home *** CD-ROM | disk | FTP | other *** search
- XARCHIVE(1)
- ===========
- Lee Bigelow <ligelowbee@yahoo.com>
- v0.2.6-2, 8 November 2005
-
- NAME
- ----
- XArchive - a gtk2.0 frontend for various command line archivers.
-
- SYNOPSIS
- --------
- *xarchive* [-a 'archive' | -c 'archive'] [files...]
-
- DESCRIPTION
- -----------
- XArchive is graphical frontend that uses external wrappers to communicate
- with the command line archiving tools. XArchive handles creation, extraction
- and manipulation of archives depending on wether or not the command line tools
- (and the wrappers written for them) support those actions. The types of
- archives supported depends on what wrappers are available in XArchive's wrapper
- directories (see WRAPPERS below), and what command line tools are installed.
-
- Currently there are bash shell wrappers for:
-
- *tar*::
- using tar, bzip2, gzip, and compress
-
- *rar*::
- using rar, or unrar(unrar only cannot modify rar's)
-
- *zip*::
- using unzip, zipinfo(from unzip), and zip
-
- *ace*::
- using unace (extraction only)
-
- *7zip*::
- using 7za from p7zip
-
- *arj*::
- using arj
-
- *rpm*::
- using rpm and cpio (extract only, use appropriate packing tools to modify)
-
- *deb*::
- using dpkg-deb from dpkg (extract only, use appropriate tools to modify)
-
- OPTIONS
- -------
- *-a* 'archive'::
- Add passed 'files' to 'archive'.
- * Normally the passed 'archive' file is opened, and a multi-file selector
- is presented with any passed 'files' already added to the
- selection list.
- * However, if the 'archive' filename passed is 'ask', or the
- passed 'archive' file cannot be found, then a dialog will be presented
- asking wether to create a new archive or use an existing
- one. An appropriate chooser will then be presented for finding,
- or creating, an archive to add to. Once an archive is found, or
- created, a multi-file selector will be presented with any passed
- 'files' already added to the selection list.
-
- *-c* 'archive'::
- Create a new archive file named 'archive' with passed
- 'files'.
- * A dialog will be presented asking for an archive name. If the
- 'archive' name passed is 'ask' then a generic sample filename
- will be shown. Otherwise the passed 'archive' name with be
- shown. On accepting the name is checked to make sure the file
- doesn't already exist, and that a wrapper for that type of
- 'archive' is present. Thus the 'archive' name should contain
- the extention of the archive type that is desired
- (eg. test.zip). Once a valid archive name is accepted a
- muli-file selector is presented with any passed 'files' already
- added to the selection list.
-
- USAGE
- -----
- When XArchive starts it consults each wrapper it finds in it's wrapper
- directories (see WRAPPERS below) to see what file types it can support.
-
- If XArchive is started without being passed any files to open, or any
- options, an information page is shown detailing what wrappers were
- found and what file types are (based on file extentions) supported by
- those wrappers
-
- If some 'files' to open are passed to XArchive without any options it
- will treat them as archives and attempt to use the wrappers associated
- with those archives (based on file extentions) to get, and show, the
- contents of each.
-
- The '-a' and '-c' options allow you to use XArchive with your
- filemanager to add to an existing archive, or to create a new one.
-
- Using 'xarchive -a ask' as your filemanager's "open with" command on
- some selected files will allow you add those selected files to an
- existing archive (xarchive will ask which archive to add them too).
-
- Using just 'xarchive -a' as your filemanager's "open with" command on a
- selected archive file will allow you open that archive and use
- XArchive's multi-file selector to choose the files to add to it.
-
- Using 'xarchive -c ask' as your filemanager's "open with" command on
- some selected files allows you to create a new archive containing
- those files (XArchive will ask you for the new archive's name). This
- option won't allow opening an existing archive and guarantees that a
- unique one is created.
-
- Once and archive is opened it's entries can be selected to delete,
- extract, or openwith. You can use the following selection methods:
-
- *Left-Click*::
- To select one file, and unselect all others. If that one file is
- a directory it's contents will also be selected.
-
- *CTRL + Left-Click*::
- To select/unselect multiple files. Hold down the Control Key while
- Left-Clicking individual files to toggle their selection state.
- If the file clicked is a directory it's contents will also be
- selected or unselected.
-
- *SHIFT + Left-Click*::
- To select a block of files. Select the first file in the block normally
- (just a Left-Click), then Shift + Left Click the last file
- in the block and all the files in between will also be selected.
-
- *Right-Click* on an archive listing will bring up a context
- menu with the actions from the toolbar on it.
-
- *Double-Left-Click* on an entry will temporarily extract
- that file from the archive and use the default handler to view it. If
- no default handler has been set the "open with.." dialog is opened so
- that you can set one.
-
- About "Open With"
- ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
-
- 'Open with' will temporarily extract selected files and view them with
- the user selected application. From this dialog you can also set an
- application as the 'default double-click handler' by clicking that
- option's checkbox. Setting this allows you to double left click
- entries in the listing and have them viewed with the set application.
-
- Note: When picking an 'open with' application you should make sure
- that application doesn't fork to the background. If it does then the
- temporary file that was extracted will most likely be deleted before
- the application can view it. For example, 'gvim' will fork to the
- background, so instead you should use 'gvim --nofork'.
-
- About Creating Archives
- ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
-
- When you select 'New' you will be asked for an archive name. The
- extension you use on your name will determine what kind of archive is
- created. For example using 'mywebstuff.zip' will create a zip, and
- 'mywebsutff.tar.bz2' will create a bzip2 compressed tar.
-
- Then, in the same dialog, you'll select the folder you want to save
- the archive in. When that's done, and you press 'open' the multiple
- file selector will be opened.
-
- The multiple file selector allows you to browse around the file system
- and pick off what files and directories you wish to add to your
- archive. Just select the files in the 'file chooser' list and press
- the 'add to list' button. To remove files from the 'add to archive'
- list, select the files and press the 'remove from list' button.
-
- Note that the the full path for the file or directory will be listed
- in the 'add to archive' list for your reference, but when the archive
- is made only the basename of the entry will be added. For example, if
- the '/home/me/html' directory is on the list to be added then the
- archive will contain the directory 'html' (and it's contents), not
- it's full path (the '/home/me' part is discarded). This is a good
- thing. When you send someone your archive, and they extract it, you
- probably don't want it trying to create a /home/me/html directory tree
- on your buddies machine.
-
- KEYBOARD SHORTCUTS
- ------------------
- Main Archive Listing
- ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- CTRL + Q::
- quit
-
- CTRL + O::
- open an existing archive
-
- CTRL + N::
- create a new archive
-
- CTRL + W::
- close the current archive window
-
- CTRL + S::
- select all files in archive
-
- CTRL + U::
- unselect all files in archive
-
- CTRL + E::
- extract selected files from archive
-
- CTRL + P::
- temorarily extract selected files and view them
- with a user specified application.
- (has command history, saved in ~/.xarchive/cmd_history)
-
- CTRL + R::
- remove selected files from archive
-
- CTRL + A::
- add files to archive
-
- CTRL + H::
- read the help file
-
- CTRL + I::
- show wrapper information
-
- File and Directory Chooser
- ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
-
- ALT + UP::
- move up to parent directory
-
- ALT + DOWN::
- move down a direcory
-
- ALT + HOME::
- move to home directory
-
- CTRL + L::
- ask for a specific location to move to
-
- ALT + A::
- if on a directory in the 'File Chooser', add a shortcut for it to the 'Folder Shortcuts List'
-
- ALT + R::
- if on a shortcut in the 'Folder Shortcuts List', remove it from the list
-
- ALT + O::
- OK
-
- ALT + C::
- Cancel
-
- (Note: To select hidden directories right click on the file listing and select
- "show hidden files" from the popup menu)
-
- "Add to Archive" Selector
- ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- The same as the File and Directory Chooser with the following added:
-
- ALT + T::
- add selected files in the 'File Chooser' to the 'Add To Archive List' below it
-
- ALT + F::
- remove selected files from the 'Add to Archive List' (can also be activated by a right-click on the list)
-
- WRAPPERS
- --------
- XArchive checks the following directories, in the following order, for
- it's wrappers:
-
- - ~/.xarchive/wrappers/
-
- - /usr/local/lib/xarchive/wrappers/
-
- - (or, depending on installation /usr/lib/xarchive/wrappers/)
-
- The first wrappers found are the first ones used. Thus, if you copy a wrapper
- from the system wide directory (/usr/local/lib/xarchive/wrappers/) to your own
- private wrapper directory (~/.xarchive/wrappers/) and modify it, your modified
- version will be used.
-
- The wrappers are stand alone executables whose job is to:
-
- - When asked what files it supports, check to see if the command line tools it
- needs are installed and tell XArchive what types of files it supports based
- on what's installed.
-
- - When asked for the contents of an archive, take the output from the command
- line tools it uses and mangle it into the format XArchive likes
-
- - When sent an action to preform, take the requested action from
- XArchive and send the command line tool the appropriate options to prefrom
- said action.
-
- Wrappers can be any type of executable file (python scripts, c programs, bash
- scripts, etc...) that handle the following options in the following manner:
-
- -i::
- 'Info:' Check to see if command line programs are installed and return a
- line containing a semicolon separated list of supported file extentions
- based on what's installed. eg:
- * tar;tar.gz;tar.bz2;tar.z;tgz;tbz;tbz2
-
- -o archive::
- 'Open:' Use command line tools to get contents of "archive" and return
- contents in the format XArchive accepts. Each entry in the archive on a
- separate line like so:
- * file1;size;attributes;user;group;date;time;linkinfo
- * file2;size;attributes;user;group;date;time;linkinfo
- * file3;size;attributes;user;group;date;time;linkinfo
- * (note: all fields must be present, so if there's no data for a field
- fill it with a "-", or a space if you like.)
-
- -a archive files::
- 'Add:' Add to "archive" the "files" sent. File names sent are escaped to
- be bash friendly by XArchive.
-
- -n archive file::
- 'New:' create a new archive "archive" with single file "file". (other files
- selected to be put in new archive will be "added" after creation.)
-
- -r archive files::
- 'Remove:' remove from "archive" sent "files"
-
- -e archive files::
- 'Extract:' extract from "archive" sent "files" into the current dir.
- XArchive changes into a user selected directory before sending this
- command.
-
- Wrapper Exit Codes
- ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- - 0 success
-
- - 65 unsupported action for this archive type
-
- - Anything else for wrapper failure
-
- See the wrappers included in /usr/local/lib/xarchive/wrappers (or /usr/lib/xarchive/wrappers) for examples.
-
- BUGS
- ----
- Use bug tracker on the sourceforge project page:
-
- http://sourceforge.net/projects/xarchive/[]
-
- AUTHOR
- ------
- Written by Lee Bigelow <ligelowbee@yahoo.com>
-
- RESOURCES
- ---------
- SourceForge:
-
- http://sourceforge.net/projects/xarchive/[]
-
- Main web site:
-
- http://xarchive.sourceforge.net[]
-
- COPYING
- -------
- Copyright (C) 2005 Lee Bigelow <ligelowbee@yahoo.com>. Free use of this software is
- granted under the terms of the GNU General Public License (GPL).
-
-