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- _______________________________________________________________________________
-
- PackDir 1.18 --------------------------
- This program is FREEWARE
- Version date : 30 Dec 1991 --------------------------
-
- ----------------
- - Introduction -
- ----------------
- PackDir will archive an entire directory, including all its subdirectories,
- into a very compact archive file. Directories in archives may be completely
- restored at either their original path or a new path.
-
- PackDir uses LZW compression (also widely used in most present day archivers)
- to substantially reduce the archive's size. It uses highly optimized ARM code
- compression and decompression routines, making it *very* fast, which was
- necessary to make it a viable alternative to the (excellent, but very slow)
- !Spark (de)archiving application by David Pilling.
-
- I wrote PackDir only to facilitate really fast and compact backup, for hard
- discs and the like. PackDir is not meant to be an alternative to Spark in any
- other way, as the archives made by PackDir have an incompatible format.
-
- Speed ?
-
- PackDir archives around 3 times as fast as !Spark, and unpacks about 3.5 times
- as fast, resulting in about the same size archives (0.5% smaller). (!Spark was
- set to 13-bit 'Compress', !PackDir to 13-bit, no background mode. Testing was
- in mode 0).
-
-
- -------------------------
- - Using the application -
- -------------------------
- To start up PackDir, either :
-
- - Double-click on the '!PackDir' icon.
- - Double-click on a PackDir archive file, after !PackDir has been seen by the
- filer.
-
- It will install itself on the icon bar, and clicking MENU on PackDir's icon
- will pop up the main menu (refer to its discussion below).
-
- Archiving a directory
- ---------------------
- To archive a directory, simply drag it onto PackDir's iconbar icon. A save
- window will appear. Dragging the archive icon to a directory viewer will start
- the archiving process.
-
- By default, the leafname of the archive file is set to the directory's
- leafname. You may change this by entering another leafname into the writable
- icon below the archive icon.
-
- NOTE : Pressing CTRL while dragging a directory to PackDir will archive the
- parent of the directory. This is to enable archiving of the root directory ($)
- of a disc. The default leafname will be 'Root', as '$' is an illegal filename.
-
- Unpacking an archive
- --------------------
- To unpack an archive, drag it onto PackDir's iconbar icon, or double-click on
- it. A save window will appear. Dragging the directory icon to a directory
- viewer will start the unpacking process.
-
- By default, the leafname of the directory is set to the leafname of the
- original directory. You may change this by entering another leafname into the
- writable icon below the directory icon.
-
- Unpacking may also be to the original path (including filing system), which has
- been stored in the archive (see the 'Old path' option). In this case, no save
- window will appear, and unpacking starts immediately.
-
- The information window
- ----------------------
- Clicking on the iconbar icon with either SELECT or ADJUST will pop up a report
- window, in which continuous information is given about the actions performed
- during (de)archiving.
-
- 'Old path' indicates the full original path up to and including the directory
- to be archived or being unpacked. 'New path', when unpacking, shows the full
- path of the directory being recreated (i.e. the old path when the 'Old path'
- option is on).
-
- Also shown are :
-
- - The 'local' filename of the current file or directory being (un)archived
- - The length of the last (archiving) or current (unpacking) file or directory
- - The number of compression bits (being) used
- - The compression ratio achieved on the last (archiving) or current (unpacking)
- file or directory
- - The total file data compression ratio so far (archiving), or the total ratio
- (unpacking, shown only at the end)
- - A count of items (files and directories) (un)archived so far (including the
- top directory itself)
- - A red bar representing an amount of original file data processed so far, with
- behind it an amount in bytes.
- When archiving, a full bar represents the total amount of original file data.
- The beige part of the bar represents the size of the current file being
- archived. The amount shows the total amount of original file data in bytes,
- and is not updated.
- When unpacking, the bar is not updated. The amount shows the total amount of
- original file data unpacked so far.
- - A green bar representing an amount of archived file data processed so far,
- with behind it an amount in bytes.
- When archiving, a full bar represents the total amount of original file data.
- If viewed together with the red bar, the relative sizes of the archived file
- data and the original file data, processed so far, may be observed. The
- amount shows the total amount of archived file data accumulated so far.
- When unpacking, a full bar represents the total archive file size. The beige
- part shows the size of the part of the archive that is currently being
- processed. The amount shows the total amount of archived file data processed
- so far.
-
-
- -----------------
- - The main menu -
- -----------------
- Clicking MENU on the iconbar icon will pop up the main menu. The 'Quit' and
- 'Info' icons have their usual effect.
-
- The main purpose of the main menu is to provide access to PackDir's control
- window. The 'Control' icon in the main menu gives access to this control window
- in two ways :
-
- a) Following its submenu arrow, a non-permanent control window is popped up.
- This disappears automatically, subject roughly to normal submenu behaviour.
- b) Clicking on it pops up a permanent control window. This only disappears
- after clicking on its close icon.
-
- Several types of icons appear in the control window :
-
- - Toggle icons. These are square, and clicking on them switches the
- corresponding option on (red square in its middle) or off ('closed' box).
- - Radio icon sets. Icons in these sets are diamond shaped, and act like the
- toggle icons, but only one of them may be on. Switching any one on will
- switch off all the others in the same set (hence the name 'radio' icons).
-
- The functions of the main menu icons and the icons in the control window are
- discussed below. Icons are named by giving their menu 'path', submenu arrows
- being indicated by '|'. Sometimes the text above a set of icons (usually radio
- icons) is indicated as being a 'submenu' in itself.
-
- -----------
- | Control |
- -----------
- This icon gives access to the control window.
-
- -------------------------
- | Control | Compression |
- -------------------------
- This set of radio icons enables you to select the maximum number of bits used
- in LZW compression when archiving a directory.
-
- There is a choice of 12, 13, 14, 15 and 16 bits. More bits usually results in
- better compression. This is especially true on large text files.
-
- The disadvantage of using more bits is that it also requires more memory to
- archive/unpack. In general, for compression (archiving) 12*2^bits and for
- decompression (unpacking) 9*2^bits bytes, i.e. from 48/36K for 12-bit up to
- 786/576K for 16-bit.
-
- When memory allows, choose the lowest number of bits that yields the highest
- compression ratio. Experimentation is the key here.
-
- -------------------
- | Control | Store |
- -------------------
- This set of radio icons determines what is stored in new archive(s).
-
- When 'All' is selected, everything is stored, which is the normal situation.
-
- When 'Skeleton' is selected, everything is stored, except file's contents. This
- setting may be useful, for example, to compactly store away a directory's
- structure only, when the actual file data is irrelevant. E.g. when you need to
- show someone (via a modem) what's in the directory, but, obviously, don't want
- to transmit all the data with it. Obviously, these archives will be very small,
- and will be created very quickly.
-
- ----------------------
- | Control | Recreate |
- ----------------------
- This set of radio icons enables you to select what will be recreated from an
- archive.
-
- When 'All' is selected, everything that's in the archive is recreated, which is
- the normal situation. Archives that were saved as skeletons will unpack like
- 'Envelope' (see below).
-
- When 'Envelope' is selected, everything is recreated, except file's contents.
- Files will have the correct length, but will contain 'junk'. The space taken
- will be exactly the original amount. This setting may be useful, for example,
- to have a quick look at how much room the unpacked directory will require.
-
- When 'Skeleton' is selected, everything is recreated, except file's contents,
- and all file's lengths are set to zero. This setting may be useful, for
- example, to have a quick look at an archive's contents (file dates, filetypes,
- etc.), sacrificing a minimal amount of temporary disc space.
-
- -----------------------
- | Control | Unpack to |
- -----------------------
- This set of radio icons chooses the path to which an archive is unpacked.
-
- When 'Old path' is selected, then unpacking an archive is to the original
- filing system and directory path (which has been stored within the archive).
-
- When 'New path' is selected, unpacking is to a different directory than the
- original one. The destination directory is the directory of the filer window
- that the directory icon was dragged to.
-
-
- -----------------------
- - Memory requirements -
- -----------------------
- !PackDir runs in a minimum amount of memory when dormant. Prior to archiving
- or unpacking, all available memory is grabbed, and released again on
- completion of the operation.
-
- NOTE : The amount of extra memory needed (i.e. the amount you must keep free)
- varies, depending on the number of bits compression. Extra memory on top of
- that needed for (de)compression tables will be used for file buffering, thus
- speeding up processing.
-
-
- -----------
- - The end -
- -----------
- If you have praise, complaints, comments, bugs(!), or anything else to offer
- me, do not hesitate to write to
-
- John Kortink
- Middelhuisstr. 17
- 7482 EL Haaksbergen
- The Netherlands
-
- or send email to kortink@cs.utwente.nl
-
- New versions of the application are available from the same address : just send
- รบ1 to cover postage and a self-addressed envelope containing a 3.5" disc.
-
- It is not very likely though that many new versions will appear. !PackDir
- serves a simple purpose, and does it well, and this will remain to be so.
-
- Happy archiving !!!
-
- _______________________________________________________________________________
-
- !!! NOTE !!!
-
- You may NOT change this application or use ANY part of it in other products
- without my approval. You may spread it freely (with *ALL* files included), but
- not for any profit. This software is provided 'as is'. Using it is entirely at
- your own risk.
-
- _______________________________________________________________________________
-
-