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Text File | 1991-12-06 | 13.9 KB | 332 lines

+----------------------------------------------------+ | | | Instructions for 'Multi Depacker v1.0' by MUG U.K™ | | | | Finished on 2nd December 1991 | | | +----------------------------------------------------+ Released into the Public Domain ------------------------------- Introduction ------------ This program was written as an aide to the myriads of demo-breakers, nosey hackers and interested people of all levels and skills to save them from using a disassembler to unpack and save out data and executable files that have been packed using a selection of the best available packers in the Public Domain. There are other uses, including unpacking a program that you had previously packed with an outdated packer (eg. original file was packed with Automaion v2.4), and then repacking with the latest top-notch packer (eg. Atomic v3.3). Thus this utility arose from the ashes of my 'Fire & Ice Depacker v4.0'. I hadn't intended to start this until way into 1992, but seeing as I was feeling down (poll tax, phone bills & Christmas Shopping, but no money to pay for any of them !!), I started on this program. A week later, the finished result was released !! Technical Stuff --------------- The files required to be kept in the same folder are:- MULTI_V1.PRG MULTI_V1.RSC MULTI_V1.DOX Do not seperate these files or edit them. You can archive them for bulletin boards if you so wish. As usual, this program is Public Domain. It is my copyright, but you can stock it within a Public Domain Library or on a bulletin board with my full consent. Magazines that have Cover Disks mounts (ST Format/ST Uset et al), CANNOT publish this program with my consent and appropriate payment. Also for the myriads of disk-based magazines who are published via Budgie, or via any other means (Ledger, Toxic etc.), you can include this program on your disks with my full consent. Although I have most probably already sent it on to you on the day of release. Other groups who make up utility disks can also include this program (so long as all the files are kept together) if they see fit. After all, it is a very handy utility for most people to have in their collection, so why not SPREAD IT !! More Technical Info ------------------- This program will allow you to depack ANY file that has been packed with any of the following packers:- Atomic v3.1 Atomic v3.3 Automation v2.3/2.4 Automation v2.51r Automation v5.01 Ice Packer v1.13 (data ONLY at present) Ice Packer v2.11 Ice Packer v2.12 Ice Packer v2.2 Ice Packer v2.31 Ice Packer v2.34 Ice Packer v2.40 Fire Packer v1.01 (data ONLY at present) Fire Packer v2.01 JAM Packer v3.0 (LZH) JAM Packer v4.0 (LZW & LZH) Pompey Pirates v1.9a (data ONLY at present) Nineteen different packers, which makes a total of 35 different file types that can be loaded in, depacked and saved out again !! When I say 'any file' - I mean ANY file, either executable or data files. The only (obvious) exceptions are where I have been unable to fully incorporate a depack option for the executable files generated by some packers, without having bombs and other crashes occuring !! I've Even Tested It !! ---------------------- I've tested this program on both data & executable files packed with the above packers. The testing was done on a bog standard TOS v1.2, with 1 Meg of RAM and a hard-drive. I have included enough error-traps to stop the depacking of 1 Meg files on a 512K system etc. The most common error on a 512K is that with the majority of the packers I am using, they depack from one address to another, therefore I require two buffers. If the file to depack is 100K and the unpacked length is 250K, then you will be unable to unpack this file. For the next update, I shall (probably) write a .TTP version (without dialog boxes etc.) to enable the really BIG files to be depacked on any machine. The majority of the packers recognised by this program were written by Axe of Delight/Superior. Depacking the packed files was (and still is !!) a much needed feature missing from these otherwise excellent packers. This is especially annoying if you had just packed your only copy of a much needed file !! The other packers were added bit by bit over a period of a week, and halfway through that week, I scrapped all the text-printing and opted for a much easier to use 'GEM' front-end. Depacking files is now much easier than in previous incarnations of this programs' predecessor - 'Fire & Ice Depacker', which was officially released on The Source Menu 79 (Hi! to the other comrades in this group:- Kalamazoo, Speed, Egon, JJF & IWWWTTI ????). Using The Program ----------------- Once loaded, you will first be presented with an introductory dialog box showing which version this program is and which packed files it can depack. Click on the button when you've read all of this (I know it is in the small font, but it's the only way I could fit in all on !). The next dialog box is the main menu. From here, you can have another look at the previous dialog box, depack files, see how much memory you've got left and finally quit back to the Desktop. Seeing as this program is primarily a depacker, the major option to go for is the 'Depack And Save Files'. Click on the button and you will be presented with a file-selector which wants the filename of a packed file. Clicking on 'Cancel' or selecting a non-existant file will result in an alert box telling you of your mistake, and an option to try for another file or returning to the main menu. Once you've found a file that you know is packed, it will be loaded into memory and examined ..... After first checking whether the file is a program file or not, it will then check for the existance of the various packer headers (eg. 'LSD!', 'ICE!', 'FIRE', 'ATOM'). If any disk errors occur, you will will prompted by an alert box asking you to retry and get another file or cancel this operation and go back to the main menu. If the selected file is NOT recognised, then you will returned back to the main menu (after an alert box has told you that your selected file was not recognised). If the file is a packed file, a dialog box will appear with the following information on it:- i) Which packer was used ii) Executable or data file iii) The length of the file (in disk-space terms) iv) The length of the packed file (as the packer knew it as) v) The length of the unpacked file (as it will be AFTER it is unpacked) The reason for including both (iii) & (iv) on the screen, is that some files I found would be 20K in length, but the header would say it was only 18.5K in length !!! One explanation is that some programs contain two sections contain two sections, hence the numbers displayed on the screen would be a bit odd. An example of this is 'Digi Composer v1.0' by Istari. It contains two programs, an intro and the actual tracker. The intro is depacked first, then the tracker. Another reason is that if you depack a program file, the file-length will differ from the actual length of the packed data because the program needs a depack routine to unpack itself, and relocate it to the original address ! If you find that the lengths differ by around 1000 bytes on a program file, then you should be OK ....... There are two options on this dialog box, and they are pretty obvious to understand. One will depack the present file, and the other will return you to the main menu. If you are depacking a Atomic v3.1/v3.3 data file, you are given the option to choose which depack routine. If you select the wrong one then this program will more than likely depack your file into complete garbage or even worse, it will bomb out !! The reason is that the header (ATOM) is the same for either version of these packers and the depack routine is not compatible with the other version (unlike the Ice Packers !!). Each depacker will flash a different colour, so as to differentiate between the different packers. If you have a monochrome monitor, you will probably end up with a bad headache after depacking a lot of files !! I suggest you don a pair of Bitmap Shades before depacking a lot of files (colour systems OR monochrome), unless you're into flashing colours ??? Another file-selector will appear asking for the depacked file. You have the option of overwriting the program file (not very wise !!) if you require - or simply enter a new filename as it is up to you !! After this operation, you will be returned to the main menu, where you can carry on depacking more files, or quit and take a peek at the newly unpacked files. That's all there is to my little program. It works with almost everything I've tried, with one or two exceptions - but I'll let you find them out for yourselves !! If you have any really major hassles then drop me a line at the address down below (oo-er !!). End Bit: -------- Since I was testing this program heavily I noticed a few things with the various packers. Here are some notes I made (bugs I discovered !!). i) If you write (like I do) prodonimently in GFA BASIC v3.5/v3.6, and you want to pack your program files. DO NOT use Ice Packer v2.2-2.31 or Fire Packer v2.01, as your program file will not work at all (two bombs). You will have to use the Ice Packer v2.40 (ST News 6.2 edition). ii) If you use the Automation v5.01 and pack a lot of data files, beware of using it from a hard-drive !! The problem is that your resultant files are filled with $00 & $FF ONLY !! Not even a header (AU5!) is included. This happens with the normal, buffer and chunk pack options and I do not know exactly why his occurs. My (bad) theory is that this update does not like my (or anyone elses ?) hard-drive !!! The error does not occur when you run the program from a floppy, but only when it is run from a hard-drive partition ?? Well, EGB, work that one out if you can !! I use the Supra Software v3.11 driving a Megafile 60, if this is any use to you !! iii) This is not an error, but a bit of a pain. The Atomic packers will not output a packed file that is of an odd length !! No problem to 99% of files, except when it's the NeoChrome Master which checks its length for link-virus infection !! If you can help me (or if you are the author of the packer in question, please write to me with your next versions), then write to the address near the end of this document file. DO NOT send ANY form of pirated software, as I am NOT interested. I would also like depack source code FOR the following packers:- Automation v2.51+ - I need some explanatory Chunk Depacking source that I can call with registers set to source and destination addresses. Power Packer v2.2a - Amiga packer used by several programmers on the ST !! I have the source as used by v3.0, but it doesn't work properly !! YOUR packer/source - If it's any good that is !! The next version of this 'Multi-Depacker' will be released when I'm ready. I have another 10 or so packers that I will be including, plus the 'no-frills' version that will come with it so that 512K owners can depack large files. A quick message to JPM (author of Pompey Packer):- I am still after some source to depack Thunder v1.0 & v1.1 ??? Please, please, please get in touch (you'll also benefit via FVK - interested ??). End Bit ------- Have fun depacking, hacking, poking about and generally being very nosey with other peoples (previously) packed files !! If you really find this program useful, saves your life with packed programs not depacking on your version of TOS etc. etc., spare a thought for me, an low paid barman, toiling away at unsociable hours, then working on my many programs after work, way into the early hours of the morning, just so you can benefit .......... SEND ME SOME MONEY !! MUG U.K™ - 02/12/1991 Depacker Credits: ----------------- Depacker Program RSC Design Documents Coffee Drinking: MUG U.K™ - 29/11/1991 Background Music: Metallicas' new album "Metallica" Extremes' "Pornograffitti" Testing: Slasher Bog Packers' Authors Credits: ------------------------- Atomic Packers v3.1 & v3.3: ALTAIR of VMAX/MCS Automation v2.3/2.4: OZZ of LSD Automation v2.51: DACK of Automation Automation v5.01: EGB of SHiT Fire/Ice Packers: Axe of Delight/Superior JAM Packers v3.0 & v4.0: Jek and Moose (JAM) Pompey Packer v1.9a: JPM Contact Address: ---------------- MUG U.K™ c/o Broadsword Computers, 141 High Street Rhyl CLWYD LL18 1UF Any problems, queries, questions etc. should be sent to the above address, and don't even think of writing if you want pirated software !! I get extremely FED UP with people who write to me wanting the addresses of the various pirate groups. I DON'T KNOW THEM SO *ISS OFF !!! I will keep all the disks & burn the letters from these idiots. If you want a game that desperately, go out and buy it !! One last thing, if you are a kind generous person who has got a spare bit of money lying idly about, don't send me a cheque made payable to 'MUG U.K' as I get strange looks from the staff at my building society !! If you really must send a cheque, make it payable to 'Mike Mee' (stop sniggering at the back - I can't help my surname !!).