Magnum One/Magnum One (Mid-American Digital) (Disc Manufacturing).iso/d23/bbzippj.arc/ZIPPER.DOC

Text File | 1989-03-01 | 15KB | 345 lines

     ZIPPER.DOC


                   ZIPPER.. by the Bytebrothers
                           J.L. Pearson


        Zipper is designed to let you easily and quickly convert
     any and all .ARC and .PAK files to the to the new Phil Katz
     ZIP format using PKZIP. Place ZIPPER in the directory that
     you keep PAK.EXE, PKUNPAK.EXE and PKZIP.EXE in. ZIPPER will
     automatically sense .ARC or .PAK formats and uncompress them
     and convert them to Phil Katz's new .ZIP format. It operates
     on one file at a time in automated fashion and deletes the
     original file after verifying the unarchive operation.. The
     original file date and time are preserved in the new .ZIP
     file. Any arcs embedded within arcs or embedded pak's within
     arcs or pak's, in fact any combination of the above are
     rezipped before being zipped into the main file so PC Mag
     files and others that contain arcs within arcs will be
     totally zipped.. Four command line switches are available..one
     to allow batch operation without intervention for sysop
     Events.. another to create a running log text file of the
     entire conversion session including all files processed and
     all bad files and unarc errors.. A third switch causes the
     deletion of all bad ARC and PAK files at the end of the
     conversion session.. and the last switch shuts off all sound
     for late night conversions...

     the switches are..

     /b or b     run in batch mode without user intervention..
     /d or d     delete all bad files at the end of conversion..
     /l or l     keep full log file of all activity for review..
     /s or s     shutup. kill all sound..

     Before you rush into conversion read the READ.ME file or the
     note below on correctly installing the PAK.EXE program from
     NoGate Technology.. It can be dangerous when run uninstalled.

     ZIPPER path/filename /b /l

     path and filename are standard DOS format.. the /b switch
     will force batch operation and should be used to run from
     a batch file.. no operator intervention will be required.
     All bad arcs and pak names are always logged in a BADFILE.LOG
     text file.. The /l switch will cause ZIPPER to create a log
     file called ZIPPER.LOG which will contain a log of every file
     conversion every error and every bad arc/pak file.. as well
     as the time and date of the conversion run..

     ZIPPER c:\arcs /l /b
     ZIPPER c:\arcs b l
     are both acceptable..

     Here are some examples of usage..

     ZIPPER c:\arcs\*.pak



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     this will convert all the .PAK files in directory C:\arcs
     into .ARC files. The original .PAK files will be deleted so
     when ZIPPER is done the .PAK's will be transformed into
     .ZIPs.. If you have a number of .ARC's and .PAK's mixed in a
     directory named C:\com the following commands can be used..

     ZIPPER c:\com

     this will change all the .PAK and .ARC files so that when
     done directory c:\com will have nothing but .ZIP files..

     ZIPPER c:\com\*.arc /b /l

     this will change all the .ARC files to .ZIP but leave the
     .PAK files intact.. C:\COM will have only .ZIP and .PAK files
     in it..no .ARC's. It will run without intervention in batch
     mode and a log will be kept of the session..

     Let's say you run a bbs and have a directory full of .ARC
     files you want to change to .ZIP.. The directory name is
     C:\bbs\dl1. Enter the following..

     ZIPPER c:\bbs\dl1 /l /b /d

     ZIPPER will go to dl1 and since it is full of .ARC files it
     will convert every one into a .ZIP file. Entering a directory
     with no filenames is the same as \*.* and all files will be
     converted. Notice that if the directory has both .ARC and
     .PAK files they all will be converted to ZIP. Any .GIF, .MAC
     or other extension files are always ignored.. again a log will
     be kept of the entire conversion session, and at the end of
     the session the /d switch will cause all bad files to be
     deleted.. the filenames and paths will be in the log file..

     If you have only one file to convert just enter the filename
     as in ZIPPER pascal.arc  The file PASCAL.ARC will be
     converted to PASCAL.ZIP.. as simple as that..

     There is only one requirement for setup on ZIPPER. You must
     set an environment variable SPAT to the path of your archive
     utilities.. PKUNPAK.EXE, PAK.EXE and PKZIP.EXE.

     example.

     set spat=c:\utility

     will tell ZIPPER to look in directory C:\UTILITY for the
     archving files. And to use this directory to store his config
     file and the badfile list..

     This command can be placed in your autoexec.bat file and
     ZIPPER will automatically be set up every time you boot..

     if you should get an error " out of environment space " when



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     you boot use the command..

     shell=command.com c:\ /e:1024 /p
     Dos 3.3

     or
     shell=c:\command.com /e:1024 /p
     Dos 3.2

     in your CONFIG.SYS file.. using the drive that you boot from
     and where your copy of command.com is located. This will
     increase your environment area to 1k bytes but will not work
     on early versions of DOS. Most later versions will accept
     either command..

     If you are running DesqView or some other muti-taskers they
     DO NOT pass the environment variables correctly by default.
     Drop from DV to Dos and set SPAT.. it will work in DV then.

     ZIPPER will also use this path to create it's own
     configuration file the first time you run it. You can modify
     this file ZIPPER.CFG to reflect your unarchive command ( if
     you have modified the commands in PAK.EXE ), the name you
     want to call PKUNPAK ( ie. PKXARC etc.. ), and the actual
     commands you send to PKZIP setting the level of compression.
     Defaults are provided in the ZIPPER.CFG file for standard
     operation at ZIP's highest compression level.. ZIPPER will
     also use this directory to create a BADFILE.LOG file that
     lists any and all .ARC or .PAK files that were bad and failed
     to uncompress.. Make sure that you set PAK up right. Read the
     notes in the READ.ME file or below under the heading
     IMPORTANT on running the PAKINSTAL program on PAK.EXE.. He
     can be dangerous if he is not installed correctly and you use
     him outside of his home dir. With the SPAT variable set and
     PAKINSTAL run on your copy of PAK.EXE ZIPPER will run from
     any drive or directory as long as he is in your path..
     Note that in revision E a new entry has been added to the CFG
     file.. It is a comment that you can add to any and all files
     that ZIPPER converts.. sysop's can put their BBS and phone
     number in the last line of the CFG file and it will comment
     all their conversions with an advertisement.. If you delete
     your original CFG file on the earlier versions ZIPPER will
     create a new one with a tag like this..

      e
     pkunpak
      -eb4 -ea4
     * place your comments here for tagging *

     The first line is the command that causes PAK to unarchive
     files.. the default is e. Line two is the name you want to
     use for PKUNPAK.. ie. it could be PKXARC. Line three is the
     command sent to PKZIP and specifies the compression level as
     tightest.. The fourth line is the new comment line. The rules
     are if the first character of the comment is a * character..



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     or if the last line of your CFG file is blank then no comment
     will be added to the new zips.. otherwise whatever you place
     in the last line of your CFG file gets tagged onto every ZIP
     file you create, automatically.. to temporarily disable
     comments just stick a * character at the start of the line..

     ZIPPER will run from whatever directory you are currently in
     and will create its work directory there.. this is so you can
     build a ramdisk and cd to it and optimize for speed. Just make
     sure when you run ZIPPER that there is enough disk space under
     you to unarc the largest arc you will encounter..


     operation

     ZIPPER converts a file at a time and creates a .\LOWER
     subdirectory under your current directory to work in. The
     work directory is deleted when done..if there is an abort or
     error during compression of an already unarced file the
     program will prompt you, so if you want you can save the work
     directory data.. The work directory will contain the last
     unarced file's contents if a file has been unarced and not
     repacked... Any errors encountered with bad arcs are handled
     by inserting the time,date and pathname of the bad .ARC or
     .PAK file into the file BADFILE.LOG and ZIPPER goes onto the
     next file.. ZIPPER will abort cleanly if you press escape..
     Make sure there is enough disk space under you when you run
     ZIPPER to hold the largest arc/pak you plan to convert..

     ZIPPER saves the original date and time of the file and
     touches the new .ZIP file, so the original file date is
     preserved.. and you don't wind up with all your directory
     files dated the day of the conversion..

     ZIPPER creates a file in your SPAT directory called
     BADFILES.LOG. Everytime you run ZIPPER it places the time and
     date of the run in the BADFILE.LOG file as well as any files
     it finds which fail to unarchive.. here is a sample of the
     file..

     ZIPPER badfiles Sunday February 5, 1989 time  8:40:26 p.m.
     d:\arcs\hold\mona.pak
     d:\arcs\hold\nc12.arc
     d:\arcs\hold\nc13.arc
     ZIPPER badfiles Sunday February 5, 1989 time  8:53:25 p.m.
     d:\arcs\hold\mj12.pak
     d:\arcs\hold\mono.arc
     d:\arcs\hold\mj12.arc


     If you use the /l option with ZIPPER it will create a file
     in your SPAT directory called ZIPPER.LOG which will contain
     a log of the entire conversion.. here is an example of a
     ZIPPER.LOG file..




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     ZIPPER runlog. Thursday February 10, 1989 time  4:19:42 p.m.
     ════processing file c:\com\loads\test\bb_vs_ml.arc
     ════processing file c:\com\loads\test\stant.pak
     ╔═══════   bad archive file  ══════════╗
     error occured during extraction of c:\com\loads\test\stant.pak
       file being processed.. c:\com\loads\test\stant.pak is bad arc
       badfile logged...
     ════processing file c:\com\loads\test\ffx.arc
     ════processing file c:\com\loads\test\badone.arc
     found embedded ARC file FFF.ARC
     processing FFF.ARC in c:\com\loads\test\badone.arc
     bad archive file FFF.ARC in ARC
     c:\com\loads\test\badone.arc  unsalvagable.. ARC logged..
     ════processing file c:\com\loads\test\limerick.arc
     ════processing file c:\com\loads\test\bullet.arc
     ════processing file c:\com\loads\test\usenet.arc
     ════processing file c:\com\loads\test\ctype.arc
     ════processing file c:\com\loads\test\goodone.arc
     found embedded ARC file CTYPE.ARC
     processing CTYPE.ARC in c:\com\loads\test\goodone.arc
     found another embedded ARC file SELPSC13.ARC
     processing SELPSC13.ARC in c:\com\loads\test\goodone.arc
     ════processing file c:\com\loads\test\stanho.arc

     as you can see ZIPPER unarcs and rezips arcs and paks that
     are embedded inside ARCS and of course retains the correct
     date and time of the file..

     Entering ZIPPER with no arguments will bring up a help
     screen.

     IMPORTANT:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

     PAK can be dangerous in that if you want to run it outside
     the current directory you need to run a program called
     PAKINST to install it and tell it where it's CNF file is
     located. This install program is in the .PAK arc ( ie.
     PAK151.ARC or PAK16.ARC ) but it's use is documented in the
     back of the docs and many people miss it. PAK can do some
     very undesirable things if it is used outside it's home
     directory without being installed.. Make sure and run PAKINST
     and tell PAK where it's config file is before you use the set
     command with ZIPPER and start using it outside of the PAK.EXE
     directory..

     If you appreciate and use this program please send $15 or what
     you think the program is worth to you to..

             FAST LOGIC OUTLAWS
             J.L. Pearson
             344 N. Acadia
             Wichita Ks.
             67212

     make all checks payable to J.L. Pearson..



     ZIPPER.DOC             Sunday, February 19, 1989 8:10 pm             Page 6




     I will not be held responsible for any damage caused by this
     program.. it is distributed as is. Care should be taken to
     insure enough disk space to do the conversions. A tightly
     packed floppy with PAK files can not have enough room to hold
     the larger loosely compressed .ZIP files. The program will
     abort when the disk is full and the last unarchived file will
     be in the work directory.. The program has been tested on
     many computers and if your computer will run PK and PAK and
     you have correctly INSTALLED your PAK.EXE program you should
     have no problems..

                             J.L. Pearson
                             President and founder Bytebrothers
                             Member Fast Logic Outlaws
                             Wichita Ks.

     a note..

     We have all waited some time during the debacle between Phil
     Katz's PKWARE vrs. SEA hassles. Phil has lost his PK code and
     gone back to sqaure one while SEA's releases have found
     remarkable new performance.. Phil has noted in his ZIP
     release that the extension ZIP is released to the public
     domain.. unlike SEA's attitude on ARC. I think this about
     sums it up.. SEA now has the right to use ZIP on it's
     tombstone and Phil can't complain let alone sue.. The worm
     has turned folks..get Zippin. R.I.P. ARC, may it rot in the SEA !

                                             The Bytebrothers