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WINZIPSE.TXT
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1995-12-19
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WinZip(R) Self-Extractor version 1.1 beta 3
Copyright (C) 1995 Nico Mak Computing, Inc. All Rights Reserved
P.O. Box 919, Bristol CT 06011 USA
PRE-RELEASE VERSION - See WHATSNEW.TXT for info on new features
*** What is WinZip Self-Extractor?
WinZip Self-Extractor is a utility program that creates native
Windows self-extracting ZIP files. These self-extracting ZIP
files are ideal for electronic file distribution because they:
(1) can contain multiple compressed files, ensuring that important
files do not become separated from the rest of the package;
(2) allow the receiver to use a familiar Windows interface to
decompress files, without owning or knowing how to use a separate
unzip utility; and (3) optionally run a "setup" or "installation"
program, which may be included by the developer when the files are
decompressed.
WinZip Self-Extractor is an optional add-on to WinZip, an award
winning utility to manipulate ZIP files.
This portion of the documentation describes ZIP files and self-
extracting ZIP files, discusses the benefits of self-extracting
ZIP files, and summarizes WinZip Self-Extractor features.
*** What is a ZIP file?
The ZIP file format is an industry standard for compressing and
grouping files. One ZIP file can contain multiple files. Files
contained in a ZIP are usually compressed.
Typical uses for ZIP files include:
- Most files available in "file areas" on bulletin boards and
electronic services like CompuServe and the Internet are
distributed as ZIP files. Two benefits of using ZIP files for
electronic file distribution are that only one file transfer
operation ("download") is required to obtain all related files,
and file transfer time is minimized because the files in a ZIP
are compressed.
- It is often useful to send a group of related files to an
associate. Rather than distributing individual files it is
often easier to distribute the files as a ZIP file to benefit
from the file grouping and compression.
ZIP files are created using a ZIP utility like WinZip(R) or the
PKZIP(R) utility from PKWARE(R).
*** What is a Self-Extracting ZIP File?
A self-extracting ZIP file is an executable program file (.EXE
file) that includes a ZIP file and software to extract or "unzip"
the contents of the ZIP file. Users can run (execute) a
self-extracting ZIP file just as they run any other program.
When a self-extracting ZIP file created by WinZip Self-Extractor
is run, a dialog box is displayed. This dialog box makes it easy
for the user to change the "unzip to" directory and change other
options before extracting or "unzipping" the files in the
self-extracting ZIP file. Self-extracting ZIP files created by
WinZip Self-Extractor are
- 100% compatible with the PKZIP 2.04g file format, so they can be
unzipped by standard unzip utilities like WinZip and PKUNZIP.
- Only about 12k larger than a regular (not self-extracting) ZIP
file.
*** What are the advantages to Self-Extracting ZIP Files?
Users can extract or "unzip" files from a self-extracting ZIP file
without running a separate unzip utility or knowing how to use an
unzip utility. Thus self-extracting ZIP files are particularly
suited for distribution of software to beginning users who are not
familiar with the concept of ZIP files.
Self-extracting ZIP files created by WinZip Self-Extractor are
native Windows programs so they are easy to use even for users
with no MS-DOS experience.
*** How Does it Work?
There are two parts to WinZip Self-Extractor:
1) The WinZip Self-Extractor program creates self-extracting ZIP
files.
2) When WinZip Self-Extractor creates a self-extracting ZIP file
it includes part of itself in the self-extracting ZIP file.
The part of WinZip Self-Extractor included in the self-extracting
ZIP file is what makes it possible to unzip the files by simply
running the self-extracting ZIP file.
The person who creates the self-extracting ZIP file runs WinZip
Self-Extractor once, specifying the name of the ZIP file and
options, including the default "unzip to" directory and a program
to be run automatically when the unzip operation completes.
WinZip Self-Extractor stores this information in the self-
extracting ZIP file so it is available when the self-extracting
ZIP file is run. See the online help section titled "Creating
Self-Extracting ZIP Files" for details on the procedure, and the
file license.txt for information on licensing.
*** Summary Of Features
- Easy distribution of one or more compressed files.
- Low (12k) overhead.
- An optional comment (up to 512 bytes) is displayed when the
self-extracting ZIP file is run.
- An optional command is run when the unzip operation completes,
making it easy to run a SETUP program included in a
self-extracting ZIP file.
- Any directory information in the ZIP is automatically restored.
- 100% compatible with the PKZIP 2.04g standard.
*** Association of Shareware Professionals Notice
This program is produced by a member of the Association of
Shareware Professionals (ASP). ASP wants to make sure that the
shareware principle works for you. If you are unable to resolve a
shareware-related problem with an ASP member by contacting the
member directly, ASP may be able to help. The ASP Ombudsman can
help you resolve a dispute or problem with an ASP member, but does
not provide technical support for members' products. Please write
to the ASP Ombudsman at 545 Grover Road, Muskegon, MI 49442 or
send a CompuServe message to the ASP Ombudsman at 70007,3536.