This is an english translation of the READ.ME file included in the 
SFX_LZH.LZH file. Except for a few additions in brackets { } to clarify 
the information everything has been translated. 

It seems that this program converts LZH archives to selfextracting
archives with either a TOS or SFX extension. An additional benefit is
the speed increase over LHarc when unpacking the archive. 

                                           Enjoy in good health
                                           Chris Mueller


**************************************************************
*                                                            *
*  SFX_LZH - ST  generator for self extracting LZH-archives  *
*                                                            *
*  (C) 1989 by Stefan Gross                                  *
*              Ruselerweg 25                                 *
*              2050 HH 80     {HH stands for Hamburg}        *
*                                                            *
*  This is a public domain program, please pass it around    *
**************************************************************



Updateversion V1.5 of 10/9/89

It was time for another update !                

- Considering the soon to be distributed new verision of LHarc {0.51), which 
  can also pack folders, I was forced to adapt SFX once again. Archives that 
  contain complete pathnames could not be dearced using the older versions
  {of SFX}. In this version you can choose if, while dearcing, the necessary
  folders need to be created. Simply choose "Extract with folders -> YES"
  for that situation. 
  If you choose "NO", then the pathnames will be ignored and all files will
  be dearced in the current directory {where SFX was started from}.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Updateversion V1.4 of 10/5/89

Did I say yesterday that V1.3 would be the absolute last version, then
I will have to bug you again with another update. I already included
two proposals for changes (hi Volker and Olig!).

- Since some people didn't like the SFX-Extension (how inflexible!)
  you can choose now between "TOS" and "SFX". 

- You can now pass on paramters to the program through the comandline
  e.g. if you run it through a shell. But please do not change the name
  {of the program} to TTP. You can define the source (LZH-file) and 
  destination (SFX-file) file including the complete pathnames in the
  command line.

  Example:   SFX_LZH.PRG a:\demo\test.lzh c:\archiv\test.sfx

  Both names of the files have to be passed on.

Preview :

  Sometime in the next few weeks I will look into a complete inclusion
  of LHarc. Hopefully it will be 2-3 times faster than LHarc ST 0.40 when 
  packing files {to self-extracting SFX archives}.

Stefan

---------------------------------------------------------------

Updateversion V1.3 of 10/3/89

  This is the final version of SFX_LZH. It includes now error checking.
  While unpacking, the created CRC checksum of the file will be compared
  to the entry in the archive, eventual dearc errors will be displayed as
  "CRC-Error".

  The speed of operation has been tremendously increased. Testing showed
  that an SFX file {extraction} was 2.5 times faster than an LHarc-ST 0.40
  {extraction}
  
  For the test FLASH, the dial directory, the resource file and the CNF
  were packed into a LZH archive. LHarc took 79 seconds for unpacking,  
  SFX_LZH took only 31.5 seconds. A result that speaks for itself.

  Files will now be created with the extension "SFX" to be immediately
  recognized as self extracting archives. To start these files like a
  TOS program you will have to register it in the desktopinfo {file}.
  Simply write the following line {in the desktop.inf file}:

       "#F 03 04   *.SFX@ @ " {don't use the " }

  and off you go.

  For those that would like to write a listing routine for the content
  of an {SFX} archive : The LZH-Archive in the file starts at an offset
  of 2494 bytes.

  Have fun  .... Stefan

----------------------------------------------------------------

Updateversion V1.2 of 9/30/89

  The resulting file size could again be reduced through optimizing a 
  few function on the assembler level. Also there is a 60% improvement {in
  speed} versus LHarc during unpacking.  

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Updateversion V1.1 of 9/29/89

- Through a few changes it was possible to reduce the dearcing
  routines by 365 bytes. A comparison test with LHarc 0.40
  showed about a 45% increase in speed while unpacking with SFX_LZH.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Hamburg 9/28/89

What has been possible on the PC for a longer period of time, self-
extracting LZH-archives, {is available} now also for the ST.
With the use of this program it is possible to convert existing LZH
archives into programs that will decompress the archive contents
themselves. On can save thus the need for a separate dearcing program
because the dearcing routine is already built in.

This might not be useful for small files since those routines take up
about 3K, but in longer files one ends up still with shorter files 
compared to ARC or ZOO.

As to how to use {the program} there is little to say, simply click on
the "CREATE" button, then choose the archive you want to convert via
the item selector. After that you can determine the destination path 
for the converted program {presumably via item selecetor} - that's it.

{The program} creates a TOS-program where simply the extension "LZH" is
replaced by the "TOS" extension, the original archive remains intact.

Included during dearcing is a safety check {question} in case files with 
the same name already exist in the destination folder.
The files will be written into the same folder where the program was 
started from.

Have Fun !
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