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UPDATE.DOC
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1993-06-04
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UPDATE.DOC, ARJ 2.41 April 1993
This documents new or updated information since ARJ 2.30.
** IMPORTANT NEWS ****************************************************
The main changes to this release compared to ARJ 2.30 are faster
compression speed, a better security envelope, and improved
backup usage features. There is a very slight improvement in
compression size. For some users, there is a noticeable
improvement in processing speed with diskette based archives.
ARJ uses a NEW SECURITY ENVELOPE scheme. This version does NOT
recognize the previous envelope scheme nor will ARJ 2.39b and
before recognize the new security envelope scheme. This is
INTENTIONAL as there exist hacks of the previous ARJ security
envelope. You can use a previous version of ARJ to verify older
envelopes.
The previous ARJ-SECURITY codes do not work with this new
version. New codes and software will be mailed to ALL old and
new ARJ-SECURITY customers within weeks of this release.
The ARJ listfile feature (!listfile) has a new option "-hl" to
display included filenames that cannot be found on the disk and
to subsequently return a non-zero errorlevel.
The "-he" option from ARJ 2.39b has changed function.
Software developers of programs which support the ARJ format
should take note of the following two changes.
The self-extractor modules have been changed significantly. The
standard ARJSFX module is 15K bytes in size. A larger 17K
ARJSFX module supports ARJ-SECURITY. The main ARJ header no
longer follows immediately after the EXE module.
Various fields in the ARJ main header have been defined for use
at 2.39 and above.
The large ARJSFX module will NOT prompt for permission to
continue the extraction if the "-e", "-x" or "-y" arguments have
been specified.
The small ARJSFXJR module will count the skipping of files that
already exist as minor errors. This ARJSFXJR skipping will
generate a DOS errorlevel of 1, while other errors will generate
a DOS errorlevel of 2. However, with the new "-n" command line
option, ARJSFXJR will not count skips as an error. The ARJSFXJR
module now supports command line options.
To prevent novices from using ARJ to update a multiple volume
archive, ARJ will not allow a multiple volume update unless the
new "-hu" option has been specified. Only multiple volume experts
should try updating these type of archives.
The "-y" option no longers suppresses the multiple volume prompt
when the volume resides on a removable media drive such as a
diskette drive. You can suppress the volume prompt with "-jyv".
The processing of "-jy" and "-v" switch options have been
improved to be consistent with other switch processing.
The ARJ yes/no query prompts have been changed to have a local
and a global effect. See the USER PROMPTS section below.
A new user prompt has been added just before asking for a new
filename during extraction when not overwriting.
Whenever archiving to diskettes, it is HIGHLY recommended that the
option "-jt" be used. This helps spot BAD diskettes or BAD
diskette drives. It is HIGHLY recommended that the "-jt" option
be used in a multi-tasking or network environment.
The command "ARJ e -d archive *.*" will now prompt for permission
to complete the deletion.
Unless the "-jr" (recover) switch is used, ARJ will delete any file
extracted with a CRC or Bad file data error.
The "m" (move) command and "-d" option will NOW delete directories
selected with the "-a1" option.
UNERASE or UNDELETE commands do not always recover a file
correctly. This will result in damaged archives. This is true
for all archive types. You should always test an archive after
unerasing it.
If you use the software disk cache, HYPERDISK, see the KNOWN ARJ
ISSUES section in ARJ.DOC for important information.
**********************************************************************
USER PROMPTS
The ARJ user prompts have been improved to provide more
flexibility. In addition to the normal yes and no responses, ARJ
also accepts the following responses: quit, always, skip, global,
and command.
"Global" sets ARJ to inhibit all subsequent user prompts by assuming
YES for all queries as if "-y" were specified.
The "Always" response has changed. It now sets ARJ to assume YES
for subsequent queries of the same class. For example, answering
YES to the overwrite query will assume YES for ALL subsequent
overwrite queries.
"Skip" sets ARJ to assume NO for ALL subsequent queries of the same
class.
Subsequent user prompt messages will still be output to the screen
after the "always" and "skip" responses but no user response will be
accepted.
"Command" prompts for one DOS command and then executes it. ARJ
then returns to expect an answer to the current yes/no query. You
should keep the query in mind as ARJ does NOT always redisplay
the full query message.
ARJ ERROR LEVELS
ARJ will now return a DOS errorlevel of 9 when trying to process a
file that is NOT an ARJ archive.
With the new option "-hl", ARJ will return a non-zero errorlevel
when a user specified filename from within an ARJ listfile cannot
be found on disk. Ordinarily, ARJ returns no error for such a
situation.
ARJ ARCHIVE NAME WILDCARDING
ARJ allows the wildcarding of the archive parameter for ARJ
commands other than the add commands (a, f, j, m, u). If the "-r"
option is specified, ARJ will scan through subdirectories looking
for ARJ archives to process.
This feature allows a user to delete a specific file from a series
of archives.
Example: ARJ d *.ARJ bbs.ad
This feature could also be used to extract a series of archives.
Example: ARJ e *.ARJ
ARJ COMMAND LINE PROCESSING
The option "-x-" will now ignore any previous "-xfilename" options.
ARJSFX COMMAND LINE PROCESSING
The larger ARJ self-extractor (-je) supports the new command line
option "-s" to allow the skipping of the ARJ-SECURITY envelope
verification test if an envelope exists.
ARJSFXJR COMMAND LINE PROCESSING
The small ARJ self-extractor (-je1) supports command line
options.
ARJSFXJR [-switch(es)] [drive:][target_dir\]
switches:
n: set ARJSFXJR to NOT count as an error the skipping of files
o: set ARJSFXJR to overwrite existing files
You can specify a target_directory or drive or both. However,
you must specify the ending "\" or ":" symbol.
ARJSFXJR -o C:\SOFT\ -> self-extract into directory "C:\SOFT\"
in overwrite mode.
ARJ COMMANDS
"a" command
When adding files that replace files in an archive, ARJ will now
display a "Replacing " message to indicate an overwrite.
"e" and "x" commands
When overwriting a file, ARJ will display file size and date-time
information concerning the ARJ file and the DISK file.
"p" command
When using the ARJ "p" command to redirect output to a viewer
program such as "LIST", ARJ will now set the date-time stamp of
the intermediate temporary file to the date of the archived file
as opposed to the current date and time.
ARJ SWITCHES
"-b3" switch
The "-b3" switch is used to reset the archive bits of files being
extracted. It is useful for setting the archive state so that a
subsequent incremental backup will not backup these extracted
files.
"-d" switch
The "-d" switch when used during extraction with the wildcard "*.*"
will prompt the user for permission to delete the files. This
prompt can be suppressed with the "-y" or "-jyd" options.
"-i2" switch
The "-i2" switch sets ARJ to display a combined percentage and
bar progress display.
"-m" switch
The "-m1" and "-m2" compression methods have been modified to
improve the compression ratios.
"-od" switch
The "-od" switch sets ARJ to select files no older than the
specified number of days. The days are calculated from midnight.
Examples: ARJ a archive -od0 select files modified today
ARJ a archive -od1 select files modified yesterday
and today
"-v" switch
When the multiple volume ARJ files to be used are located on drives
with removable media (diskette drives, etc.), ARJ will ALWAYS
PROMPT for the next diskette even with the "-y" option specified.
However, you can suppress the next volume prompt with the "-jyv"
option. At DOS versions before 3.0, only drives A and B are
considered removable.
After the pause to change diskettes, ARJ will check to make sure
that the diskette has been changed. However, this check is limited
to 3 retries for the same volume.
ARJ will not allow the updating of multiple volume archives unless
the "-hu" option is specified.
The "r" modifier allows the reservation of disk space on the first
volume. The number after the "r" specifies the space to reserve.
This is useful for software installation volumes built on the hard
disk.
Example: ARJ a install -v360r50K make first volume 50000 bytes
smaller than 360K.
Example: ARJ u archive -v360u
The "z" modifier works like the "s" modifier except that the system
command is NOT echoed to the screen.
The "-v" switch now accepts its modifiers in any order. The "s"
and "z" modifiers must be last because any succeeding text is
considered the system command to execute.
Examples: ARJ a volume -vavw beep, autosize, whole files
ARJ a volume -vavsDIR beep, autosize, execute DIR
"-w" switch
When using the "-w" switch while archiving to multiple volumes, ARJ
will check the available disk space in the work directory. If
there is not enough space, ARJ will prompt for permission to
continue. This prompt can be suppressed with the "-y" and "-jyd"
switches.
"-y" switch
The "-y" switch will no longer suppress the "-v" next volume prompt
when the archive is located on a drive with removable media such as
a diskette drive.
"-ja1" switch
The "-ja1" switch will suppress the display of the archive comment.
"-jn" switch
The "-jn" switch is used to restart a multiple volume archive. The
index file created by the "-ji" switch at ARJ 2.39 and above can be
used to facilitate restarting. Please note that index files
created by older versions of ARJ will not work with this restart
method. This method uses the "-jn" syntax without a filename. The
previously written index file is scanned to determine the restart
information.
To use this method of restarting, you must specify the "-ji" switch
to build an index file while archiving to multiple volumes. To
restart an interrupted sequence, simply specify the EXACT SAME
command line as before and add "-jn". ARJ will determine the
archive name, the restart filename, and the restart file position.
Example: ARJ a a:volume -va c:\*.* -r -jiINDEX.FIL
ARJ a a:volume -va c:\*.* -r -jiINDEX.FIL -jn
"-jp" switch
The "-jp" switch will be ignored if the ARJ output has been
redirected as in "ARJ l archive -jp > dump".
"-jr" switch
The "end of file" error message will no longer be displayed when
using the "-jr" option on a valid ARJ archive.
"-jr1" switch
The "-jr1" switch should be used when "-jr" switch usage cannot
access some files in a damaged archive because of a premature end
of archive marker.
"-jy" switch
The "-jy" switch options are now parsed like other switches with
regard to toggling and the "+/-" modifiers. You can also specify
multiple occurrences of the "-jy" options.
Examples: -jyo -jyo evaluates to no change
-jyo -jyo+ evaluates to suppress overwrite prompt
-jyo+c+y+ evaluates to suppress overwrite and create
prompts and use single key input mode
"-ha" switch
The "-ha" switch sets ARJ to reset the attributes of a file to be
overwritten or a file to be deleted. This allows the overwrite or
delete operation to proceed.
A slight performance degradation may result from using this option.
Examples: ARJ e archive -ha
ARJ m archive -ha dir\*.*
"-hc" switch
The "-hc" switch sets ARJ to execute a DOS command at the start of
the execution of ARJ immediately after the command line switch
options have been processed, but before the wildcard search is
started. This can be used to clear the screen to hide the command
line or to provide a pause option to allow swapping diskettes.
Examples: ARJ a -hcCLS archive -gpassword
ARJ a -hcPAUSE archive *.*
"-he" switch
The "-he" switch sets ARJ to skip the verification procedure when
accessing an ARJ-SECURED ARJ archive. This verification procedure
is time consuming and need only be done once to be sure of the
integrity of the archive.
"-he1" switch
The "-he" switch sets ARJ to abort with an error code of 4 when
processing a possibly ARJ-SECURED archive. This is useful as a
REARJ.CFG option for ARJ. This will prevent REARJ from converting
an ARJ-SECURED archive to the same or another format.
Examples: ARJ l secured.arj -he1
"-hi" switch
The "-hi" switch when used with the "-ji" switch sets ARJ to
include the file date-time stamp, the original file size, the
compressed file size, the compression ratio, and the filename in
the index file.
Example: ARJ a a:backup c:\*.* -r -va -jiINDEX -hi
"-hl" switch
The "-hl" switch sets ARJ to report the "file not found" type of
errors when processing the filenames in an ARJ listfile during an
"add" type command (a, f, m, u). ARJ will subsequently return a
non-zero DOS errorlevel when such an error has been found.
Previous versions of ARJ ignored these types of errors.
Example: ARJ a a:backup !listfile -va -hl
"-hs" switch
The "-hs" switch sets ARJ to disable its file sharing support.
This may be necessary for some unusual applications.
"-hu" switch
The "-hu" switch sets ARJ to allow the updating of multiple volume
archives. At this revision, by default, ARJ does not allow
updating of multiple volume archives because of the possibility of
losing data.
Example: ARJ c archive -hu -zcomment.txt
"-hw" switch
The "-hw" switch sets the ARJ w command to display the
"Searching ..." filenames messages in a scroll saving format.
Filenames of files that do not contain string matches will be
overwritten on the screen.
The "-hw1" switch sets the ARJ w command to ONLY display the
"Searching ..." filenames messages for files that contain string
messages.
"-hx" switch
The "-hx" switch allows the user to specify what the default file
extension or extensions that are to be used by ARJ to access
archive names that are not specified with file extensions. ARJ
will assume that the first extension specified will be the main
default extension.
Examples: ARJ a archive *.* -hx.SDN assumes default .SDN
file extension
ARJ l archive -hx.SDN.ARJ looks for archive.SDN and
if not found, then looks
for archive.ARJ
end document