Table Of Contents

Welcome to ZIP'R Pro For Windows!

Introduction

Requirements

Disclaimer

Registration

Technical Support

Installation

Getting Started / Tutorial

ZIP'R Pro Features

Using The ZIP'R Pro Desktop

Editing Files

Cleanup Files

Cleanup Password

Compression Paths

Defaults

Register ZIPR Pro

Integrating ZIPR Pro Into Windows

Modifying PIF Files

Cautions

Troubleshooting Hints


Introduction To ZIP'R
Introduction

Thank you for using ZIP'R Professional For Windows!  ZIP'R Pro is a hard drive utility designed to automatically decompress an entire program before it is executed, launch the program, and compress it after it is exited, all accomplished within the Windows environment.  This process saves valuable hard drive space by storing programs in compressed form when they are not in use.  ZIP'R Pro can use an existing compression program such as PKZIP / PKUNZIP, ARJ, or LHA, or it can use built-in compression that is compatible with PKZIP 2.0!

If you appreciate ZIP'R Pro For Windows, you are encouraged to call The STSI BBS at (218) 924-2060, and let us know!  Comments, suggestions, and enhancement requests are always welcome!

See Also Registration


Requirements

To run ZIP'R Pro reliably, you will need the following:

•	Windows 3.1 or Higher & A Mouse

•	IBM PC, PC-Compatible or MS-DOS Computer

•	Hard Drive and 640K RAM

•	EGA Color or VGA Color Monitor


Disclaimer
Disclaimer / License Agreement

What is shareware?

Shareware distribution gives users a chance to try software before buying it.  If you try a Shareware program and continue using it, you are expected to register.  Individual programs differ on details - some request registration while others require it, some specify a maximum trial period.  With registration, you get anything from the simple right to continue using the software to an updated program with printed manual.

Copyright laws apply to both Shareware and commercial software, and the copyright holder retains all rights, with a few specific exceptions as stated below.  Shareware authors are accomplished programmers, just like commercial authors, and the programs are of comparable quality.  (In both cases, there are good programs and bad ones!)  The main difference is in the method of distribution.  The author specifically grants the right to copy and distribute the software, either to all or to a specific group. For example, some authors require written permission before a commercial disk vendor may copy their Shareware.

Shareware is a distribution method, not a type of software.  You should find software that suits your needs and pocketbook, whether it's commercial or Shareware.  The Shareware system makes fitting your needs easier, because you can try before you buy.  And because the overhead is low, prices are low also.  Shareware has the ultimate money-back guarantee - if you don't use the product, you don't pay for it.

Disclaimer - Agreement

By using ZIP'R Professional For Windows, users indicate their acceptance of the following terms:

"ZIP'R Professional For Windows is supplied as is.  The author disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, including, without limitation, the warranties of merchantability and of fitness for any purpose.  Neither STSI, The STSI BBS, or any STSI employees will be held responsible for any damages, direct or consequential, which may result from the use of ZIP'R Professional For Windows."

"Information in this documentation is subject to change without notice and does not represent a commitment on the part of STSI.  STSI may make improvements and/or changes in this documentation or in the products and/or programs described in this documentation at any time."

ZIP'R Professional For Windows is a "shareware program" and is provided at no charge to the user for evaluation.  Feel free to share it with your friends, but please do not give it away altered or as part of another system.  The essence of "user-supported" software is to provide personal computer users with quality software without high prices, and yet to provide incentive for programmers to continue to develop new products.  If you find this program useful and find that you are using ZIP'R Pro and continue to use ZIP'R Pro after a reasonable trial period, you must make a registration payment of $49.95 (+S&H) to Stevenson Technical Services, Inc. (STSI).  This registration fee will license one copy for use on any one computer at any one time.  You must treat this software just like a book.  An example is that this software may be used by any number of people and may be freely moved from one computer location to another, so long as there is no possibility of it being used at one location while it's being used at another.  Just as a book cannot be read by two different persons at the same time, ZIP'R Pro should not be used on two different computers at the same time.

Commercial users of ZIP'R Professional For Windows must register and pay for their copies of ZIP'R Professional For Windows within 30 days of first use or their license is withdrawn.  Site-License arrangements may be made by contacting STSI at (218) 924-2050.

Anyone distributing ZIP'R Pro for any kind of remuneration must first contact STSI for authorization.  This authorization will be automatically granted to distributors recognized by the (ASP) as adhering to its guidelines for shareware distributors, and such distributors may begin offering ZIP'R Pro immediately.  (However STSI must still be advised so that the distributor can be kept up-to-date with the latest version of ZIP'R Pro.)

You are encouraged to pass a copy of ZIP'R Pro along to your friends for evaluation.  Please encourage them to register their copy if they find that they can use it.  All registered users will receive a copy of the latest version of the ZIP'R Pro, along with a printed manual and bonus disks.


Registration

ZIP'R Pro is distributed under the shareware concept.  You may try ZIP'R Pro for a period of two weeks.  After this period, you must either discontinue using it, or register it.  A single-user license is only $49.95 (+$5.00 S&H in the U.S., or $10.00 S&H on Foreign Orders).  This price includes a printed manual, the latest version on 3 1/2" diskette, and a Registration Name and Number (good for all 2.x releases) allowing you to register your copy of ZIP'R Pro.

To receive a temporary registration number over the telephone, call STSI at (218) 924-2050, and charge it to your Visa, MasterCard, American Express, or Discover credit card.  Upon request, you will receive a temporary registration name and number over the telephone that can be used until you receive your actual registration package in the mail.  This will allow the creation of more than 5 ZPW files and the removal of all nag screens (including the About Box).  For further registration information and pricing, please read the REGISTER.DOC file included with ZIP'R Pro.

If you are already a registered user of ZIPR Pro For Windows, you should have received a registration name and number with your registration packet.  Information is contained in this manual about how to register your copy of ZIP'R Pro to remove any limitations or nag screens.

How To Order

To register, do ONE of the following (whichever you prefer):

1.  Call The STSI BBS at (218) 924-2060 and register online.  We accept Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover credit cards.  This method of registration can be performed 24-hours a day, 7-days a week.  (Registering this way is fast and easy, allowing us to process your registration quickly.)

2.  To register using our voice line, call (218) 924-2050.  Please have your credit card handy.

3.  You can FAX your registration to (218) 924-2050.  Simply fill out the registration form provided (REGISTER.DOC), include your credit card information on the bottom of the form, and sign it.  (Most FAX transmissions will be automatically routed to the FAX machine.  If you have problems reaching our FAX machine, wait until after the first ring, press 11, and then begin transmitting.)

4.  Mail the registration form along with your payment to STSI at 108 2nd Avenue West, PO Box 297, Bertha, MN 56437-0297 USA.


Technical Support

Technical support is available through the following means:

The STSI BBS:

New versions of this program will be posted here as soon as they are available.  The STSI BBS uses a U.S. Robotics V.Everything modem, which is capable of V.FAST, V.32bis, V.32, and 2400 baud connect speeds.  The access number for The STSI BBS is (218)-924-2060.  Technical support questions posted on the bulletin board system should be addressed to Craig Stevenson.

STSI FAX:

STSI has a FAX machine on-line 24 hours-a-day to accept FAX transmissions.  Technical support questions / problems may be faxed to (218) 924-2050.  Most FAX transmissions will be automatically routed to the FAX machine.  If you have problems reaching our FAX machine, wait until after the first ring, press 11, and then begin transmitting.

Internet Mail:

STSI will respond to messages sent via the Internet.  Send any tech support related questions, comments, or suggestions to cstevens@eot.com.

Telephone:

Technical support calls may be placed at (218) 924-2050. Office hours are from 8:00 am - 5:00 pm, Monday thru Friday, and 8:00 am - 11:00 am on Saturday.

Please read the following before placing a technical support call to STSI:

1.  Read the documentation files (and the help screens, if available).  Most questions can be answered by simply reading the docs.

2.  If you have a modem, call The STSI BBS and download the latest version.  (Read Bulletin #1 on our BBS to find out the latest version and release date of this program.  When downloading a file, keep in mind that STSIs programs are always posted in area 27.)  After you download the latest version, try it and see if you are still experiencing the same problem.  We attempt to fix problems as soon as we become aware of them, and post the updated versions on the bulletin board system.  (Check the .REV revision file for information on feature enhancements and bug-fixes.)

3.  If you still cannot find an answer, contact us through one of the means outlined above.  We will do our best to assist you and answer any questions you may have.

4.  When calling or leaving a message, please be prepared to answer the following questions:  What version of this program are you using?  What problem(s) are you having, if any?  What type of computer CPU do you have (486DX2-66, etc.)?  What version of DOS are you using?  Please be as specific as possible.  The more specific you are, the faster we will be able to assist you.

5.  When placing a technical support call via telephone, please be seated behind your computer.  We may ask you to perform a couple of simple tasks in order to help us narrow down any potential problems.

6.  When speaking with any of our employees, please be considerate.  Speak clearly, explaining your problem as carefully as possible.  Please do not use any harsh or inappropriate (profane) language.

7.  If one of our employees is able to help you, and you continue to use this program, register it!  We cannot continue to produce quality programs without the continuing support of our users.


Installation

Backup First!

Before using ZIPR Pro for the first time, you should perform a backup and test its integrity.  Since ZIP'R Pro will compress entire directories into a single file, your potential losses are much greater if the compressed files become lost or corrupt.

The Setup Program

From Program Manager, select File, Run.  Browse for files, log to the drive and directory where you are installing ZIP'R Pro from, and execute the file "SETUP.EXE".  The ZIP'R Pro For Windows installation program will ask you where you are installing ZIP'R Pro from (usually, the current directory), and the location where the program files should be stored.  The default destination directory is C:\ZPROWIN.  ZIP'R Pro can be installed on any drive on your system, including network drives.

After you select the destination directory, the setup program will prompt you for the correct path to your \WINDOWS and \WINDOWS\SYSTEM sub-directories.  (ZIPR Pro needs to copy several PIF files to the \WINDOWS directory and a couple of DLLs to the \WINDOWS\SYSTEM sub-directory in order to operate properly.)  Once you specify the correct Windows and System directories, ZIPR Pro will begin copying files from the source path to the destination path.  If you are upgrading from a previous version, ZIP'R Pro will issue a warning before overwriting the ZPROWIN.INI file.  This file contains user-specific settings, such as your registration name and number.  If you have already set up your registration information and/or user preferences, answer No to instruct ZIP'R Pro not to overwrite this file.  When the installation process is complete, ZIP'R Pro will prompt you whether you want it to create a program manager group and icon.  If you select Yes, a group and icon will be created.  Once this is complete, the setup program will end.


Getting Started
Getting Started / Tutorial

In order to understand how ZIPR Pro works, it is a good idea to test it on a simple program before attempting to use it on any mission-critical applications.  This section will walk you through setting up a simple program and compressing it with ZIPR Pro.  It uses the Solitaire program supplied with Microsoft Windows 3.1, so everyone performing this test should see successful results.  This tutorial assumes that you have successfully installed ZIPR Pro and created a program group and icon within Program Manager.  It also assumes that Microsoft Windows is located in the C:\WINDOWS directory on your hard drive.

1.  The first step is to create the test program that we will compress in this tutorial.  From Windows, open an MS-DOS prompt, and change to the root directory of your C: drive by typing the following commands:

C:

CD\

Then create a directory for the Microsoft Solitaire program (using the DOS command to make a directory) by typing the following:

MD SOL

Change to the Windows directory by typing the following:

CD\WINDOWS

Copy the files needed to run Solitaire to the SOL directory we created by typing the following:

COPY SOL.* C:\SOL

Two or three files will be copied to the Solitaire directory we created (SOL.EXE, SOL.HLP, and in some cases, SOL.INI).  When the copying process is finished, type EXIT to return to Program Manager.

2.  Execute ZIPR Pro by double-clicking on the icon created in Program Manager by the setup program.  The ZIPR Pro desktop will appear.  You will see the menu, but since you have not created any .ZPW files yet, you will not see any icons within the window.  (A .ZPW file is a program customization file that instructs ZIPR Pro where the program is located, where the compressed file should be created, and much more.)

3.  Select New from the File menu (or click on the New File button on the toolbar).  The ZPW editing screen will be displayed.

4.  In the ZPW Filename field, enter c:\zprowin\sol.zpw (no quotes).  Press TAB to move to the Executable File field and enter the name of the file to be executed.  In this case, you would enter c:\sol\sol.exe (again, dont enter the quotes).  If you prefer, you can use the Browse button to search for the executable file and select it.  When you press TAB to move to the Parameters field, ZIPR Pro automatically enters c:\sol\sol.zip in the Compressed File field.

5.  Solitaire does not require any parameters, so you can leave the parameters field blank.  Since this is a Windows Application, you should also leave the Application Type field set to Windows App.  The settings in the other fields do not need to be changed.

6.  Click on the Ok button.  ZIPR Pro will save this file as sol.zpw, and you will see an icon appear on the ZIPR Pro desktop.  Note that all of the .ZPW files are stored in the ZPROWIN sub-directory.  (Normally C:\ZPROWIN)

7. Click on the SOL icon, and ZIPR Pro will prompt Launch sol now?.  After clicking on the Yes button, ZIPR Pro will make sure that Solitaire is not compressed and that the executable file exists on the hard drive.  Then, it executes Solitaire.  (Play the game here!)

When you are finished playing Solitaire, close the application by double-clicking on its close box.  Solitaire will be closed and a status window will pop up on your screen, and show you the progress as it compresses the files SOL.EXE, SOL.HLP, and SOL.INI into 1 file called SOL.ZIP. When it is done compressing the program, the three program files will be deleted, and the file SOL.ZIP will be left behind in the C:\SOL directory.  You have just finished compressing your first program with ZIPR Pro!

8.  The next time you want to run Solitaire, simply execute ZIPR Pro, and click on the SOL icon again.  This time, ZIPR Pro will display the status window and decompress the program.  When the decompression process is finished, Solitaire will be executed.  Just as illustrated above, when you exit Solitaire, ZIPR Pro will recompress it.


ZIP'R Pro Features

ZIP'R Pro For Windows is a spin-off of the popular ZIP'R Pro For DOS product. ZIP'R Pro For Windows contains most of the features found in ZIP'R Pro For DOS.  The following list shows some of the features available in ZIP'R Pro For Windows.

Automatic Compression & Decompression

Automatic Program Launching

Query Option (Optional Compression)

Update Option (Fast Recompression)

Sorted Extraction (PKUNZIP Only)

Built-In Compression Routines

Compression to Floppy Disks (PKZIP Only)

Store Compression Files On Any Drive/Directory

Compress/Decompress Only Option

Automatic Network/Multitasker Detection

On-Line Help Available

Option To Test Archive Integrity

Selective Extraction / Exclusion


Editing Files

ZPW Filename

The entry typed in this field will be the name of the .ZPW file used to contain the program preferences entered on this screen.  (This file can be referenced on the ZIP'R Pro command line to execute this program.)  This filename should reflect the name of the program being executed, and must be contained in the ZIPR Pro sub-directory (usually C:\ZPROWIN).

Executable Filename

This field should contain the full path and filename of the file to be executed.  You must add the correct extension of the file you wish to execute (.BAT, .COM, or .EXE).  If you specify an incorrect extension, ZIP'R Pro will not be able to find the correct file.  If you are not sure what the file is called, use the Browse button to search for it.  When you find the right file, highlight it from the Browse dialog and click the OK button.  The filename will be placed in this field.

Parameters

This field can optionally contain any parameters that should be passed to the program being executed.  Enter all options that should be passed to the executable program in this field.

Maximum Users

This field should be used to specify the maximum number of concurrent users (or accesses) that should be allowed for this program at the same time.  For example, if a network program is only licensed for five users, you will want to enter 5 in this field.  This tells ZIP'R Pro not to allow more than 5 users into this particular program at the same time.  Under normal Windows operation, you may run the risk of opening multiple sessions of the same program at the same time.  It would be to your benefit to enter 1 in this field.  That way, ZIP'R Pro will only allow you to execute one copy of this program at a time.  The default for this field is 1.  (Special Note: The unregistered version of ZIP'R Pro only supports a maximum of 5 concurrent users in one program at the same time.  In order to have access for more than 5 users, you must register ZIP'R Pro.)

Compressed Filename

Enter the full path and filename of the compressed file that will be created and used by ZIP'R Pro in this field.  After you exit from the chosen program, ZIP'R Pro creates the compressed file in the location specified in this field, along with the filename you specify.  When ZIP'R Pro creates the compressed file, it will append a .ZIP extension for files created with PKZIP or Internal ZIP compression, a .ARJ extension for files created with ARJ, or a .LZH extension for files created with LHA.

The compressed file can be created on any drive and in any sub-directory, including floppy diskettes.  Common locations for the compressed file include the directory where the program is executed from, a special archive directory on your hard drive, a floppy diskette (only available with PKZIP), or network drive.  If you attempt to create a compressed file on a floppy diskette, the compressed file must be located in the root directory.  In this case, the entry in the Compressed Filename field would look like this: a:\testfile.zip.  The compressed file cannot be created in a directory on a floppy diskette.

Compression Type

Place a check mark next to the name of the compression program you want to use to compress the specified program and its sub-directories.  ZIPR Pro supports ARJ, LHA, PKZIP, Internal ZIP (built-in compression compatible with PKZIP 2.0), and No Compression.

The default entry for this field is "Internal ZIP".  If you choose to use ARJ, LHA, or PKZIP, make sure you enter a valid path for the selected program on the Compression Paths screen available from the Settings menu.

Update Option

(PKZIP and Internal ZIP Compression Only)

The "Update" option is a ZIP'R Pro feature which can significantly reduce the time required to recompress a program.  Normally, when ZIP'R Pro decompresses a program, it extracts all of the program files and sub- directories, and deletes the old compressed file.  During the compression process, ZIP'R Pro creates a new compressed file, and moves all of the program files and sub-directories into it.  This method makes the most efficient use of hard disk space, but can require a significant amount of time to recompress the program, depending on the number and size of files that need to be compressed.

The "Update" option of ZIP'R Pro can save a tremendous amount of time in this process.  Instead of deleting the old compressed file when the program files and sub-directories are extracted, ZIP'R Pro leaves it in its original location.  When the compression process starts, ZIP'R Pro updates any files and/or sub-directories that have been added or changed, and deletes any files and/or sub-directories that have been deleted since the program was extracted.  In essence, if no files or sub-directories were added, changed, or deleted since the program was decompressed, ZIPR Pro does not need to update any files.  The old compressed file is left in the directory while ZIPR Pro deletes the program's files and sub-directories.

Placing a check mark in this box instructs ZIP'R Pro to use the "Update" option when compressing this program.  (Note: The "Update" option is only available for PKZIP and Internal ZIP Compression.)

The amount of time that can be saved when using the "Update" option varies between programs.  I encourage you to try this option on a few of your own programs.  Here are a few hints that I've discovered from experimenting with this option.

1.  The greatest difference in speed will be noticed on programs that have large files and/or files that have not changed.  It takes a very long time to compress large files using the normal compression method.  With the update method, if PKZIP detects that these large files are identical to the ones already maintained in the compressed file, all it needs to do is delete these files out of the directory, and the recompression process is complete!

2.  You may notice that any lower-level sub-directories within the program are always updated when the update option is enabled.  Since directories are deleted when a program is compressed, PKZIP must create these directories before decompressing the program.  When PKZIP attempts to update the compressed file, it detects that the directories have "changed", and therefore, is forced to update them in the compressed file.

3.  This option is useful to speed up the recompression process on most programs, but it may actually increase the time of compression on others. The programs that may not compress as quickly with the update method are ones that have large numbers of small files and/or ones that have many files added, changed, or deleted during each session.  If you're not sure, use a watch and time each method to see which way would save the most time.

Query Option

The "Query" option is a ZIP'R Pro feature that allows users to choose, after the program is exited, whether or not it should be compressed.

If this box is checked, ZIP'R Pro will query (ask) the user whether or not the program should be compressed each time the selected program is exited.  This allows the user to have more control over the compression process, instead of having to decide in advance whether a program should be compressed.

Test Integrity

When Test Integrity is checked, ZIP'R Pro will tell the compression program being used to perform an integrity check on the archived files.

Application Type

Select whether the program to be executed is a Windows Application or a DOS Application.  ZIP'R Pro For Windows can execute either type of program from the Windows environment.

Advanced Options

Compress / Decompress Program Only (Do Not Execute)

This advanced feature of ZIP'R Pro allows you to specify whether or not ZIP'R Pro should attempt to execute the program file once the program has been decompressed.  If this box is checked, ZIP'R Pro will only decompress the program if it is in compressed format, and only compress the program if it is in non-compressed format.  This option is potentially dangerous to the novice user.  Caution is advised.

Check For Child Processes Before Compressing

When this check box is selected, ZIP'R Pro checks to make sure that the application ZIP'R Pro launched and any secondary applications launched by the main application are completely closed down before attempting to recompress the main program.

As an example, one of our users reported a problem with Microsoft PowerPoint v4.0 not working properly with ZIP'R Pro.  Apparently, PowerPoint hands control off to a separate file and terminates the main POWERPNT.EXE file.  Once ZIP'R Pro detected that the main EXE file was no longer in use, it tried to recompress the entire program, even though a sub-program was actually running.  As another example, we found that attempting to print a long document from Ami Pro 3.0 causes a similar dilemma.  When Ami Pro terminates, Ami Print (AMIPRINT.EXE) continues to remain on the desktop until all of the data has been sent to the printer. If Ami Pro is closed while the printing process is still running, ZIP'R Pro would again detect that the main application had closed, and would try to recompress it without waiting for AMIPRINT.EXE to finish.

This "Child Process Checking" feature (which is enabled by default) detects when a program launches a "child" application.  For example, ZIP'R Pro is able to detect when Ami Pro launches Ami Print.  Before starting the compression process, ZIP'R Pro makes sure that BOTH Ami Pro and Ami Print have been closed.

Use Alternate Directory as Program Parent Directory

When this box is checked, the Program Parent Directory field is enabled for entering the parent directory for the program being compressed.

Program Parent Directory

Advanced users will want to use this optional field for programs with unique requirements.  While most programs locate their primary executable file in the parent program directory, some programs locate their primary executable file in a lower-level sub-directory.  A good example of this problem is found with Borland Pascal 7.0.

Borland Pascal uses a master directory called C:\BP.  Underneath this directory are several more lower-level sub-directories.  Instead of placing the executable file BP.EXE in the C:\BP sub-directory, as most programs would do, Borland Pascal places this executable file in the C:\BP\BIN (one of the lower-level sub-directories mentioned above).

In order to compensate for situations like this, ZIP'R Pro allows users to specify a parent directory for the program.  In the case of Borland Pascal, the Executable File field given on the front screen would contain "C:\BP\BIN\BP.EXE".  To compress all files and directories from the main subdirectory (C:\BP and below), the Program Parent Directory field would contain "C:\BP".

Use Alternate Directory To Launch Executable Program

When this box is checked, the Launch Directory field is enabled for entering the directory where the program will be launched, or executed, from.

Launch Directory

This field allows users to optionally enter the directory where the selected program will be executed from, if it is a directory other than the one where the program resides.  For example, the program Microsoft Works (C:\WORKS\WORKS.EXE) could be executed from a directory such as C:\DOCS.  This would allow Microsoft Works to edit files in the C:\DOCS sub-directory without the need to change to that directory from within the program.

See Also:

Compression Options

Special Options

Floppy Options

Browse


Compression Options

PKZIP Compression Options

ARJ Compression Options

Internal ZIP Compression Options


PKZIP Compression Options

These PKZIP / PKUNZIP options may be used to choose less compression in exchange for more speed, or more compression in exchange for less speed.

PKZIP 2.04 Compression Options

	e0	No Compression / Store (PKZIP 2.0 Only)
	es	Super-Fast Compression (PKZIP 1.1 or 2.0)
	ef	Fast Compression (PKZIP 2.0 Only)
	en	Normal Compression (Default) (PKZIP 2.0 Only)
	ex	Maximum Compression (PKZIP 1.1 or 2.0)

In addition to these options, additional options are available with PKZIP 2.04g to solve specific hardware and software compatibility problems.  These options are as follows:

Disable 32-Bit Instruction Usage

Disable DPMI Support

Use Slow MemCopy

Disable EMS Usage

Disable XMS/UMB Usage

Disable Network Detection

Each of these parameters is explained in the troubleshooting section of the PKZIP documentation.  To use any of these options, place a check mark beside the corresponding entry on the Compression Options screen.


ARJ Compression Options

The following compression options are available for people using ARJ.EXE to compress / decompress programs.  The default ARJ compression setting is to use the -m1 switch.

-m0 switch

-m1 switch

-m2 switch

-m3 switch

-m4 switch

-m1 -jm switch

-m2 -jm switch

-m1 -jm1 switch

-m2 -jm1 switch

Test Temporary ARJ Archive

In addition to these options, ARJ allows users to test the temporary archive that is created when compressing files.  To do this, place a check mark in the "Test Temporary Archive" check box.


Internal ZIP Compression Options

The following compression options are available when using Internal ZIP compression:

Compression Method

Use Best Method (default)

Deflate

Implode

Shrink

Store

When using Internal ZIP, you can specify if files should be compressed using the Deflate, Implode, Shrink, or Store methods, or you can let ZIP'R Pro use the Best method, depending on each file.  The best compression ratios can be achieved using the Deflate method, while the least effective is Store, which simply stores the program file inside the .ZIP file without compressing it.

Compression Method Options

Deflate Level

When the deflate compression method is being used by the Internal ZIP compression routines, a deflate level can be specified to improve the overall compression.  The range of values is from 1 to 9, with 1 being the least compression, and 9 being the most.  The higher this value is set, the more time will be required to compress the program.  The default value for this field is 5.

Implode Match Length  &  Implode Repetitions

The implode match length and repetitions settings can be adjusted to improve compression or speed on files that are imploded.  The match length must be in the range of 4 to 288, and the repetitions much be in the range of 4 to 960.  The default value for both fields is 4.  The higher the numbers, the greater the compression will be on imploded files.


Special Options

Use Selective Extraction

(PKUNZIP Only)

When this box is checked, Selective Extraction is turned on, and only the files listed in the Selective Extraction File List will be extracted from the .ZIP file when this program is decompressed.  The original .ZIP file is preserved (similar to the process used when Update Option is enabled).  After the program is exited, the original .ZIP file is updated with any changes that were made during the current session. When Selective Extraction is enabled, Query Option is ignored, and the Update Option is always used.  All multiple-user access features are disabled when using Selective Extraction.  Only one user is allowed into a program at a time when Selective Extraction is enabled.

Selective Extraction File List

This box contains a list of the files that should be extracted from the .ZIP archive when the program is decompressed.  Rather than extracting an entire archive, you can choose to decompress only the files that are needed for program execution.  This can dramatically speed up the compression and decompression process.  For example, to run the Norton Utilities SFORMAT.EXE, the only files needed are SFORMAT.EXE and NORTON.INI.  By entering these two files, PKUNZIP will only extract the two files specified before executing SFORMAT.EXE.

When entering filenames into this file list, wild cards may be used, such as *.EXE, *.DOC, ???.CFG, etc.  If a filename is entered that does not exist in the .ZIP file, PKUNZIP.EXE will not attempt to extract it, and it will not issue an error message.

Be very careful when using this option!  If you forget to extract a file necessary for proper program execution, your program could terminate unexpectedly or issue error messages.

Use Selective Exclusion

(PKUNZIP Only)

When this box is checked, Selective Exclusion is turned on, and all files listed in the Selective Exclusion File List will be excluded from the extraction process when the .ZIP file is decompressed.  When Selective Exclusion is enabled, Query Option is ignored, and the Update Option is always used.  All multiple-user access features are disabled when using Selective Exclusion.  Only one user is allowed into a program at a time when Selective Exclusion is enabled.

Selective Exclusion File List

This box contains a list of the files that should be excluded from the extraction process when the .ZIP archive is decompressed.  Rather than extracting an entire archive, you can choose to exclude certain files that are not needed for program execution or operation.  This can dramatically speed up the compression and decompression process.  For example, most programs do not require *.DOC files to be present in order to run successfully.  By entering "*.DOC" into the Selective Exclusion File List, PKUNZIP will not extract these files, saving time during the compression and decompression processes, and disk space while the program is running.

When entering filenames into this file list, wild cards may be used, such as *.EXE, *.DOC, ???.CFG, etc.

Be very careful when using this option!  Excluding a file that is necessary for proper program execution could cause your program to terminate unexpectedly or issue error messages.  Also remember that if Selective Extraction AND Selective Exclusion are both enabled, Selective Exclusion files take precedence.  That means that if PROGRAM.EXE is listed in both file lists, it will always be excluded.

Use IN Commands

When this box is checked, IN Commands are enabled, and any DOS commands listed in the IN Commands memo field will be executed prior to executing the selected program.

IN Commands

IN Commands are DOS commands that are executed prior to running the selected program.  An example of this would be to swap a printer port prior to executing the program.  Another example would be to flush and disable write caching before running a disk utility program.

To use this feature, enter any necessary DOS commands that should be executed prior to going "IN" to the program in the corresponding memo field.

Important!  Do NOT attempt to invoke or remove TSR (Terminate and Stay- Resident) programs from memory with IN or OUT DOS commands.  This is virtually guaranteed to cause conflicts with ZIP'R Pro.  If you need to invoke a TSR before running a program, or remove one after exiting a program, see the section on TSR Pre-Program and TSR Post-Program Commands.

Use OUT Commands

When this box is checked, OUT Commands are enabled, and any DOS commands listed in the OUT Commands memo field will be executed after the selected program has been exited or terminated.

OUT Commands

OUT Commands are DOS commands that are executed after exiting the selected program.  An example of this would be to swap a printer port back to its original state after exiting from the program.  Another example would be to re-enable write caching, if it had been previously disabled using the IN Commands, after exiting from a disk utility program.

To use this feature, enter any necessary DOS commands that should be executed after going "OUT" of the program in the corresponding memo field.

Important!  Do NOT attempt to invoke or remove TSR (Terminate and Stay- Resident) programs from memory with IN or OUT DOS commands.  This is virtually guaranteed to cause conflicts with ZIP'R Pro.  If you need to invoke a TSR before running a program, or remove one after exiting a program, see the section on TSR Pre-Program and TSR Post-Program Commands.

Use TSR Pre-Program Commands

When this box is checked, TSR Pre-Program Commands are enabled, and any DOS commands listed in the TSR Pre-Program Commands memo field will be executed prior to executing the selected DOS program.

TSR Pre-Program Commands

Just like IN Commands, TSR Pre-Program Commands are DOS commands that executed prior to executing the selected DOS program.  The main difference is that TSR Pre-Program Commands invoke one or more TSR (Terminate-and-Stay-Resident) programs.  TSR's can be a bit tricky to handle due to the fact that ZIP'R Professional cannot tell what memory has been used by any TSR's that load later.  But ZIP'R Professional makes TSR's easier to manage by creating a "TSR Container File".  This file is simply a temporary batch file that contains commands that surround the command line used to execute the program with the TSR (Pre) and TSR (Post) commands.  When the program is executed, this batch file is executed instead of the program, allowing TSR's to load and unload while ZIP'R Professional is dormant.  No user intervention is required. ZIP'R Professional automatically creates, and then deletes this temporary batch file.  TSR's that can be loaded and unloaded via command line parameters can usually be invoked successfully with this method. The key point to remember is to unload TSR's in the REVERSE order that they were loaded.  The following example illustrates this concept more clearly.

TSR (Pre) Commands :

TSR1  (Load)

TSR2  (Load)

TSR (Post) Commands:

TSR2  (Unload)

TSR1  (Unload)

TSR2 must be unloaded first, since it was the last TSR loaded, and is loaded last in memory.  Once TSR2 is unloaded, TSR1 may be safely unloaded, because it is now the last TSR in memory.

The important point to remember is that if you load a TSR before executing the program, you MUST unload it after exiting the program. Otherwise, control will not be returned to ZIP'R Pro.  When this happens, ZIP'R Pro will not perform the compression process, resulting in several problems.  If the Update option was enabled, the compressed file will still be in the compressed file directory, and the program files will still be in the program directory.  This could be dangerous, if you don't know what you're doing.  It is recommended that you delete the compressed file before attempting to execute the program again.  You may also find some files in the \ZPROWIN sub-directory with a .U00 or .P00 extension.  If no one else is accessing the program at the time, you should delete them.  To avoid such problems as these, either don't load TSR's at all, or make sure that you unload them using the TSR (Post) Commands.

Use TSR Post-Program Commands

When this box is checked, TSR Post-Program Commands are enabled, and any DOS commands listed in the TSR Post-Program Commands memo field will be executed after exiting from, or terminating, the selected DOS program.

TSR Post-Program Commands

Just like OUT Commands, TSR Post-Program Commands are DOS commands that executed after exiting from, or terminating, the selected DOS program. The main difference is that TSR Post-Program Commands remove one or more TSR (Terminate-and-Stay-Resident) programs from memory.  TSR's can be a bit tricky to handle due to the fact that ZIP'R Professional cannot tell what memory has been used by any TSR's that load later.  But ZIP'R Professional makes TSR's easier to manage by creating a "TSR Container File".  This file is simply a temporary batch file that contains commands that surround the command line used to execute the program with the TSR (Pre) and TSR (Post) commands.  When the program is executed, this batch file is executed instead of the program, allowing TSR's to load and unload while ZIP'R Professional is dormant.  No user intervention is required.  ZIP'R Professional automatically creates, and then deletes this temporary batch file.  TSR's that can be loaded and unloaded via command line parameters can usually be invoked successfully with this method.  The key point to remember is to unload TSR's in the REVERSE order that they were loaded.  The following example illustrates this concept more clearly.

TSR (Pre) Commands :

TSR1  (Load)

TSR2  (Load)

TSR (Post) Commands:

TSR2  (Unload)

TSR1  (Unload)

TSR2 must be unloaded first, since it was the last TSR loaded, and is loaded last in memory.  Once TSR2 is unloaded, TSR1 may be safely unloaded, because it is now the last TSR in memory.

The important point to remember is that if you load a TSR before executing the program, you MUST unload it after exiting the program. Otherwise, control will not be returned to ZIP'R Pro.  When this happens, ZIP'R Pro will not perform the compression process, resulting in several problems.  If the Update option was enabled, the compressed file will still be in the compressed file directory, and the program files will still be in the program directory.  This could be dangerous, if you don't know what you're doing.  It is recommended that you delete the compressed file before attempting to execute the program again.  You may also find some files in the \ZPROWIN sub-directory with a .U00 or .P00 extension.  If no one else is accessing the program at the time, you should delete them.  To avoid such problems as these, either don't load TSR's at all, or make sure that you unload them using the TSR (Post) Commands.

TSR2 must be unloaded first, since it was the last TSR loaded, and is loaded last in memory.  Once TSR2 is unloaded, TSR1 may be safely unloaded, because it is now the last TSR in memory.

The important point to remember is that if you load a TSR before executing the program, you MUST unload it after exiting the program. Otherwise, control will not be returned to ZIP'R Pro.  When this happens, ZIP'R Pro will not perform the compression process, resulting in several problems.  If the Update option was enabled, the compressed file will still be in the compressed file directory, and the program files will still be in the program directory.  This could be dangerous, if you don't know what you're doing.  It is recommended that you delete the compressed file before attempting to execute the program again.  You may also find some files in the \ZPROWIN sub-directory with a .U00 or .P00 extension.  If no one else is accessing the program at the time, you should delete them.  To avoid such problems as these, either don't load TSR's at all, or make sure that you unload them using the TSR (Post) Commands.


Floppy Options

This screen allows users to select options to be invoked when creating a compressed file on a floppy diskette.

Important Note: Options for floppy diskette compression will only work when PKZIP / PKUNZIP is used as the compression program.  Also note that the Update option can NOT be used when compression is occurring to floppy diskettes.

One of the following options can be selected as the default when creating a compressed file on a floppy diskette.

No Action (Do Not Erase Files and Directories)

Erase All Files and Sub-Directories

Format Destination Diskette (Quick Format)

Format Destination Diskette (Full Format)

Format Low-Density Disk in High-Density Drive (Quick Format)

Format Low-Density Disk in High-Density Drive (Full Format)

For an explanation of these options, see the Backup Guide supplied with PKZIP 2.0.

Use DOS Verify

If you want DOS Verify to be turned on when compressing files to a floppy diskette, place a check mark in the "Use DOS Verify" check box. This adds an extra level of security to make sure that files are created error-free.

Compressing To Floppy Disks

There are several items to consider carefully before compressing any program(s) to a floppy diskette.

PKZIP Only

Compression to floppy diskettes is only available when PKZIP/PKUNZIP is used as the compression program.  Compressing programs to a floppy diskette using ARJ, LHA, or Internal ZIP is not supported at this time.

Store ZIP Files In The Root Directory

Compressed files must be stored in the root directory of the floppy diskette.  Creating files in compressed form in a sub-directory on a floppy drive is NOT supported.

Beware Of Bad Floppies

Keep in mind that floppy disks can fail frequently.  We recommend that you do not store any mission-critical programs on floppy disks.  Use them only for non-essential programs.

Danger Areas

When compressing a file to a floppy diskette, the default Floppy Option is to Erase All Files and Sub-Directories.  When this option is turned on, you cannot use one disk to store multiple compressed programs.  If you attempt to do this, PKZIP will erase any existing files on the disk before creating the new file, causing you to lose any other compressed files you stored on that same disk.  If this is confusing to you, simply follow this rule:  Only compress one program on a floppy disk (or set of disks, if your compressed file consumes more than 1 disk).

Version 2.15 of ZIPR Pro added another option to the Floppy Options screen.  This option, called No Action (Do Not Erase Files and Directories), does not allow PKZIP to erase the contents of a disk before creating the new compressed file.  This option may be desired in cases where you want to store several compressed programs on the same diskette (as long as all of the programs can fit on one disk).  However, this feature can also be dangerous if you dont fully understand what takes place.  Consider the following example:

Program 1 is very large, and requires a 2-disk set in order for PKZIP to successfully create the compressed file.  As PKZIP creates the compressed file, it places a volume label on the first disk with the text PKBACK# 001 and a volume label on the second disk with the text PKBACK# 002.  Program 2 is then compressed onto the end of disk 2 in the previous set.  However, since this is a new compressed file, PKZIP re-labels the volume on the disk as PKBACK# 001.  When you attempt to decompress Program 1 back onto your hard drive for execution, PKZIP will not be able to recognize the second disk in the set, because its volume label has been changed!

As you can see, this could cause some very sticky problems.  If you decide to use the No Action feature, we recommend that you only place programs on the same disk if they all use the same volume label.  In essence, if you have three compressed files that would all fit on one disk, you should be able to use this feature without a problem.


Browse

Selecting the "Browse" button will display a file browsing screen to allow you to search for the executable file for the selected program.  Once a file is selected from this screen, the drive, directory, and name of the executable file will be automatically pasted into the "Executable File" field.


Using The ZIP'R Pro Desktop

The ZIP'R Pro desktop allows you to create new files, edit existing files, and run programs, all within a single interface.  To create a new file, select New from the File menu, or click on the New File speed-button on the toolbar.

To edit an existing file, select Open from the File menu, or position your mouse over a program button, click the right mouse button to display the popup menu, and select Settings from the popup menu.  Either of these methods will let you edit an existing file.  To run a program, click on the program button associated with the program you want to run.  ZIP'R Pro will decompress the program (if necessary), execute it, and recompress it using the options you specified when you set up the file.

The popup menu can also be used to launch or delete the program settings file, or to change the icon displayed on the program button.

See Also:

Editing Files


Defaults

Manually Create Sub-Directories Under OS/2

Users who are running ZIP'R Pro under OS/2 in combination with Novells NetWare Requester will want to enable this option.  Problems have been reported when using PKUNZIP in a global network session, where PKUNZIP cannot create the sub-directories properly during the decompression process.  (This problem has been reported to PKWare.)  When this option is enabled, ZIP'R Pro will manually created the needed sub-directories before instructing PKUNZIP to decompress the compressed file.

Sorted Extraction

(PKUNZIP Only)

When Sorted Extraction is set to "Yes", ZIP'R Pro will extract files from the .ZIP archive in alphabetical order.  This feature is especially useful on network drives that generally prevent utilities of this nature from working.  If this option is set to "No", files are extracted in the order in which they appear in the file.

Sub-Directory Deletion

(PKZIP 2.04g Only)

Disabling sub-directory deletion will instruct PKZIP 2.04g not to delete any of the program's sub-directories (located under the parent directory) when compressing a program.  The default is On, which means that PKZIP will automatically delete the lower level sub-directories once the compression process is complete.

Use Atomic Lock Files

When the network/multitasker features of ZIP'R Pro are being used, users can specify whether or not atomic lock files are used.  For a discussion on atomic lock files, see the "Networks / Multitaskers" section of this documentation.

Show Hints

This check box allows you to specify whether or not the popup hints are displayed when the mouse cursor is moved over the top of a control on the screen.  This setting affects whether or not hints are displayed on the editing screens.  It does not affect hints on the toolbar.

Confirm Before Launching Program

This option controls whether or not ZIPR Pro displays a confirmation message when you press a program button to launch the program.  The confirmation message gives you the opportunity to verify that you want to run the program.

Launch Compression As

This setting allows you to specify how program compression will occur.  If you select Icon, compression will occur in a minimized window, allowing you to continue your normal work without monitoring the compression process.  Otherwise, if you select Window or Full Screen, ZIP'R Pro will display the compression process in a window on your desktop.  If you are using an external compressor (PKZIP, ARJ, or LHA), ZIPR Pro will use the settings defined in the corresponding PIF file.  The files PKZIP.PIF, PKUNZIP.PIF, ARJ.PIF, and LHA.PIF were transferred to your \WINDOWS directory during the installation process.

Launch Decompression As

This setting allows you to specify how program decompression will occur.  If you select Icon, decompression will occur in a minimized window, allowing you to continue your normal work without monitoring the decompression process.  Otherwise, if you select Window or Full Screen, ZIP'R Pro will display the decompression process in a window on your desktop.  If you are using an external decompressor (PKUNZIP, ARJ, or LHA), ZIPR Pro will use the settings defined in the corresponding PIF file.  The files PKZIP.PIF, PKUNZIP.PIF, ARJ.PIF, and LHA.PIF were transferred to your \WINDOWS directory during the installation process.


Cleanup Files

The Cleanup Files option is used to erase left-over signal files that are created by ZIP'R Pro to track concurrent access to a compressed file on networks and under multitaskers.  These signal files help ensure that a user cannot attempt to decompress or compress a particular program while another user or process is accessing it.  Normally, these files are deleted when the program is exited.  However, if the computer hangs, or if the compression or decompression processes are stopped abnormally, these files may not be deleted, and will prevent ZIP'R Pro from allowing access to a particular program.  This option searches the ZIPR Pro directory and deletes any left-over signal files.  Before using this option, make sure that ZIP'R Pro is not being used on any active programs.  For further information on the Cleanup Files option, see the Questions and Answers section at the end of the documentation file.


Cleanup Password

The Cleanup Password menu option can be used to change the password required to access the Cleanup Files option described above.  Normally, a cleanup password is not needed to access the Cleanup Files option, but network administrators may want users to enter a password before using the Cleanup option.  If a cleanup password already exists when this option is selected, you will be required to enter the existing password to ensure that you have sufficient security to perform this operation.  After entering this existing password, type the new password and save the changes.


Compression Paths

ARJ Directory

Enter the directory where ARJ.EXE is located, using the format "C:\ARJ\". Do not add the actual filename or extension.  When you enter a directory name in this field, ZIPR Pro will make sure that the directory exists.  If an invalid directory is entered, an error message will be displayed.

LHA Directory

Enter the directory where LHA.EXE is located, using the format "C:\LHA\". Do not add the actual filename or extension.  When you enter a directory name in this field, ZIPR Pro will make sure that the directory exists.  If an invalid directory is entered, an error message will be displayed.

PKZIP Directory

Enter the directory where the files PKZIP.EXE and PKUNZIP.EXE are located, using the format "C:\PKZIP\". Do not add the actual filename or extension.  (Both of these files must be located in the same sub-directory.)  When you enter a directory name in this field, ZIPR Pro will make sure that the directory exists.  If an invalid directory is entered, an error message will be displayed.


Register ZIP'R Pro

Registration Name

If you are a registered user of ZIP'R Pro, enter your registration name in the Registration Name field.  The Registration Name cannot be longer than 36 characters.  If you are not a registered user, please read the "Registration Terms" section below.

Registration Number

If you are a registered user of ZIP'R Pro, enter your registration number in the Registration Number field.  If you are not a registered user, please read the "Registration Terms" section below.

Network Users

When you register ZIP'R Pro for a network license, you will receive a registration code that supports a specific number of network users.  In order for your registration code to work properly, you must enter the exact number of stations your network license is registered for.  If you are not using ZIP'R Pro on a network, simply enter 0.

Registration Terms

ZIP'R Pro For Windows is shareware.  You may try ZIP'R Pro for a period of two weeks.  If you continue using ZIP'R Pro after the initial two week period, you must register it.  Standard registration is only $49.95 (+ $5.00 S&H).  Registered users will receive the newest version of ZIP'R Pro on diskette, along with a printed manual, a registration number, and bonus diskettes.  To register, call (218) 924-2050.  We accept Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover, as well as personal checks and money orders.  If you wish to register by mail, print out the order form entitled REGISTER.DOC, and send it to:

Stevenson Technical Services, Inc.

108 Second Avenue West

Bertha MN 56437-0297 U.S.A.


Integrating ZIPR Pro Into Windows

While ZIP'R Pro allows you to access all of your programs and execute them directly from the desktop interface, you may want to launch them from a standard Program Manager icon.  To accomplish this, follow the directions given below.

1.  Open the Program Manager group where you want to place the programs icon.

2.  Select New from Program Managers File menu.  When prompted for the type of New Program Object to add, select a Program Item, and click on OK.

3.  Enter the Program Item Properties as shown below, substituting the program you are using.

Program Item Properties:

Description:	Microsoft Word
Command Line:	ZPROWIN  WINWORD
Working Directory:	C:\ZPROWIN

In this example, the name of the ZPW file would be WINWORD.ZPW.  When WINWORD is passed to ZIPR Pro on the command line, ZIPR Pro bypasses the desktop interface and immediately executes the program referenced in the ZPW file.

If you are modifying the properties of an existing program, you can simply change the Program Item Properties, as shown in the example below.

Program Item Properties:

OLD	Description:	AmiPro
	Command Line:	AMIPRO.EXE
	Working Directory:	C:\AMIPRO
NEW	Description:	AmiPro
	Command Line:	ZPROWIN AMIPRO
	Working Directory:	C:\ZPROWIN

4.  To change this programs icon, use the Change Icon button accessible within the Program Item Properties dialog box.

5.  When you are finished making changes, click on the OK button to save your settings.  To execute this program, simply double-click on it as usual.


Modifying PIF Files

When ZIPR Pro compresses or decompresses a program using ARJ, LHA, or PKZIP/PKUNZIP, it uses the settings in the corresponding PIF files, called ARJ.PIF, LHA.PIF, PKZIP.PIF, and PKUNZIP.PIF, respectively.  These files were copied to your Windows directory during the installation process.

Directory Requirements

Important:  Do NOT add any text to the Start-up Directory field in any of the PIF files named above!

The Start-up Directory field MUST be blank for each compressor / decompressor to work properly.  ZIPR Pro automatically changes to the proper directory before compressing or decompressing the selected program.  If a directory is specified in this field, Windows changes to that directory when launching the compression program, regardless of the instructions it received from ZIPR Pro.

Full Screen, Windowed, and Icon Displays

When ZIPR Pro executes a compression or decompression program, it can display the program Full Screen, Windowed, or Minimized (as an icon).  To execute it as an icon, change the Launch Compression As and Launch Decompression As settings on the Defaults screen (accessible from the Settings menu) to Icon.  If you want to display the compressor / decompressor as a Full Screen application, which allows you to monitor the compression and/or decompression processes more closely, change the Display Usage option in the corresponding PIF file to Full Screen, and change the Launch Compress As value to either Window or Full Screen.  The default for this field is Windowed, which displays the compression and decompression processes in a window on the desktop.


Cautions
Cautions When Using ZIP'R Pro

Do NOT attempt to use ZIP'R Pro to compress any directories containing files that are referenced in your CONFIG.SYS or AUTOEXEC.BAT.  If you wish to compress the DOS sub-directory, copy any such files to the root directory of the hard drive, and update the paths in your CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT. Also be cautious when compressing directories that contain memory managers, caches, and utilities that may be needed to boot your machine.  These directories may be compressed, but any files needed for booting the machine must be copied to the root directory, and the CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT paths updated accordingly.

Keep in mind that in order to properly decompress a program, there must be enough free space on the hard drive to contain all the extracted files in addition to the original compressed file.  After the files have been successfully extracted, the compressed file is deleted.  Likewise, when compressing a program, sufficient space must be available for the original program files and the newly created compressed file.  After the compressed file has been successfully created, the original program files are deleted.  ZIPR Pro will issue a warning message if it determines that there is not enough free hard drive space, but if you are performing other operations within Windows that consume disk space, you must run out of available space in the middle of the decompression process.  Be very cautious when you are low on hard drive space!

When upgrading to PKZIP 2.0, test the reliability of the compression and decompression processes before trusting it with your data!  PKZIP 2.0 has some documented problems with fast machines (486/25 and up) using external CPU memory caches.  Read the troubleshooting section of the PKZIP 2.0 documentation for more information.


Troubleshooting
ZIPR Pro Troubleshooting Hints

Question:

I cant get ZIPR Pro to compress one or more of my programs.  On one program, I am receiving an error message that ZIPR Pro is currently being used by the maximum number of users allowed.  Another program that I try to run causes ZIPR Pro to issue an error message stating that another user is compressing or decompressing this program.  On yet another program, ZIPR Pro just exits without issuing an error message or trying to compress the program.  What is the problem?

Answer:

If ZIP'R Pro won't compress the program's files and sub-directories after it is exited, or if you receive an error message that ZIPR Pro is currently being used by the maximum number of users allowed,  check the .ZPW file.  If the fields are all correct, check the \ZPROWIN sub-directory for files with any of the following extensions:

.U00 through .UFF

.P00 through .PFF

.N00 through .NFF

.CSF

.DSF

.SXF

.SXT

.ZSF

These are token (signal) files created by ZIP'R Pro to track concurrent access to a compressed file on networks and under multitaskers.  This ensures that a user cannot attempt to decompress or compress a particular program while another user or process is accessing it.  Normally, these files are deleted when the program is exited.  However, if the computer hangs, or if the compression or decompression processes are stopped abnormally, these files will not be deleted, and will prevent ZIP'R Pro from compressing the program's files and sub-directories.  The filename (8-character prefix) of these files should match the name of the compressed file specified in the .ZPW file.  ZIP'R Pro provides a quick and easy solution to the problem of leftover signal files.  Make sure that ZIP'R Pro is not being used on any active programs, execute ZIPR Pro, and run the Cleanup Files option from the ZIP'R Pro Settings menu.

The Cleanup Files option is used to erase all signal files in the ZIP'R Pro sub-directory.  This option should be used with care to ensure that no other processes are using ZIP'R Professional.  (Erasing signal files that are in use by other programs could cause unpredictable results.)  After ZIPR Pro has finished erasing any signal files, it will display a list of all files that were found and erased.

The most common reason that any of these types of files are left behind is due to a computer hang.  When the computer hangs, control is not returned to ZIP'R Pro, so ZIP'R Pro cannot delete them as part of the cleanup process.  They can also be left behind due to a TSR not being unloaded in the TSR (Post) Command process if it was loaded in the TSR (Pre) Command process.  As mentioned earlier, this can also cause control to not be returned to ZIP'R Pro, in which case, these files would not be deleted.

Question:

Can ZIP'R Pro leave a program uncompressed after it has been previously compressed with ZIP'R Pro?

Answer:

Yes!  Simply enable the "Query" option in the programs .ZPW file.  This option can be accessed by enabling the Internediate or Advanced level interface.  Before ZIP'R Pro attempts to recompress the program, it will ask you if you want to compress it.  Answer "No" to the prompt, and the program will remain uncompressed.  Another option is to use the Compress / Decompress Only option, located on the Advanced ZIF Options screen.  This will quickly compress or decompress your program (based on its current state), and exit without attempting to execute or recompress the program.

Question:

I cant seem to get some of my programs to run properly.  I receive various error messages.  What am I doing wrong?

Answer:

The most common problem among ZIP'R Pro users is incorrect setup of the .ZPW file being used.  The following list gives some hints and tips for filling in each field when editing a .ZPW file.  (Note: Some of these fields may only be visible when using the Intermediate or Advanced level interface.  If you are using the Beginner level interface, ignore the fields that do not appear on your screen.)

ZIP'R Pro Filename

Make sure that this field contains only characters that can be used as part of a filename.  To find out which characters may or may not be used as part of a DOS filename, see your DOS reference manual.

Executable File

You must place the correct extension of the program to be executed on the filename.  If ZIP'R Pro issues an error message that it contain find the program, make sure you have checked for the proper extension in this field.  (The extension must be .EXE, .BAT, or .COM.  You cannot use a .PIF extension!)

Parameters

Enter any parameters exactly as you would enter them after the program name, if you were using a DOS command line.  If you are passing multiple parameters, separate each one with a space.

Compressed Filename

Do not place an extension for the compressed file in this field.  ZIP'R Pro automatically adds the correct extension at run time.  If the compression program used is Internal ZIP or PKZIP, the extension will be .ZIP.  If the compression program in ARJ, the extension will be .ARJ, and likewise, if the compression program is LHA, the extension will be .LZH.

Compression Type

If you want to decompress a previously compressed program without recompressing it, use the Query option, and select "No" when prompted.  Do not try to changed the type  of compression if your program is currently in a compressed state.

Test Integrity

Check this box ONLY if you want the compression program to perform an integrity check on the archived files once they have been compressed.

Query Option

Check this field when you want ZIP'R Pro to prompt you before compressing a program.  This allows you to specify "on-the-fly" whether a program should be compressed.

Update Option

This option is only available for use when ZIP (PKZIP / PKUNZIP) is selected as the Compression Type.  If any other option is selected, the Update Option field will be grayed and disabled.

Question:

I am receiving the error message Unable to run COMMAND /C ....  What is wrong?

Answer:

You are probably running DR DOS, and do not have COMMAND.COM available on your path. For some reason, DR DOS does not copy COMMAND.COM into the \DRDOS sub- directory at installation time, making it unavailable on the path.  The solution here is simply to copy COMMAND.COM from the root directory into the \DRDOS sub-directory.  Another alternative is to add the root directory to the PATH= statement in the AUTOEXEC.BAT file.

ZIP'R Pro is able to detect if COMMAND.COM cannot be found, and issues a warning message.

Question:

Im trying to use ZIPR Pro For Windows under OS/2 in combination with the Novell NetWare Requester.  Im receiving errors when PKUNZIP.EXE tries to extract files that are in sub-directories under my main program?  What is wrong?

Answer:

When using OS/2 Version 2.1 in combination with the Novell NetWare Requester, PKUNZIP cannot re-create lower-level sub-directories when decompressing a program.  (This problem only appears in a global network session.)  If you are experiencing these types of problems, disable sub-directory deletion on the Advanced Options screen of ZIP'R Pro.  This will instruct PKZIP not to delete sub-directories when it compresses the program.  That way, PKUNZIP will be able to successfully extract all files in the archive when it decompresses the program.

Another alternative is to enable Manual Sub-Directory Creation Under OS/2 which is located on the Advanced Options screen (accessible from the Settings Menu).

Question:

What networks / multitaskers does ZIP'R Pro recognize?

Answer:

ZIP'R Pro currently recognizes/supports the following operating systems / environments:

Windows

OS/2

DESQView / DESQview/X

Novell

LANtastic

10Net