Copyright: MHG*Zip Copyright® 1994 M.H.G. Software Ltd.


Contents
MHG*Zip Help Contents

Overview

How do I....

View the contents of an archive?

Extract all the files in an archive?

Create a new archive?

Use the right mouse button?

Change the startup interface options?

Change the configuration of MHG*Zip?

Get in touch with the author?

Glossary of Terms

Keyword Index


Overview
Overview of MHG*Zip

MHG*Zip provides you with an easy way to deal with different archive file types, within the Windows 3.1 environment.  As well, it handles ZIP files without shelling out to the operating system.
This utility's interface is based on the concept that most people want the fastest way to create or extract from an archive file.  So the basic premise is to give you immediate access to the files you want to process.  Hence the 'source directory' controls, to allow you to navigate to the files.
Similarly, the 'target directory' allows you to navigate to where you want the results of MHG*Zip's process to go.

Control Buttons (click on them for 'How do I...')

 ...starts the Extract function.

 ...starts the View function.

 ... starts the Create function

 ... starts the Configuration function

Please see also:

source directory

target directory


Extract
How do I extract all the files in an archive?

Extracting all the files in an archive is done by clicking on a file in the source files area and confirming the request.

When using the drag 'n drop mode, when you click on a file, it's archive format will become the mouse icon, and you can then drop it on a target sub-directory.

After clicking on the file you want to extract, click on the Extract button.


View Contents
How do I view the contents of an archive?

Start by clicking on the View button.

Viewing the contents of an archive is as simple as clicking on the file in the source directory, and watching the components appear in the archive work area.

Archive Work Area


Create
How do I create a new archive?

Creating a new archive starts with the clicking on the create button.

A work panel is displayed with an area for collecting files, as well as several buttons to allow you to select, clear, and start the creation process.
In drag 'n drop mode, the work area is also a drag 'n drop zone.  Simply click on a file in the source directory file list and drag it into the white work area.
You can assign a password to a new archive by clicking on the 'use password' check box, and entering the password you want.

Remember that the password is case sensitive.

Create a New Archive Panel


Configure
How do I change the configuration of MHG*Zip?

Clicking on the configure button will display the configuration panel.

This panel lets you change the default work paths used by MHG*Zip as well as assigning archivers and/or changing their operating options.  A single click on either list will cause the 'setup' button to be enabled.  Clicking on this button will display a panel specific for the activity you want.
Clicking on a line in the default path list will display a drive, sub-directory, file list panel, similar to the target directory.  You can then change the path to wherever you want.
Clicking on a line where the archiver utilities are listed will display a similar drive, sub-directory, file list panel, as well as any changable options for the archiver utility.

please see also ...

Changing a default path

Changing an archiver utility

Changing archiver options

Changing default 'create' archiver

Configuration Main Panel


Default Path
Changing a default path.

After clicking on a line in the 'paths' list and pressing the setup button, a panel will be displayed, allowing you to change the default path you've selected.

You can enter a new path in the white area beside the Path: label.

Or, you can change the drive or sub-directory to select a new path.


Change Utility
Changing an archiver utility.

After clicking on a line in the current archive utilities' list and pressing the setup button, a panel will be displayed, allowing you to change the archiver's path, as well as any options for the utility.
For the first 14 days of use, MHG*Zip allows the free use of the 'Compression Plus' facility from Elltech Development.  This will allow you to process ZIP format files from within Windows, without shelling out to DOS. 	To use this facility instead of of PKZIP, press the 'Use CompPlus' button when setting up your zip archiver.

You can enter the new path for your archiver in the area beside the 'Path:' label.

Or, you can locate the archiver you want using the drive, sub-directory and file list controls.


Archiver Options
Changing archiver options.

For most archivers supported by MHG*Zip the archiver options are displayed in a single panel.  Just select the option you want, or leave the default settings.

For PKZIP the panel of option choices is larger.


Default Archiver
Changing the default 'create' archiver.

Click on the 'create' archiver utility you want.


Source Directory

This is the source directory control panel, where you can change the drive, sub-directory and file list contents, to find the files you want to process.  After you have chosen a function, the file list will be enabled.

When the 'drag 'n drop' mode is on, clicking on a file in the Source Files area will cause the mouse icon to change to a label stating the file's archive format.

When you change the drive letter, the directory and file lists will be refreshed.  If you are looking at archives on a floppy drive, changing diskettes will not necessarily refresh the directory list.  To do this, double click on the root directory in the directory list, in this case, 'f:\'.


Target Directory

The target directory is where the results of the extract/create process will go.

This is the target directory control panel, where you can change the drive, sub-directory and file list contents.

You can use the right mouse button on a hi-lighted entry in the target directory file list, and
a pop up menu of actions will appear.  You will then be able to print, view, run or delete the file.


Right Mouse Button
How do I use the right mouse button?

Once you have hi-lighted a file in the target files list, you can click it with the right mouse button, to reveal the menu shown here.

 Then you can run an exe, view or print a document file, or delete a file.  You can also delete all the files in the sub-directory as well as the directory itself, so be careful with the 'Delete All'


Startup Options
How do I change the startup options?

First, click on Setup, in the main menu.

Then click on the Interface Startup Configuration menu item.

Then choose the option you wish to set.


Get In Touch
How to get in touch with MHG Software?

If you wish to contact MHG Software Ltd., here is the information that you need.

To correspond by mail, use the following address:

Marshall H. Goodman Software Ltd.,
22 Sycamore Drive,
Thornhill, Ontario,
CANADA, L3T 5V5

To correspond by INTERNET, MHG Software's Internet address is:

goodmama@io.org

To call MHG Software Ltd by telephone, call 905-764-3731.

To use the MHG Software Software Support BBS, you must have a copy of the WinBBS client software.  It is available on Compuserve, and MHG Software includes it with all registered products.

The BBS number is: 905-764-6539.


Glossary of Terms
MHG*Zip Glossary of Terms

A

archive file types

C

chosen archive file

collecting files

Compression Plus

D

default work paths

drag 'n drop mode

R

right mouse button

T

target directory


Keyword Index
MHG*Zip Keyword Index

A

Archiver Options

C

Change Utility

Configure

Contents

Create

D

Default Archiver

Default Path

E

Extract

G

Get In Touch

Glossary of Terms

K

Keyword Index

O

Overview

R

right mouse button

Right Mouse Button

S

Source Directory

Startup Options

T

target directory

Target Directory

V

View Contents


archive file types

MHG*Zip supports processing 7 different archive file types.  ZIP, ZOO, ARJ, LHA, LHArc, ARC and PAK.  You must have on your system the corresponding archiver utility, in order for MHG*Zip to work properly.


chosen archive file

This is an archive file that appears hi-lighted in the 'source files' filelist.


collecting files

When you are creating a new archive, you can collect files from any sub-directory and deposit them in the create work area.  Please remember that some archivers do not support this 'multi-source' create process.


Compression Plus

A facility provided by EllTech Development Inc. that allows the processing of ZIP format archives from within Windows.


default work paths

These are the paths that MHG*Zip will use for processing.  They can be changed using the configuration panel, and can be set off by using the setup menu.  If you set the default paths off, any changes to the target drive/directory path will be remembered from one process to the next.


drag 'n drop mode

After setting the drag 'n drop mode on (using the menu), most actions will result in the mouse pointer to change shape, as well as allowing the 'dragging' of a file to a place, then 'dropping' it there for processing.


right mouse button

After hi-lighting an entry in the target files list, you can click on the right mouse button to pop up a menu of actions, like print, run and  delete.


target directory

Where the files from the archive will end up after sucessfull extract processing.