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PKXARC FAST! Archive Extract Utility Version 3.4 12-15-86 Page 1
Table of Contents
-----------------
Topic Page
----- ----
Features and Overview .............................. 2
Using PKXARC ....................................... 3
PKXARC Warning Messages............................. 4
PKXARC Error Messages .............................. 4
PKXARC Revision history ............................ 5
Using PKXARC in a batch file ....................... 8
General Information ................................ 9
Software License ................................... 10
PKXARC FAST! Archive Extract Utility Version 3.4 12-15-86 Page 2
Features
--------
- THE FASTEST ARCHIVE EXTRACTION - EVER.
- Data integrity ensured by 16 bit Cyclic Redundancy Check.
- Supports the PKARC file squashing and archive comment features.
- Superior file buffering.
- Not copy protected.
- Pay only if you find the software useful.
Overview
--------
An archive is a collection of one or more files collected into a
single archive file. A file extension of .ARC is usually used to
denote an archive. Each file in an archive is compressed to save
disk space, backup storage space, and file transfer time. When a
file is archived, it is analyzed and compressed with the most
optimal data compression method for that file. Every file in an
archive is stored with a 16-bit Cyclic Redundancy Check (CRC) to
ensure data integrity when the file is extracted from the archive.
PKXARC is a FAST! archive extraction utility that extracts files
from an archive and restores them to their orignal name, size, time
& date. It is completely compatible with SEAware's (Software
Enhancement Associate's) ARC program and my own FAST! archive
create/update utility PKARC, but is many times faster than
SEAware's ARC program and faster than ANY OTHER archive extract
utility. PKXARC achieves its speed through the use of highly
optimized assembly language code and advanced file buffering
techniques.
PKXARC FAST! Archive Extract Utility Version 3.4 12-15-86 Page 3
Using PKXARC
------------
Usage: PKXARC [options] archive [d:path\] [file...]
Options are:
/r = replace existing files /v = verbose listing of archive(s)
/c = extract file(s) to the console /p = extract file(s) to the printer
/t = test archive integrity /l = display software license
archive Archive file name, wildcards *,? ok. Default extension
is .ARC
d:path\ Output drive and/or path.
file Name(s) of files to extract, list, or test.
Wildcards *,? ok. Default is ALL files.
Examples:
PKXARC a:* b:
- Extract all files from all archives on drive A: storing
extracted files on drive B:.
PKXARC sigdir1 c:
- Extract all files from the archive SIGDIR1.ARC in the current
drive & subdirectory storing extracted files on drive C:.
PKXARC c:\lotus\tax *.wks
- Extract all .WKS files from archive C:\LOTUS\TAX.ARC storing
extracted files in the current drive & subdirectory.
PKXARC/r c:\public\* d:\ *.doc *.txt
- Extract all .DOC and .TXT files from all archives in the
directory C:\PUBLIC storing the extracted files in the root
directory of drive D:. Overwrite existing files without query.
PKXARC/v c:\download\*
- Display a verbose listing of all archives in the directory
C:\DOWNLOAD.
PKXARC/c utility *.doc
- Extract all .DOC files form the archive UTILITY.ARC displaying
extracted files on the console.
PKXARC/p utility *.doc
- Same as above, except extracted files are displayed on the
printer.
PKXARC/t utility
-Test the integrity of the archive UTILITY.ARC.
PKXARC/t c:\download\*
-Test the validity of all archives in the directory C:\DOWNLOAD.
PKXARC FAST! Archive Extract Utility Version 3.4 12-15-86 Page 4
PKXARC warnings
---------------
Warning! File XXXXXXXX.YYY already exists! overwrite (y/n)?
- A file to be extracted from the archive already exists on disk.
Answer "y" to extract the file from the archive anyway and
overwrite the existing file, "n" to not extract the file from
the archive. Use the "/r" command line option to suppress this
warning.
Unknown packing method for: XXXXXXXX.YYY
- The file is squeezed or encoded in a unknown way. The archive
is probably corrupt.
Warning! File XXXXXXXX.YYY fails CRC check
- The Cyclic Redundancy Check calculation did not match the
stored value. The file is probably corrupt.
XXXXXXXX.YYY is not an archive
- The file specified is either not an archive, or is corrupt.
Archive length error
- A end of file token was not found for a file within the
archive. The archive is corrupt.
PKXARC errors
-------------
PKXARC: can't find XXXXXXXX.YYY
- The given archive filename could not be found.
PKXARC: cannot read archive: XXXXXXXX.YYY
- The archive could not be opened.
PKXARC: Cannot create: XXXXXXXX.YYY
- The output file could not be created. The output directory is
invalid or full.
PKXARC: File has invalid decode tree
- The Huffman decode tree for the file is invalid. The archive
is corrupt.
PKXARC: Disk full
- The disk is full.
PKXARC: Internal table overflow
- An internal decode table overflowed. The archive is corrupt.
PKXARC FAST! Archive Extract Utility Version 3.4 12-15-86 Page 5
PKXARC history
--------------
Soon after the archive file format was introduced into the public
domain, it became popular and many BBS files were transfered this
way. The archive format is a convenient way to put several files
into one and compress them for effecient disk storage and reduced
transfer time, in one step.
However, the archive utility was much slower at extracting files
than equivalent UnSQueeze type programs. In the inevitable quest
for faster archive file extraction, PKXARC was created.
Changes in PKXARC version 2.3
-----------------------------
The ability to extract dynamic Ziv-Lempel-Welch encoded files was
added. Version 5.0 of ARC introduced a new, more efficient
variation of Ziv-Lempel "Crunching". PKXARC can now extract files
Crunched with this method, approximately 3 times faster than ARC
5.1.
Changes in PKXARC version 2.4
-----------------------------
Performance for extracting dynamic Ziv-Lempel files has been
improved. Files which are identified as "Crunched" (with a capital
C) on the ARC verbose listing extract 15-20% faster than before.
When a "Disk full" error occurred, previous versions of PKXARC
would leave an empty or incomplete file on the disk. PKXARC now
deletes any incomplete files before aborting with a "Disk full"
error.
Changes in PKXARC version 2.5
-----------------------------
The ability to extract specific files was added. PKXARC can now be
passed the specific names of files to be extracted from an archive
on the command line.
PKXARC FAST! Archive Extract Utility Version 3.4 12-15-86 Page 6
Changes in PKXARC version 2.6
-----------------------------
Extraction performance for all compression types has been
significantly improved over PKXARC version 2.5. Files that are
crunched with older versions of ARC (pre 5.x) extract 5% faster.
Squeezed files extract 15% faster. Files that are Crunched with
ARC 5.x extract 20% faster.
Changes in PKXARC version 2.7
-----------------------------
Extraction performance of Squeezed files has been improved more
than 60%. PKXARC version 2.7 can extract a Squeezed file more than
8 times as fast as ARC 5.1.
The message displayed when a file is being extracted has been
enhanced to indicate the compression method used to store the file.
Message Meaning
------- -------
Extracting The file was Stored.
un-Packing The file was Packed with non-repeat packing.
uncrunching The file was crunched with old style Ziv-Lempel-Welch compression.
unSqueezing The file was Squeezed with Huffman encoding.
unCrunching The file was Crunched with Dynamic Ziv-Lempel-Welch compression.
unSquashing The file was Squashed with Dynamic Ziv-Lempel-Welch compression.
Changes in PKXARC version 3.0
-----------------------------
The following functions have been added to PKXARC version 3.0:
Extraction of files to the console or printer.
The ability to display a verbose archive listing.
PKXARC FAST! Archive Extract Utility Version 3.4 12-15-86 Page 7
Changes in PKXARC version 3.1
-----------------------------
A minor bug in the pattern matching code for individual file
specifications when using the wildcard "*" was fixed. For example,
previous versions of PKXARC would not correctly match "flight*.com"
to the exact filename "flight.com". This has been corrected in
PKXARC version 3.1.
The verbose archive listing now displays the total number of files
in the archive.
Extraction speed has been increased 5-10% for all decompression
methods.
A "jr" version of PKXARC was created for computers with limited
memory. PKXARCjr requires only 74K of free memory to run, but is
slightly slower than the standard version for most archives. Both
versions will run on any type of computer providing there is
sufficient free memory.
Changes in PKXARC version 3.2
-----------------------------
The archive test function "/t" was added to PKXARC. This function
tests the integrity of the archive without extracting the files to
disk. Specifically, the CRC for each file is computed and compared
against the correct value stored in the archive.
Extraction speed has been increased by 5% for most files.
Changes in PKXARC version 3.3
-----------------------------
Support of the PKARC archive comment feature was added. PKXARC
will automatically display an archive comment if it is present in
an archive.
When extracting files to the printer, PKXARC will now print a
form-feed character after each file.
Extraction speed has been increased by 5% for Crunched files.
PKXARC FAST! Archive Extract Utility Version 3.4 12-15-86 Page 8
Changes in PKXARC version 3.4
-----------------------------
Support of "squashed" files created by PKARC 2.0 has been added.
Squashing is a variation of Dynamic Ziv-Lempel-Welch encoding which
can yield a 10% or better compression ratio for large text files.
Squashed files typically unsquash 15% faster than equivalent
crunched files.
In order to be consistent with the command syntax of PKARC, the
requirement for dashes "-" to be given before individual filenames
to extract or list has been removed.
Error recovery for damaged archives has been improved. Previous
versions of PKXARC would occasionally hang up while processing
damaged archives. PKXARC version 3.4 has improved error recovery
allowing at least the partial extraction of files from a damaged
archive.
Using PKXARC in a batch file
---------------------------
If you are using PKXARC from a batch file, you can test if PKXARC
aborted with an error using the DOS errorlevel variable. PKXARC
returns a non-zero errorlevel if an error occurred, and a zero
errorlevel for normal termination.
PKXARC FAST! Archive Extract Utility Version 3.4 12-15-86 Page 9
General Information
-------------------
PKXARC will run on any IBM PC/XT/AT/RT/jr/Portable/Convertible or
DOS compatible whatever running PC/MS-DOS 2.0 or higher with a
minimum of 128K free RAM.
IBM is a registered trademark of the International Business Machine
Corporation.
MS-DOS is a registered trademark of Microsoft Inc.
If you have any questions or comments about PKARC send them to Phil
Katz at:
Exec-PC multi-user IBM BBS, Bob Mahoney SYSOP
Shorewood, Wisconsin
414-964-5160
300/1200/2400 baud, 24 hours a day, 16 lines
or
RBBS-PC of FARGO, Loren Jones SYSOP
Fargo, North Dakota
701-293-5973
300/1200/2400 baud, 24 hours a day
Special thanks to Bob Mahoney, Alan Losoff, Gene Alm,
Loren Jones, and Mike Shawaluk.
PKXARC FAST! Archive Extract Utility Version 3.4 12-15-86 Page 10
License
-------
Copyright (c) 1986 PKWARE, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
You are free to use, copy and distribute PKXARC providing that:
NO FEE IS CHARGED FOR USE, COPYING OR DISTRIBUTION.
IT IS NOT MODIFIED IN ANY WAY.
Clubs and user groups may charge a nominal fee for expenses and
handling while distributing PKARC.
Site licenses, commercial licenses and custom versions of PKARC and
PKXARC are available. Write to the address below for more
information.
This program is provided AS IS without any warranty, expressed or
implied, including but not limited to fitness for a particular
purpose.
If you find PKXARC fast, easy, and convenient to use, a
contribution of $20 would be appreciated. With each contribution
of $45 or more you will be registered to receive a diskette with
the next version of PKARC and PKXARC when available. Please state
the current versions of PKARC and PKXARC that you have. Send
contributions to:
PKWARE, Inc.
7032 Ardara Avenue
Glendale, WI 53209