Palm Utilities/Palm_Utilities_CD-ROM_2001_2001.iso/files/utils misc/Boxer 0.18/Boxer018.exe/boxer/README.txt

Text File | 2000-07-09 | 13.7 KB | 397 lines

BOXER (tm) - File packager and handler for the Palm.

"The first new transport layer for SneakerNet" (tm).

Get rid of those floppys you use to transport small files.

Beam your resume or pictures of your grandchildren.

Download zips directly into your Palm VII and install the PRCs and
READMES without your PC.

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

Release 0.18

[This is still and will for a while be an early beta release that is
very useful, but not very clean, even this readme].

Tom Zerucha - [e-mail]

Distributed under the GNU General Public License - see license.html
and include it with any distribution or derivative works.  Binaries
are being distributed separately, but anyone who wants to mirror the
binaries must include a way of getting the source under this license.

Portions... (mainly because I probably plagaurized too much of
TextCond for BoxCond):

* Copyright (c) 1998
* 3Com/Palm Computing Division.  All rights reserved.

(see notice at the end of this file)

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

HOWTO

Install Boxer.prc (and ZLib.prc if you want to (g)unzip files on your
palm).  Grab a linux or windows packager in the appropriate directory.

Now box some files - e.g. find a zip (or even gzipped tar), and create
a box or two.

Linux & other CLIs:

Simply run "box file1 [file2 ...] and each file will be boxed creating
a corresponding .pdb file you can upload with pilot-link.  Unbox is
just as simple, do "unbox file1.pdb [file2.pdb]...".  You can use grep
to search for BOXR and DBLK which should only be in box PDB files.

Windows:

There are two ways of creating boxes - if you just run WinBoxer, it
will present a file open dialog, so just select files.  Alternately,
you can drag files on top of WinBox and it will automatically invoke
the install app to hotsync your files.  WINDOWS 95 NOTE: It won't
automatically invoke the install app, but will generate a .pdb file
with a similar (actually 8.3 Doslike) name in the same directory as
the original file which you can manually install.

For unboxing, after hotsyncing, the boxes should appear in the backup
directory for your user under the Palm desktop directory.

You can either run WinUnbox and get a file dialog, or drag files on
top.  A save dialog will appear for each box it finds (or a "not a
box" message).

If you prefer to automate things, copy BoxrCn20.dll into your Palm
desktop directory (where HotSync is).  Then use instboxr.exe (run it
from your Palm directory or it will complain about a missing DLL), and
click Yes to install, No to remove the registry entries (or just
doubleclick unbox.reg to edit the registry directly).

If it works (and you have a box on the Palm), it will download to the
Unboxed directory under your user director in the Palm directory
(where the backup directory is - see your manual or search for
unbox*).  You probably want to create a shortcut from your desktop to
this directory.  THE FILES WILL AUTOMATICALLY BE UNBOXED while the
HotSync runs.

Macintosh:

When I get both a Macintosh and a little free time, but the source is
there if you want to work with it.

Palm:

Run Boxer on the palm and the file should appear in the selection screen.

Note there is a box with zlib in it.  To beam Boxer, you can use
launcher, but you will also need to beam ZLib for decompression,
so beam boxer first, then use boxer to sent the boxed Zlib, and
have the receiver do Install -> To DB on the boxed Zlib.

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

BUTTONS

(I don't use dropdown menus because they obscure the file list).

Main menu:

File brings up a file operations menu, Install brings up a
menu for unboxing palm databases, and (Un)Zip brings up the
compression/decompression menu.

Exit in the bottom right corner goes up one level.

the (?) brings up usage tips for any screen.

File menu:

Select a box, then you can do file operations.

Delete will remove a box you don't want on your Palm anymore.

Beam will send a box to another Palm (requires Boxer on the remote
Palm, both need to be able to beam).

Copy will duplicate the box (with a different name).

Info will show you information about the box and let you rename it or
change attributes.  It also lets you change boxes that didn't come
from a desktop (e.g. downloaded via the internet) so that they will be
unboxed by the conduit (see IMPORTANT NOTE below).

Install menu:

Select a box, then you can do install operations.

To DB installs the box (it must be a prc, pdb, or pqa, or in that
format), optionally deleting the box itself.

To Doc will take any box and save it off as a .DOC file so Aportis, or
QED or other DOC reader can read it.  Note that no text conversion
occurs (may be an option later), so your results may vary.  This can
be destructive or nondestructive.  It implements standard .DOC file
compression.  (Note I plan on enforcing the GPL for my compressor).

(Un)Zip menu:

Select a box, then you can do decompression operations.

If it is a .ZIP, tapping unzip brings up a new menu with a directory
of the zip, and you can unbox (to a box) any of the files inside the
zip archive.

If it is a .TAR archive, tapping untar will bring up a menu allowing
you to extract any file just like the unzip.

If the file has been gzipped, tapping gunzip will decompress the file
to another box, removing any .gz extension, .tgz will output as .tar,
and anything else will have .guz appended.

RipUnX is a batch mode.  It will gunzip a .gz file, or unzip every
entry in a zip archive (or untar a tar) - it does so destructively, so
the tar, gzip, or zip will disappear.  This is so you can work with
very low memory - room is freed as the unarchiving occurs, but it can
fail and you would have to manually restore the box.

GZip will compress a box, optionally preserving it or replacing it.
It creates a gzip format file.  Gzipping an already compressed file
will work but won't save much memory.  The compression settings are
lower than that on desktops, but you can get 3:1 or higher on text.

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

[Example useages, walkthroughs]

BOX TRANSFER - FLOPPY REPLACEMENT

And if you hotsync on a different computer, the boxes will appear in
the backup directory where you can use the UnBox utility to recreate
the original file.

OMNISKY/PalmVII/Wireless kit

HiBrowz (browz.prc) is a helper app that downloads boxes from URLs.

If you simply run it you can enter data into the text field for the
URL and it will attempt to download it.  YOU NEED A PALM VII OR
WIRELESS KIT OR SOMETHING SUPPORTING THE CLIPPER.  Note the edit menu
is present so you can paste URLs from elsewhere or cut them (to save
off) or other similar things.

It also handles clipper download URLs.  For example, if you can browse
my web page at http://www.execpc.com/~tz you will find a PQA testing
section with tzgps.zip (my GPS program) with a URL of the form:

palm:BRWS.appl?http://www.execpc.com/~tz/tzgps.zip

If you tap on it on your VII or OmniSky it will download the file into
Boxer.  PalmGear does this with autoinstall PQAs only, but with boxer
you can save money using zipped files and include the documentation.

You can use PQAnywhere (included) to access my website and test this,
just enter http://www.execpc.com/~tz/ and tap the Now! button.

IF YOU DON'T HAVE WIRELESS WEB CLIPPING, BUT HAVE INTERNET:

LoBrowz web client is included if you don't have clipper but have a
modem or cradle that can link to the net.  It is almost identical to
HiBrowz.  It only does http, but will work on any port, so you can
enter more URLs.  It doesn't support https URLs, only http.

IMPORTANT NOTE ON BOXER CREATOR TYPES.

Boxer supports four types of boxes.

BOXR are for transfers between desktops (requires the backup bit to
download to the unbox directory using the conduit, or to the normal
backup directory).

BRWS is for the files downloaded by HiBrowz.

NZIP is reserved for zipped files.

ATCH is for the files made available by Atache

On the Info screen, you can make something a BOXR file, so you can
transport it to your desktop (remember to set the backup bit and
save).

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

COMPILING

For the Palm you need the old GCC tools - this is because I use a GLIB
for zlib, and the new tools had a problem with compiling zlib even
statically.

You also need txttobmp, which is in the LinBox directory (as source).

Windows uses Visual C of some flavor, and Mac uses CodeWarrior.  The
linux version is the generic command line GCC version (though the open
modes should be binary if you port it to something like WinGNU).

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

OTHER STUFF

Atache web SERVER is available that will serve up boxes, but it can
only handle one connection at a time and is rather brittle, but you
can do simple HTML pages (with links to images instead of inlines).

ZLib is in a separate PRC because it has multiple uses beyond just
Zips and GZips.  Portable Network Graphics (PNG) use it.  PPP Deflate
uses it.

ZLib has a homepage at:

    http://www.info-zip.org/pub/infozip/zlib/

Which includes all the versions, source, and technical details you
would ever want.

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

TODO

-High--------------------------

Scrollbar when less than a screenful of boxes.

Give warnings (and a chance to rename) for Overwrites (DmCreate/FOpen)

Boxes under 4K will report as 4K at times (palm bug).

There appears to be no official way to find the Palm directory install
under Windows.  (You use DLLs, but those are in the Palm directory,
and not on the Path so can't be found).

User Quickstart, Manual, and other documentation.

* Erase All (or most) - faster multi delete.

Macintosh apps

Prefs - for delete, install, beam receive, etc. make confirms
optional

Do I want menus and shortcuts?

RipUnX -> RipIt, add 2nd phase stop/install/ask; install/leave/delete

BoxOpen! auto RipIt (for installs of other software)

-Medium--------------------------

Verify the backup bits are either set, or that there is a reason to
not set them.

* Check/process the Read-Only database bit correctly. (for delete or
overwrite, prompt?) or don't use it.

DmDatabaseProtect (for delete protection)?

Insure makedb handles read/only database attribute correctly (set
after writing?).

Pass a database and function code as an API

Clean up other progress bars.

-Low-

PNG viewer

Assemble several boxes (download part1, part2, part3, etc.).

Clean up no boxes condition.

Scratchpad size should be a preference, and failures should autoexpand
the DB and the pref entry.

Look into ExgReadDB / ExgWriteDB for makedb and beaming

Allow multiple selections (checkboxes) where appropriate, maybe select
all and unselect all in the menu.

Get a Mac (why should I get a life when linux now runs on powerbooks
simultaneously with MacOS?)

Possible future file ops: Paste Clipboard to box, DB->box, Doc->box

PGP: armoring, literal wrapping, and compression - crypto later

Conversion or installation for other viewers, e.g. gif to doodle; Mail
messages or attachment handling]

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

HISTORY/CHANGELOG (by tz unless otherwise noted).

0.18 - BoxCond install.  GZip added.  More internal tweaks.  LoBrowz.
       Set creator to BOXR.  Major fix to Lin/WinBox core.

0.17 - WinBox fixes and notes.  UnBoxCond does more than one file now.

0.16 - attribute checkboxes.  Persistent selection.

0.15 - main screen not selectable, copy progress cleanup, autooff
    timer resets, use database for directories.

0.14 - beaming fixed (again, I need to ensure changes stay that way),...
    scrollbars!!!. gunzip progress indicator

0.13 - HiBrowz updated, copy & info added, more bugfixes.

0.12 - more UI and other bugfixes, ungzipping now demangles names
sanely, i.e. X.gz -> X, X.tgz -> X.tar

0.11 - UI rework, some bugfixes.

0.10 - first version on my web page

0.0 - source announced and released at MacHack.

-----------------------
/*********************************************************************
*
* Copyright (c) 1998
* 3Com/Palm Computing Division.  All rights reserved.
*
* Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
* modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions
* are met:
* 1. Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright
*    notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer.
* 2. Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above
*    copyright notice, this list of conditions and the following
*    disclaimer in the documentation and/or other materials provided
*    with the distribution.
* 3. All advertising materials mentioning features or use of this
*    software must display the following acknowledgement:
* This product includes software developed by 3Com and its
* contributors.
* 4. Neither 3Com nor the names of its contributors may be used to
*    endorse or promote products derived from this software
*    without specific prior written permission.
*
* THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE 3COM AND CONTRIBUTORS ``AS IS''
* AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED
* TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A
* PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL 3COM OR
* CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL,
* SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT
* LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF
* USE, DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND
* ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY,
* OR TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY
* OUT OF THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY
* OF SUCH DAMAGE.
*
*******************************************************************/