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1993-11-23
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'Qaz' v2.10 Copyright (c)1993, Robert Walking-Owl (All Rights Reserved)
What does 'Qaz' do?
-------------------
'Qaz' will display the directory of most archive formats, or if not, it will
at least identify the archive format. In certain cases it will display the
resolution/colors of graphics files or output a text or ANSI file, if
appropriate.
...Why?
-------
If you have a collection of (backups) in a variety of archive formats,
including SFX (or SEA, self-extracting archives), using 'Qaz' saves you
a bit of trouble having to use the appropriate command(s) for each archive
type, assuming you have the archiver handy. (Some archivers may not even
allow you to view self-extracting archives).
If you use or run a BBS (Computer Bulletin Board System), 'Qaz' is a con-
venient 'universal archiver' allowing users to view (almost) any archive.
This means that users need not be victims of 'Snake-Oil' as much as they
often are: 'Qaz' can identify the file or archive type, so they know what
de-archivers or utilities they may need BEFORE downloading the file (if
they even want to).
What does 'Qaz' mean?
---------------------
You HAD to ask! Q-A-Z are the left-most letters on the keyboard
(at least the standard American QWERTY type...)
How to use 'Qaz'...
-------------------
Usage: QAZ filename[.ext] [filespecs] [options]
The options are as follows (most similar to those used in the 'dir' command):
/b = Bare Listing - Same as the /b option in 'dir'
/w = Wide Listing - Same as the /w option in 'dir'
/l = LowerCase - Same as the /l option in 'dir'
/p = Page Break - Same as the /p option in 'dir' (Note that the /p
option works for examining one archive only, and
not for multiple archives.)
/v = Verbose - Sort-of verbose. Shows directories, if they exist.
/o = Order (dnse) - Sort order (similar to the /o option in 'dir')
/od = sort by date (ascending)
/on = sort by name
/oe = sort by extension
/os = sort by size
/o-d = sort by date (descending)
etc..
/t = View Text - If an ASCII Text (7-bit) is detected, display the
'head' (first 15 lines or so) of it. (Note that
control codes or 8-bit characters will not be
displayed, unless ANSI sequences are detected!)
Example uses of 'Qaz':
----------------------
QAZ FILENAME *.TXT *.DOC README.*
QAZ WHICHONE.*
QAZ PGP23SRC.ZIP *.C *.H /L /V /P
QAZ *.GIF
QAZ THIS*.LZH /W
QAZ .SQZ
QAZ QAZ200 /OS
QAZ LARGE.ARC |MORE
QAZ *.*
Notes for SysOps using 'Qaz' with a BBS:
----------------------------------------
If %F happens to be the "filename" macro, use (as on a Renegade BBS):
QAZ %F /T /E
(Of course, use whatver the proper macro or calling conventions are
appropriate for your BBS. %F is Renegade's macro; check your BBS docs
if you already don't know what to do--The %F macro is not universal!)
It's recommend that SysOps use both the /t option to give users the ability
to view UUENCODED or BinHex files. (The /e option available in version 2.00
wwas removed, since it never seemed to work properly on the BBSs that tried
it.)
Using the /l option may make the text a bit more readable (though that's up
to individual tastes).
Do NOT use the /p option, unless your BBS software does not provide this
function. The /w or /b options are not recommended either, since they will
only display filenames, and not file dates or sizes. The /v option is
probably not necessary.
Note that on some systems, EACH archive 'type' (usually the extension)
must be configured INDIVIDUALLY to use 'Qaz' to view/list.
What files can 'Qaz' recognize?
-------------------------------
'Qaz' v2.10 can list the contents of the following archive types:
Archiver: Extension: Version(s) No.SFX? Comments:
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
AR 0.02 - (LHA-Clone)
ARC .ARC/.ARK 3.x-7.x 1
ARJ .ARJ 1.xx-2.41a 10
CPSHRINK .CPZ 1992 -
HA .HA 0.98 - (Not the same as HAP!)
HAP/PAH .HAP 3.00 only? -
HPACK .HPK 0.78 -
HYPER .HYP 2.6 1
LAR/LUE .LBR 12 Jan 1984 - (Archaic CP/M)
LHA/LHARC .LZH/.LHA various 1.xx-2.52 9
PACK .ZPK 1.0? 2.20 2 "ZiLite" (aka "ZPack")
PAK .PAK 0
PKARC .ARC 3.2? 3.5 1
PKPAK .ARC 3.61 1
PKZIP .ZIP 1.10, 2.04 4
PUT .PUT 2.00 1 (LHA-Clone)
SQZ .SQZ 1.08.2E, 1.08.3E 4 "Squeeze-It!"
ZOO .ZOO 2.10 0
Note that if 'Qaz' does not display a date for some archives, it is because
the date is 'undefined' (as is the case with AR v0.02).
'Qaz' can recognize the following file formats (but not list the 'contents'
as these files are either encrypted or single-compressed files):
Utility: Extension: Version(s) No.SFX? Comments:
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
COMPRESS .Z - Unix Compress
DIET 1d 0 Diet (non-EXE)
FREEZE .XF/.F 2.3.0? - Unix Freeze
GZIP .Z/.ZIP - GNU Zip
PGP .PGP 1.x? 2.x - Pretty Good Privacy
SQ .?Q? - CP/M Squeeze
'Qaz' can recognize the following graphics file formats, and give a brief
description of the image size and colors:
Utility: Extension: Version(s) No.SFX? Comments:
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
- .GIF 87a/89a 4 Graphics
- .BMP ? - Graphics
- .PCX 2-5 - Graphics
'Qaz' can also recognize a possible 7-bit ASCII text file, and given the
permission (through the /t option) will display the 'head' (first several
lines) of the file.
Control codes or ANSI escape sequences will not be displayed, however.
This feature was added after testing 'Qaz' on a BBS that included a CD-ROM
of Macintosh files. Apparently the .SIT files were encoded with BinHex 4.0
(a utility similar to UUENCODE or XX3401 for the Mac).
What archives 'Qaz' cannot recognize:
-------------------------------------
The following archivers/utilities are not (yet) supported by 'Qaz', aside
from what is noted in the above listing, or any archivers/utilities I have
not yet come accross (due to certain technical limitations)...
* Self-displaying GIFs made by Graphics Work Shop or TitleMaker
* Self-Extracting archives made using Compack (directories are compressed)
NOTE: Amiga .LHA files are sometimes not processed properly by 'Qaz'
(However LHA or LHARC also find problems with them as well)
For .ZIP files, 'Qaz' scans the 'local' directory rather than the
central directory--which means that damaged archives can still be
viewed, even if partially. 'Qaz' should return an error if the
local directory structure is damaged (which is usually the case
in damaged .ZIP files.
Note that if 'Qaz' returns garbage it is because (1) the file is damaged
(2) the archive format is not compatible--either for a different machine,
as in the case of Amiga LHA files, or there is a new version/format or
(3) 'Qaz' thinks the file is something that it isn't: this is bound to
happen sooner or later.
What's New?
-----------
v2.10 - Option to sort the directory in descending order.
The /e (Enable ANSI) option was removed.
A nasty bug where some SFXZIP archives were identified as SFXARCs
was fixed.
A minor bug fix, where 'Qaz' would recognize certain AR (LZH)
archives as ARC.
v2.00 - The options, of course. They didn't exist in the prior Beta
versions.
A few bug fixes: 'Qaz' v2.00 won't gag on commented SQZ files, Amiga
LHA files, certain types of ARJ, HA files. A few other things. It
also won't gag on an archive that has a whole lot of files in it.
'Qaz' can handle a few more types of SFX files, graphics files and
ASCII or ANSI files.
v1.10B - Initial Beta versions of 'Qaz'...
v1.00B
In the future...
----------------
Aside from newer versions of existing archives (including SFX), 'Qaz' may
also add support for .TAR, .LIF, .IDX, .DWC, .LZS, .LHA (enhanced for the
Amiga?), .SIT, .PIT (for the Mac, Atari) and others, as they come along.
Other file types (incl. graphics) may also be added.
Needless to say, a forthcomming source-code of general purpose routines to
process archives is in the works.
Disclaimer, License, et cetera...
---------------------------------
No warrantees or guarantees, expressed or implied, go with the use of
this software ('Qaz'). The author will not be held responsible in any
way, shape or form for damages (or improvements) to data, on-line time,
friends, finances, pets, ideas, ideologies, etc. due to the use or mis-
use of the software.
The above includes no guarantee to accurately identify any or all types
or archives, or newer versions of various archives, or other types of
files, et cetera. (Nor will the author be responsible for errors or
glitches due to attempted processing such archives, for that metter.)
You have the 'license' to freely use and distribute 'Qaz' so long as the
executable (qaz.exe) and this text file (qaz.txt) are unmodified in any
way, [with the exception of the use of 'Qaz' by or for any commercial or
governmental institution--if that is the case, please contact me...]
If you have any comments, questions, criticisms, or (preferably)
suggestions the author can be reached electronically care of:
< robert.rothenburg@asb.com >