:
+                        outfile.write("```\n")
+                    outfile.write("\n")
+
+            return 1, os.path.getsize(filepath)  # Return file count and size
+        except Exception as e:
+            logging.error(f"Error reading {filepath}: {e}")
+            with self.lock:
+                outfile.write(f"Error reading {filepath}: {e}\n\n")
+            return 0, 0 # File not read, size is 0.
+
+    def _write_summary(self, outfile):
+        """Writes the initial summary information to the output file."""
+        outfile.write("=== File Combination Summary ===\n")
+        outfile.write(f"Generated on: {datetime.datetime.now()}\n")
+        outfile.write(f"Source directory: {os.path.abspath(self.source_dir)}\n")
+
+        outfile.write(f"Included extensions: {', '.join(self.extensions) if self.extensions else 'All'}\n")
+        outfile.write(f"Excluded folders: {', '.join(self.exclude_folders)}\n")
+
+        outfile.write("=" * 80 + "\n\n")
+
+    def _write_file_header(self, outfile, filepath):
+        outfile.write("=" * 80 + "\n")
+        outfile.write(f"File: {os.path.relpath(filepath, self.source_dir)}\n")  # Use relative path
+        if self.include_timestamp:
+             timestamp = datetime.datetime.fromtimestamp(os.path.getmtime(filepath))
+             outfile.write(f"Last Modified: {timestamp}\n")
+
+        if self.include_file_size:
+            size = os.path.getsize(filepath)
+            outfile.write(f"Size: {size / 1024:.2f} KB\n")
+        outfile.write("=" * 80 + "\n\n")
+
+
+    def _write_combination_summary(self, outfile, files_processed, total_size):
+        """Writes the final combination summary to the output file."""
+
+        outfile.write("=" * 80 + "\n")
+        outfile.write(f"Total files processed: {files_processed}\n")
+        outfile.write(f"Total size: {total_size / 1024 / 1024:.2f} MB\n")
+
+
+    def combine_files(self):
+        """Combines the files according to the user preferences."""
+
+
+        try:
+            with open(self.output_file, 'w', encoding='utf-8') as outfile:
+                self._write_summary(outfile)
+
+
+                file_paths = []
+                for dirpath, dirnames, filenames in os.walk(self.source_dir, followlinks=False): # followlinks=False added
+                    dirnames[:] = [d for d in dirnames if d not in self.exclude_folders]  # Exclude specified directories
+                    for filename in filenames:
+                        filepath = os.path.join(dirpath, filename)
+                        if self.should_process_file(filepath):
+                            file_paths.append(filepath)
+
+                with ThreadPoolExecutor(max_workers=self.num_worker_threads) as executor:
+                    results = executor.map(self._process_file, file_paths, [outfile] * len(file_paths))
+                    files_processed, total_size = sum([r[0] for r in results]), sum([r[1] for r in results])
+
+                self._write_combination_summary(outfile, files_processed, total_size)
+
+            if self.create_zip_archive:
+                self._create_zip_archive()
+
+            logging.info(f"Combined {files_processed} files into {self.output_file}")
+            logging.info(f"Total size: {total_size / 1024 / 1024:.2f} MB")
+
+            print(f"\nCombined {files_processed} files into {self.output_file}")
+            print(f"Total size: {total_size / 1024 / 1024:.2f} MB")
+
+        except Exception as e:
+            logging.error(f"An error occurred: {e}")
+            print(f"An error occurred: {e}")
+
+
+
+    def _create_zip_archive(self):
+        zip_filename = self.output_file.replace('.txt', '.zip')
+        try:
+            with zipfile.ZipFile(zip_filename, 'w', zipfile.ZIP_DEFLATED) as zipf:
+                zipf.write(self.output_file, arcname=os.path.basename(self.output_file)) # Use arcname for correct filename in zip
+            logging.info(f"Created zip archive: {zip_filename}")
+            print(f"Created zip archive: {zip_filename}")
+
+        except Exception as e:
+            logging.error(f"Error creating zip archive: {e}")
+            print(f"Error creating zip archive: {e}")
+
+
+
+def main():
+    combiner = FileCombiner()
+    combiner.get_user_preferences()
+    combiner.combine_files()
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    main()
+================================================================================
+File: combined_files.txt
+================================================================================
+
+=== File Combination Summary ===
+Generated on: 2024-10-30 10:26:39.975657
+Source directory: C:\Users\g1n\Documents\Github\textcodecombiner
+Included extensions: All
+Excluded folders: .git
+================================================================================
+
+================================================================================
+File: combine.py
+================================================================================
+
+import os
+import datetime
+import logging
+import re
+import tempfile
+import zipfile
+from concurrent.futures import ThreadPoolExecutor
+from typing import List
+import threading
+
+# Configure logging
+logging.basicConfig(level=logging.INFO, format='%(asctime)s - %(levelname)s - %(message)s')
+
+class FileCombiner:
+    """Combines multiple files into a single output file, with various options."""
+
+    def __init__(self):
+        self.source_dir = "."
+        self.output_file = "combined_files.txt"
+        self.extensions = []  # Empty list means all extensions are included
+        self.exclude_folders = ['.git']
+        self.exclude_patterns = []
+        self.include_line_numbers = False
+        self.include_timestamp = False
+        self.include_file_size = False
+        self.add_syntax_highlight = False  # Requires manual language specification in output
+        self.max_file_size_mb = None
+        self.create_zip_archive = False
+        self.exclude_images = False  # Basic image extension check, not fully reliable
+        self.exclude_executable = False
+        self.exclude_temp_and_backup_files = False
+        self.exclude_hidden_files = False
+        self.num_worker_threads = 4
+        self.lock = threading.Lock()
+
+
+    def get_user_preferences(self):
+        """Interactively gets user preferences for file combination."""
+
+        print("\n=== File Combiner Configuration ===")
+
+        self.source_dir = self._get_input("Source directory (default: .): ", self.source_dir, os.path.isdir)
+        self.output_file = self._get_input("Output file name (default: combined_files.txt): ", self.output_file)
+        self.extensions = self._get_list_input("File extensions to include (comma-separated, or Enter for all): ")
+        self.exclude_folders = self._get_list_input("Folders to exclude (comma-separated, default: .git): ", self.exclude_folders)
+        self.exclude_patterns = self._get_list_input("Regex patterns to exclude (comma-separated): ")
+
+        self.include_line_numbers = self._get_boolean_input("Include line numbers? (y/n): ")
+        self.include_timestamp = self._get_boolean_input("Include timestamps? (y/n): ")
+        self.include_file_size = self._get_boolean_input("Include file sizes? (y/n): ")
+        self.add_syntax_highlight = self._get_boolean_input("Add syntax highlighting (requires manual language spec)? (y/n): ")  # Clarify manual aspect
+        self.max_file_size_mb = self._get_float_input("Max file size to include (MB, or Enter for no limit): ")
+        self.create_zip_archive = self._get_boolean_input("Create zip archive of output? (y/n): ")
+        self.exclude_images = self._get_boolean_input("Exclude common image files (basic check, not fully reliable)? (y/n): ")
+        self.exclude_executable = self._get_boolean_input("Exclude executable files? (y/n): ")
+        self.exclude_temp_and_backup_files = self._get_boolean_input("Exclude temp/backup files? (y/n): ")
+        self.exclude_hidden_files = self._get_boolean_input("Exclude hidden files? (y/n): ")
+        self.num_worker_threads = self._get_int_input("Number of worker threads (default: 4): ", 4, lambda x: x > 0)
+
+
+    def _get_input(self, prompt: str, default: str = None, validator=lambda x: True) -> str:
+        while True:
+            value = input(prompt).strip()
+            if not value:
+                return default
+            if validator(value):
+                return value
+            print("Invalid input.")
+
+
+    def _get_list_input(self, prompt: str, default: list = None) -> list:
+        value = input(prompt).strip()
+        if not value:
+            return default or []
+        return [x.strip() for x in value.split(',') if x.strip()]
+
+
+    def _get_boolean_input(self, prompt: str) -> bool:
+        return self._get_input(prompt + " (y/n): ", "n", lambda x: x.lower() in ('y', 'n')) == 'y'
+
+
+    def _get_float_input(self, prompt: str) -> float or None: # returns float or None for no input
+        while True:
+            value = input(prompt).strip()
+            if not value:
+                return None  # Allow no input, return None
+            try:
+                return float(value)
+            except ValueError:
+                print("Invalid input. Please enter a number.")
+
+
+    def _get_int_input(self, prompt: str, default: int, validator=lambda x: True) -> int:
+        while True:
+            value = input(prompt).strip()
+            if not value:
+                return default
+            try:
+                int_value = int(value)
+                if validator(int_value):
+                    return int_value
+                else:
+                    print("Invalid input. Value does not meet criteria.")
+            except ValueError:
+                print("Invalid input. Please enter an integer.")
+
+
+    def should_process_file(self, filepath: str) -> bool:
+        """Determines whether a file should be included in the combination based on user settings."""
+
+        if self.extensions and not any(filepath.endswith(ext) for ext in self.extensions):
+            return False
+        if any(folder in filepath for folder in self.exclude_folders):
+            return False
+        if self.exclude_patterns and any(re.match(pattern, filepath) for pattern in self.exclude_patterns):
+            return False
+        try:
+            file_size = os.path.getsize(filepath)
+            if self.max_file_size_mb and file_size > self.max_file_size_mb * 1024 * 1024:
+                return False
+        except OSError:
+            logging.warning(f"Could not get size of {filepath}. Skipping.")
+            return False
+        if self.exclude_images and any(filepath.lower().endswith(ext) for ext in ['.jpg', '.jpeg', '.png', '.gif', '.bmp', '.tiff']):
+            return False  # Basic image file extension check.
+        if self.exclude_executable and os.access(filepath, os.X_OK):
+            return False
+        if self.exclude_temp_and_backup_files and (filepath.startswith(tempfile.gettempdir()) or any(filepath.endswith(ext) for ext in ['.tmp', '.temp', '.bak', '~'])):
+            return False
+        if self.exclude_hidden_files and os.path.basename(filepath).startswith('.'):
+            return False
+
+        return True
+
+    def _process_file(self, filepath: str, outfile):
+        """Processes and writes a single file to the output."""
+        try:
+            with open(filepath, 'r', encoding='utf-8') as infile:
+                content = infile.read()
+                with self.lock:  # Lock to prevent race conditions with multithreading
+                    self._write_file_header(outfile, filepath)
+                    if self.add_syntax_highlight:
+                        ext = os.path.splitext(filepath)[1]
+                        outfile.write(f"```{ext[1:] if ext else ''}\n")  # Manual language specification
+                    if self.include_line_numbers:
+                        for i, line in enumerate(content.splitlines(), 1):
+                            outfile.write(f"{i:4d} | {line}\n")
+                    else:
+                        outfile.write(content)
+                    if self.add_syntax_highlight:
+                        outfile.write("```\n")
+                    outfile.write("\n")
+
+            return 1, os.path.getsize(filepath)  # Return file count and size
+        except Exception as e:
+            logging.error(f"Error reading {filepath}: {e}")
+            with self.lock:
+                outfile.write(f"Error reading {filepath}: {e}\n\n")
+            return 0, 0 # File not read, size is 0.
+
+    def _write_summary(self, outfile):
+        """Writes the initial summary information to the output file."""
+        outfile.write("=== File Combination Summary ===\n")
+        outfile.write(f"Generated on: {datetime.datetime.now()}\n")
+        outfile.write(f"Source directory: {os.path.abspath(self.source_dir)}\n")
+
+        outfile.write(f"Included extensions: {', '.join(self.extensions) if self.extensions else 'All'}\n")
+        outfile.write(f"Excluded folders: {', '.join(self.exclude_folders)}\n")
+
+        outfile.write("=" * 80 + "\n\n")
+
+    def _write_file_header(self, outfile, filepath):
+        outfile.write("=" * 80 + "\n")
+        outfile.write(f"File: {os.path.relpath(filepath, self.source_dir)}\n")  # Use relative path
+        if self.include_timestamp:
+             timestamp = datetime.datetime.fromtimestamp(os.path.getmtime(filepath))
+             outfile.write(f"Last Modified: {timestamp}\n")
+
+        if self.include_file_size:
+            size = os.path.getsize(filepath)
+            outfile.write(f"Size: {size / 1024:.2f} KB\n")
+        outfile.write("=" * 80 + "\n\n")
+
+
+    def _write_combination_summary(self, outfile, files_processed, total_size):
+        """Writes the final combination summary to the output file."""
+
+        outfile.write("=" * 80 + "\n")
+        outfile.write(f"Total files processed: {files_processed}\n")
+        outfile.write(f"Total size: {total_size / 1024 / 1024:.2f} MB\n")
+
+
+    def combine_files(self):
+        """Combines the files according to the user preferences."""
+
+
+        try:
+            with open(self.output_file, 'w', encoding='utf-8') as outfile:
+                self._write_summary(outfile)
+
+
+                file_paths = []
+                for dirpath, dirnames, filenames in os.walk(self.source_dir, followlinks=False): # followlinks=False added
+                    dirnames[:] = [d for d in dirnames if d not in self.exclude_folders]  # Exclude specified directories
+                    for filename in filenames:
+                        filepath = os.path.join(dirpath, filename)
+                        if self.should_process_file(filepath):
+                            file_paths.append(filepath)
+
+                with ThreadPoolExecutor(max_workers=self.num_worker_threads) as executor:
+                    results = executor.map(self._process_file, file_paths, [outfile] * len(file_paths))
+                    files_processed, total_size = sum([r[0] for r in results]), sum([r[1] for r in results])
+
+                self._write_combination_summary(outfile, files_processed, total_size)
+
+            if self.create_zip_archive:
+                self._create_zip_archive()
+
+            logging.info(f"Combined {files_processed} files into {self.output_file}")
+            logging.info(f"Total size: {total_size / 1024 / 1024:.2f} MB")
+
+            print(f"\nCombined {files_processed} files into {self.output_file}")
+            print(f"Total size: {total_size / 1024 / 1024:.2f} MB")
+
+        except Exception as e:
+            logging.error(f"An error occurred: {e}")
+            print(f"An error occurred: {e}")
+
+
+
+    def _create_zip_archive(self):
+        zip_filename = self.output_file.replace('.txt', '.zip')
+        try:
+            with zipfile.ZipFile(zip_filename, 'w', zipfile.ZIP_DEFLATED) as zipf:
+                zipf.write(self.output_file, arcname=os.path.basename(self.output_file)) # Use arcname for correct filename in zip
+            logging.info(f"Created zip archive: {zip_filename}")
+            print(f"Created zip archive: {zip_filename}")
+
+        except Exception as e:
+            logging.error(f"Error creating zip archive: {e}")
+            print(f"Error creating zip archive: {e}")
+
+
+
+def main():
+    combiner = FileCombiner()
+    combiner.get_user_preferences()
+    combiner.combine_files()
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    main()
+================================================================================
+File: README.md
+================================================================================
+
+# 📑 Text-Code Combiner
+
+[![Python](https://img.shields.io/badge/Python-3.6%2B-blue)](https://www.python.org/downloads/)
+[![License](https://img.shields.io/badge/License-MIT-green.svg)](https://opensource.org/licenses/MIT)
+[![Version](https://img.shields.io/badge/version-1.0.0-blue.svg)](https://github.com/yourusername/text-code-combiner/releases)
+[![PRs Welcome](https://img.shields.io/badge/PRs-welcome-brightgreen.svg)](https://github.com/yourusername/text-code-combiner/pulls)
+
+A powerful Python utility that intelligently combines source code and text files into a single well-organized document. Perfect for code documentation, project analysis, and source code archiving.
+
+## ✨ Key Features
+
+### 🎯 Smart File Handling
+- 📁 Recursive directory scanning
+- 🔍 Multiple file format support
+- 🎨 Automatic syntax highlighting
+- 📊 File statistics and metrics
+
+### 📋 Document Organization
+- 🗂️ Hierarchical file structure preservation
+- 📝 Automatic content formatting
+- 🏷️ Intelligent file categorization
+- 📑 Table of contents generation
+
+### ⚙️ Customization Options
+- 🎛️ Configurable output formats
+- 🎯 Custom file filtering
+- 📏 Size limit controls
+- 🚫 Directory exclusion
+
+## 🚀 Quick Start
+
+### Prerequisites
+- Python 3.6 or higher
+- Any operating system (Windows/Linux/MacOS)
+
+### Installation
+
+```bash
+# Clone the repository
+git clone https://github.com/yourusername/text-code-combiner.git
+
+# Navigate to project directory
+cd text-code-combiner
+
+# Run the combiner
+python combine.py
+```
+
+## 💡 Usage Examples
+
+### Basic Usage
+```bash
+python combine.py
+```
+
+### Sample Output Structure
+```plaintext
+=== Document Summary ===
+📅 Generated: 2024-10-27 14:30:45
+📁 Source: /path/to/project
+📊 Files Processed: 15
+📏 Total Size: 1.25 MB
+
+=====================================
+📄 File: app.php
+📍 Location: src/app.php
+⏱️ Modified: 2024-10-27 14:25:30
+📊 Size: 1.25 KB
+=====================================
+
+[Content with syntax highlighting]
+```
+
+## ⚙️ Configuration Guide
+
+### 1. Source Selection 📁
+- Choose target directory
+- Set file type filters
+- Configure depth level
+
+### 2. Output Customization 🎨
+- Format selection
+- Metadata options
+- Syntax highlighting preferences
+
+### 3. Processing Rules 🔧
+- Size limitations
+- Exclusion patterns
+- Content filters
+
+## 🎯 Use Cases
+
+- 📚 Code Documentation
+  - Combine related source files
+  - Generate readable documentation
+  - Create searchable code archives
+
+- 🔍 Code Review
+  - Analyze entire codebases
+  - Track changes across files
+  - Review code structure
+
+- 📊 Project Analysis
+  - Generate project reports
+  - Analyze code distribution
+  - Track project metrics
+
+## 🛠️ Technical Details
+
+### System Requirements
+- 💻 CPU: Any modern processor
+- 🧮 RAM: 512MB minimum
+- 💾 Storage: 10MB free space
+- 🐍 Python 3.6+
+
+### Supported File Types
+- 💻 Programming: `.php`, `.py`, `.js`, `.java`, etc.
+- 📝 Text: `.txt`, `.md`, `.csv`
+- 📄 Documents: `.xml`, `.json`, `.yaml`
+- ⚙️ Config: `.ini`, `.conf`, `.env`
+
+## 🤝 Contributing
+
+We welcome contributions! Here's how you can help:
+
+1. 🍴 Fork the repository
+2. 🌿 Create your feature branch (`git checkout -b feature/AmazingFeature`)
+3. 💾 Commit changes (`git commit -m 'Add AmazingFeature'`)
+4. 📤 Push to branch (`git push origin feature/AmazingFeature`)
+5. 🔄 Open a Pull Request
+
+## 📝 License
+
+Released under MIT License. See [LICENSE](LICENSE) for details.
+
+================================================================================
+Total files processed: 3
+Total size: 0.00 MB
diff --git a/combinefiles-x.py b/combinefiles-x.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..29f4503
--- /dev/null
+++ b/combinefiles-x.py
@@ -0,0 +1,247 @@
+import os
+import datetime
+import logging
+import re
+import tempfile
+import zipfile
+from concurrent.futures import ThreadPoolExecutor
+from typing import List, Callable, Optional
+import threading
+
+# Configure logging
+logging.basicConfig(level=logging.INFO, format='%(asctime)s - %(levelname)s - %(message)s')
+
+class FileCombiner:
+    """Combines multiple files into a single output file, with various options."""
+
+    def __init__(self):
+        self.source_dir = "."
+        self.output_file = "combined_files.txt"
+        self.extensions: List[str] = []  # List of file extensions to include
+        self.exclude_folders: List[str] = ['.git']  # List of folders to exclude
+        self.exclude_patterns: List[str] = []  # List of regex patterns to exclude from file paths
+        self.include_line_numbers: bool = False  # Whether to include line numbers in the output
+        self.include_timestamp: bool = False  # Whether to include file modification timestamp
+        self.include_file_size: bool = False  # Whether to include file size
+        self.add_syntax_highlight: bool = False  # Whether to add basic syntax highlighting (requires manual language spec)
+        self.max_file_size_mb: Optional[float] = None  # Maximum file size (MB) to include
+        self.create_zip_archive: bool = False  # Whether to create a zip archive of the output
+        self.exclude_images: bool = False  # Whether to exclude common image files
+        self.exclude_executable: bool = False  # Whether to exclude executable files
+        self.exclude_temp_and_backup_files: bool = False  # Whether to exclude temp and backup files
+        self.exclude_hidden_files: bool = False  # Whether to exclude hidden files
+        self.num_worker_threads: int = 4  # Number of threads to use for processing
+        self.lock = threading.Lock()  # Lock for thread-safe file writing
+
+        self._image_extensions = ['.jpg', '.jpeg', '.png', '.gif', '.bmp', '.tiff']
+        self._temp_backup_extensions = ['.tmp', '.temp', '.bak', '~']
+
+    def get_user_preferences(self):
+        """Interactively gets user preferences for file combination."""
+        print("\n=== File Combiner Configuration ===")
+
+        self.source_dir = self._get_input("Source directory (default: .): ", self.source_dir, os.path.isdir)
+        self.output_file = self._get_input("Output file name (default: combined_files.txt): ", self.output_file)
+        self.extensions = self._get_list_input("File extensions to include (comma-separated, or Enter for all): ")
+        self.exclude_folders = self._get_list_input("Folders to exclude (comma-separated, default: .git): ", self.exclude_folders)
+        self.exclude_patterns = self._get_list_input("Regex patterns to exclude (comma-separated): ")
+
+        self.include_line_numbers = self._get_boolean_input("Include line numbers? (y/n): ")
+        self.include_timestamp = self._get_boolean_input("Include timestamps? (y/n): ")
+        self.include_file_size = self._get_boolean_input("Include file sizes? (y/n): ")
+        self.add_syntax_highlight = self._get_boolean_input("Add syntax highlighting (requires manual language spec)? (y/n): ")
+        self.max_file_size_mb = self._get_float_input("Max file size to include (MB, or Enter for no limit): ")
+        self.create_zip_archive = self._get_boolean_input("Create zip archive of output? (y/n): ")
+        self.exclude_images = self._get_boolean_input("Exclude common image files (basic check, not fully reliable)? (y/n): ")
+        self.exclude_executable = self._get_boolean_input("Exclude executable files? (y/n): ")
+        self.exclude_temp_and_backup_files = self._get_boolean_input("Exclude temp/backup files? (y/n): ")
+        self.exclude_hidden_files = self._get_boolean_input("Exclude hidden files? (y/n): ")
+        self.num_worker_threads = self._get_int_input("Number of worker threads (default: 4): ", 4, lambda x: x > 0)
+
+    def _get_input(self, prompt: str, default: Optional[str] = None, validator: Callable[[str], bool] = lambda x: True) -> str:
+        """Gets validated string input from the user."""
+        while True:
+            value = input(prompt).strip()
+            if not value:
+                return default if default is not None else "" # Handle case where default is explicitly None
+            if validator(value):
+                return value
+            print("Invalid input.")
+
+    def _get_list_input(self, prompt: str, default: Optional[List[str]] = None) -> List[str]:
+        """Gets a comma-separated list from the user."""
+        value = input(prompt).strip()
+        if not value:
+            return default or []
+        return [x.strip() for x in value.split(',') if x.strip()]
+
+    def _get_boolean_input(self, prompt: str) -> bool:
+        """Gets a boolean response from the user."""
+        return self._get_input(prompt, "n", lambda x: x.lower() in ('y', 'n')) == 'y'
+
+    def _get_float_input(self, prompt: str) -> Optional[float]:
+        """Gets a float response from the user or None for no input"""
+        while True:
+            value = input(prompt).strip()
+            if not value:
+                return None
+            try:
+                return float(value)
+            except ValueError:
+                print("Invalid input. Please enter a number.")
+
+    def _get_int_input(self, prompt: str, default: int, validator: Callable[[int], bool] = lambda x: True) -> int:
+       """Gets a validated integer input from the user."""
+       while True:
+           value = input(prompt).strip()
+           if not value:
+               return default
+           try:
+               int_value = int(value)
+               if validator(int_value):
+                   return int_value
+               else:
+                   print("Invalid input. Value does not meet criteria.")
+           except ValueError:
+               print("Invalid input. Please enter an integer.")
+
+    def should_process_file(self, filepath: str) -> bool:
+        """Determines if a file should be processed based on user settings."""
+        try:
+            if self.extensions and not any(filepath.endswith(ext) for ext in self.extensions):
+                return False
+            if any(folder in filepath for folder in self.exclude_folders):
+                return False
+            if self.exclude_patterns and any(re.search(pattern, filepath) for pattern in self.exclude_patterns):
+                return False
+            file_size = os.path.getsize(filepath)
+            if self.max_file_size_mb is not None and file_size > self.max_file_size_mb * 1024 * 1024:
+                return False
+            if self.exclude_images and any(filepath.lower().endswith(ext) for ext in self._image_extensions):
+                return False
+            if self.exclude_executable and os.access(filepath, os.X_OK):
+                return False
+            if self.exclude_temp_and_backup_files and (filepath.startswith(tempfile.gettempdir()) or any(filepath.endswith(ext) for ext in self._temp_backup_extensions)):
+                return False
+            if self.exclude_hidden_files and os.path.basename(filepath).startswith('.'):
+                return False
+            return True
+        except OSError as e:
+            logging.warning(f"Could not determine if file should be processed {filepath}: {e}")
+            return False  # If any error occurs during checking, default to not processing
+
+    def _process_file(self, filepath: str, outfile):
+        """Processes and writes a single file to the output."""
+        try:
+            with open(filepath, 'r', encoding='utf-8', errors='ignore') as infile: # Handle potential encoding errors
+                content = infile.read()
+                with self.lock:  # Lock for multithreading
+                    self._write_file_header(outfile, filepath)
+                    if self.add_syntax_highlight:
+                        ext = os.path.splitext(filepath)[1]
+                        outfile.write(f"```{ext[1:] if ext else ''}\n")
+                    if self.include_line_numbers:
+                        for i, line in enumerate(content.splitlines(), 1):
+                            outfile.write(f"{i:4d} | {line}\n")
+                    else:
+                        outfile.write(content)
+                    if self.add_syntax_highlight:
+                        outfile.write("```\n")
+                    outfile.write("\n")
+            return 1, os.path.getsize(filepath)
+        except Exception as e:
+            logging.error(f"Error reading {filepath}: {e}")
+            with self.lock:
+                outfile.write(f"Error reading {filepath}: {e}\n\n")
+            return 0, 0
+
+    def _write_summary(self, outfile):
+        """Writes the initial summary information to the output file."""
+        outfile.write("=== File Combination Summary ===\n")
+        outfile.write(f"Generated on: {datetime.datetime.now()}\n")
+        outfile.write(f"Source directory: {os.path.abspath(self.source_dir)}\n")
+        outfile.write(f"Included extensions: {', '.join(self.extensions) if self.extensions else 'All'}\n")
+        outfile.write(f"Excluded folders: {', '.join(self.exclude_folders)}\n")
+        outfile.write("=" * 80 + "\n\n")
+
+    def _write_file_header(self, outfile, filepath):
+        """Writes file header information to output."""
+        outfile.write("=" * 80 + "\n")
+        outfile.write(f"File: {os.path.relpath(filepath, self.source_dir)}\n")
+        if self.include_timestamp:
+             timestamp = datetime.datetime.fromtimestamp(os.path.getmtime(filepath))
+             outfile.write(f"Last Modified: {timestamp}\n")
+        if self.include_file_size:
+            try:
+                size = os.path.getsize(filepath)
+                outfile.write(f"Size: {size / 1024:.2f} KB\n")
+            except OSError as e:
+                logging.warning(f"Could not get size of {filepath} for header: {e}")
+        outfile.write("=" * 80 + "\n\n")
+
+    def _write_combination_summary(self, outfile, files_processed, total_size):
+        """Writes the final summary of the combination to the output file."""
+        outfile.write("=" * 80 + "\n")
+        outfile.write(f"Total files processed: {files_processed}\n")
+        outfile.write(f"Total size: {total_size / 1024 / 1024:.2f} MB\n")
+
+    def combine_files(self):
+       """Combines the files based on user preferences."""
+       try:
+            with open(self.output_file, 'w', encoding='utf-8') as outfile:
+                self._write_summary(outfile)
+                file_paths = []
+                for dirpath, dirnames, filenames in os.walk(self.source_dir, followlinks=False):
+                    dirnames[:] = [d for d in dirnames if d not in self.exclude_folders]
+                    for filename in filenames:
+                        filepath = os.path.join(dirpath, filename)
+                        if self.should_process_file(filepath):
+                            file_paths.append(filepath)
+
+                with ThreadPoolExecutor(max_workers=self.num_worker_threads) as executor:
+                    # Submit tasks and process results as they become available to avoid holding all in memory
+                    futures = [executor.submit(self._process_file, filepath, outfile) for filepath in file_paths]
+                    files_processed = 0
+                    total_size = 0
+                    for future in futures:
+                        try:
+                            processed, size = future.result()
+                            files_processed += processed
+                            total_size += size
+                        except Exception as e:
+                            logging.error(f"Error processing a file: {e}")
+
+                self._write_combination_summary(outfile, files_processed, total_size)
+
+            if self.create_zip_archive:
+                self._create_zip_archive()
+
+            logging.info(f"Combined {files_processed} files into {self.output_file}")
+            logging.info(f"Total size: {total_size / 1024 / 1024:.2f} MB")
+            print(f"\nCombined {files_processed} files into {self.output_file}")
+            print(f"Total size: {total_size / 1024 / 1024:.2f} MB")
+
+       except Exception as e:
+            logging.error(f"An error occurred during file combination: {e}")
+            print(f"An error occurred: {e}")
+
+    def _create_zip_archive(self):
+        """Creates a zip archive of the output file."""
+        zip_filename = self.output_file.replace('.txt', '.zip')
+        try:
+            with zipfile.ZipFile(zip_filename, 'w', zipfile.ZIP_DEFLATED) as zipf:
+                zipf.write(self.output_file, arcname=os.path.basename(self.output_file))
+            logging.info(f"Created zip archive: {zip_filename}")
+            print(f"Created zip archive: {zip_filename}")
+
+        except Exception as e:
+            logging.error(f"Error creating zip archive: {e}")
+            print(f"Error creating zip archive: {e}")
+
+def main():
+    combiner = FileCombiner()
+    combiner.get_user_preferences()
+    combiner.combine_files()
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    main()