Otherware/Otherware_1_SB_Development.iso/mac/util/compress/arcmac.hqx/ArcMac.ARC/ArcMac.Updat

Text File | 1988-07-12 | 13.9 KB | 364 lines

ArcMac Updates


ArcMac
Standard File Archiver for Macintosh Computers

Version 1.3
Released April 1988

Copyright 1988 by D.G. Gilbert
All rights reserved.



     ArcMac Features

    o  Complete file archive / de-archive utility.

    o  Compatible with IBM and MS-DOS standard archives, makes data
       exchange a snap.

    o  Your choice of fast & flexible command line operation for
       experienced users, or point'n'click dialog for novices.

    o  Batch and background operations free you for other
       activities.

    o  Includes ArcPop, the compact, easy to use file de-archiver
       with the special feature of making self-extracting archives.

    o  Includes xArcMac, a utility for fully processing ArcMac
       archives on IBM/MS-DOS machines.

    o  Includes a useful subset of the Martian Operating System, a
       full MS-DOS like shell (Finder replacement) for the
       Macintosh


          ArcMac Distribution Files

 The contents of the ArcMac.Arc file are:

 ArcMac             The primary application

 ArcMac1.Doc  & ArcMac2.doc
                    Full documentation in "TEXT" form, readable by
          many applications, including the ArcMac type command.
          The file creator is TeachText, Apple's text reader
          included with Apple System 5.0 and  some earlier systems.
          After extracting, you can either click on these files
          from Finder to launch  TeachText, or you can use the
          ArcMac command "type" to get a printed list of this file,
          as per
2  ArcMac Updates



                    type ArcMac*.doc > prn

 xArcMac.exe             This is the MS-DOS executable program for
          fully extracting and listing ArcMac archives on MS-DOS
          machines.  You will need to transfer it to an MS-DOS
          machine to use. (You can transfer the entire ArcMac.Arc,
          and use ARC or PKXARC to extract this file).

 ArcPop             This program is the application portion of
          ArcMac.Arc.  To create the stand-alone ArcPop
          application, without its ArcMac archive, choose  the
          "UnMake" button on the ArcPop dialog.

 ArcPop.ARC         This is the ArcPop de-archive utility only,
          with self-extracting documentation.  ArcPop is
          distributed freely, so than no one need pay to access
          available ArcMac'ed data. If you don't care for ArcMac,
          but want the capability of using ArcMac'ed (or IBM/MS-DOS
          arc'ed) files, this is the tool for you.

 MARCS.ARC     This archive contains Turbo Pascal source for the
          xArcMac and the ArcPop programs, so that others may
          incorporate the ArcMac file structure and protocol in
          archivers.

          Current versions of these files can be obtained from
          Bloomington's PC-LINK bulletin board, phone [phone]
          (1200..9600 Baud, 24hr).

          The CompuServe MACPRO Maug Sig and BORPRO Borland Sig
          will generally have the most recent updates.
                                                  ArcMac Updates  3



>>>   Updates for version 1.2 & 1.3:


     File Name Wild Cards

>>>  Your choice of word delimiters now permitted, so that spaces
can be included in names.  Just type the delimiter following a
command:

     > arc,a,my archive,my file 1,my file 2,...
     > cd"my spaced folder:my other folder:

     Any symbol other than these can be used as word delimiters:
     * / \ < > : ? - +

     Note: Your delimiter replaces the space for that command only,
and spaces cannot be added as extra filler:
     "> arc,  a,  my archive,  my file 1,  my file2"   is bad
(extra spaces).


     Finder Selections

>>>   ArcMac has no control about how Finder/Multifinder passes
file selections to it.  The following cases exist for System 5.0
software (differs in pre-MultiFinder systems):

     a) Single (non-multi) mode does not permit any file
selections.  This is same for any application, including Packit &
Stuffit.

     b) Multi-mode, 1 application + any group of documents in a
single folder: You can select doc files and ArcMac, and then launch
ArcMac.  In this case, all of the files will be selected to operate
on.

     c) Multi-mode, 2 or more applications selected:  Multifinder
will launch all applications independently, and will launch the
creator applications of selected documents.  In other words, you
can not select applications to archive from Finder.

     This is part of the reason that ArcMac has an MS-DOS style
interface: selection of files of disparate origins and types to
operate on is simple, rather than impossible.


>>>   When you launch ArcMac from a disk other than the current
system disk, the Macintosh operating system automatically switches
the active volume to the current system disk (to avoid disk swaps)
before ArcMac gets control.  The ArcMac path prompt shows you this
current path at its prompt.
4  ArcMac Updates



     Modifiers for the Add commands

     Q, quick crunch only (no analysis).  This is useful if your
files are all text (which almost always end up crunching), since it
is faster than full analysis.
     H, huffman squeeze only (no analysis).  Picture files usually
are optimally compressed with the Huffman squeeze method.  This
option will save time if want to use squeezing only on your files.


>>>   You can use the Q+H modifiers together to produce archive
entries that are compatible with the SEA ARC standard.  Using Q+H
with any of the adding commands, or with Convert, will prevent the
Squashing method of PKArc, which SEA's ARC cannot handle.


>>>  I, IBM compatibility.   The "i" modifier, used with EXtract to
remove linefeeds from text files in archives of MS-DOS origin, is
generalize to the suite of Add commands (Add, Update, Freshen and
Move) and the Convert command.

    > arc ai ibmarc *.text
     -- add all files ending with ".text" to the archive ibmarc,
forcing complete ibm compatibility and adding LF's to CR's in the
text files.

When used with the Add commands, it has the following functions:

     a) add linefeed controls following all carriage returns for
"TEXT" type files.

     b) produce a 100% pure MS-DOS style archive, eliminating all
of the extra Mac file info in the file headers (FileType,
FileCreator, LongName, etc.).

     c) ignore all resource forks of added files.  This choice was
made since some Mac text processors add a style resource fork
(e.g., MPW) that annoys MS-DOS text processors, and there is no
general use for Mac resources in MS-DOS machines.

     d) produce an output archive of type "TEXT".  This choice was
made since RedRyder (my only Mac telecomm program) will transfer
files without a MacBinary header only if they are of type TEXT
(hopefully other comm programs aren't so silly).

     With this compatibility option, data sharing with the MS-DOS
world is simplified, at the sacrifice of the Mac specific file
info.  When transferring PC archives via modem, remember that most
Mac telecomm programs will automatically add a MacBinary header
(128 bytes of MacOS file info) on the front of files that are sent
out.  Most MS-DOS archivers will choke to some extent on this
header.  RedRyder (vers. ~9) can be taught to transfer an archive
via XMODEM without adding a MacBinary head only if the file type is
                                                  ArcMac Updates  5



"TEXT" (see XMODEM options).  Hopefully your telecomm program is
more flexible than this.


     C, Convert archive to new packing

>>>  The "I" modifier now (v.1.3c) works both ways with the Convert
command, depending on the type of the input archive.

     > arc ci ibmarc *.txt
       -- convert all files ending with ".txt" from PC to Mac
style.
     > arc ci macarc
       -- convert entire archive from ArcMac to PC style.

     If the input archive is an ibm-style archive (transferred from
a bbs or produced with the ">arc ai ..." command), then the output
archive is an ArcMac-style archive, and extra control characters
are stripped from all files (it is assumed that all converted files
are TEXT files).
     If the input archive is a regular ArcMac archive, the opposite
conversion is employed.  Linefeeds are added to all TEXT type
files, all Mac file info is dropped in the file headers, and an
archive of type TEXT is created (see above).


     Mouse Arc Dialog

>>>   This dialog has been replaced with two menus, System and
Archive, plus subsidiary dialogs.  These menu selections and
dialogs now give those who are learning the commands, or are more
comfortable  with mouse dialogs, easier control of ArcMac.  The
commands set up through these dialogs are identical to typed
command line ones, and these command lines are now echoed to the
display following a dialog.

     A note on the standard file get/put buttons.  These standard
file dialogs do not fit easily with the folder:file wild card
naming conventions that make command line programs flexible.  Where
a directory rather than a file name is required, as with the GO
command, you are presented with a standard Put dialog (the one with
a <Save>  button). This allows you to select a path, though
generally the file name to save is superfluous.


     ArcPop Usage

>>>   Several additions are made to ArcPop version 1.3.  These are

     (1) a File Put dialog to locate the folder for extracted
files.  If no File Put folder is selected, the extracted files will
be put in the folder from which ArcPop was launched.
6  ArcMac Updates



     (2) a Verify option lets you pause before extracting each file
in an archive and verify from you to extract it,

     (3) a List option lets you list files in an archive.

     (4) ArcPop now continues operating until the Cancel button is
hit.  If ArcPop is extracting or listing files, the Cancel button
will stop the operation.  If ArcPop is doing nothing, it will quit
the program.


>>>   There is a minor glitch in Finder running under MultiFinder
(Apple System 5.0 release) that causes updates of a file's finder
information not to be reflected in an open Finder window.  When you
make an ArcMac archive into an ArcPop self-extracting archive, the
file's icon and its finder info does not get updated in Finder's
open window, even though it is updated on the disk.  What you need
to do is simply to close the Finder window with the new ArcPop
archive, then re-open it.  Lo and behold, it's icon has now changed
to the "A" button.



     xArcMac Usage

>>>  Another note about the MacBinary header.  If you transfer the
unarchived XARCMAC.EXE from Mac to PC via modem, and it won't run
on the PC, check that the file size is the same on both machines.
If it is 128 bytes larger on the PC, then your telecomm program has
tacked on a MacBinary header.  You'll need to (1) teach your
telecomm program not to do this, (2) strip off the 1st 128 bytes
with a file byte editor on your PC, or (3) transfer it archived and
use a PC dearchiver to extract this dearchiver (kinda circular
there).



     Revision History

     Version 1.3c - 12 July 88, add option to produce PC archives,
that is 100% MS-DOS style archives.

     Version 1.3b / AppleShare -- 27 Apr 88, this version
eliminates all use of serial ports .A and .B, which were found to
cause problems on an AppleShare system (though it may be other
software causing problems).  I would appreciate reports from other
AppleShare users on whether this version is required, or if the
full ArcMac works on your system.

     Version 1.3b -- 21 Apr 88, batch & startup file corrections.
As well, ArcPop has been extensively updated, including File Put,
File List, Extract verify, and continuous operation.
                                                  ArcMac Updates  7



     Version 1.3a -- 18 Apr 88, cosmetic update: new menus and
dialogs to stem some of the growls from users.  Also some bug
stomping (some annoying ones crawled into version 1.2).

     Version 1.2c -- 6 Apr 88, minor update: freshen/update fixed
to correctly compare file times (negative integer bug); DA keys not
echoed on MOS screen.

     User delimiters now permitted, so that spaces can be included
in names.  Just type the delimiter following a command:
     > arc,a,my archive,my file 1,my file 2,...
     > cd'my spaced folder:my other folder:
Any symbol other than these can be used as word delimiters:
     * / \ < > : ? - +

     Version 1.2b -- 8 Feb 88: file creator for files extracted
from IBM archives is now 'ttxt' (TeachText) rather then 'TPAS'
(Turbo Pascal).  ArcMac.Doc split into 2 text files with the
TeachText creator. The ArcMac resource 'FREF' 123,  "File Creator",
can be changed with ResEdit from 'ttxt' to your choice for the
extracted IBM files.

     Version 1.2  -- 7 Feb 88, corrects miscellaneous bugs:
control-C  during extract, print or test now works properly. Window
creep between launches of ArcMac is no more.   The Q+H modifiers
now work in conjunction to produce   SEA ARC compatible archives
(no squashing).  REMark  command added for batch files. ArcPop now
will not overwrite existing files of same name, and will abort if
it runs out of disk space during unpack.

     Version 1.1 -- 31 Jan 88, adds full archive / dearchive
support to ArcMac, ArcPop and xArcMac for the "squashing" method of
PKArc, plus significant improvements in the Crunch method, with a
yeild of up to 100% improvement in packing size.  ArcMac packing is
now comparable to PKArc and Stuffit.   Minor speed improvements
(the fast version is still waiting).  With large memory
requirements of squashing, have added memory usage controls so that
full, sequential analysis can be done in limited memory environs.
MOS user window setup is now saved between runs.  ArcMac start-up
batch file processing added.  ArcPop standard file get button and
progress indicator added.

     Version 1.0  -- first release, 23 Jan 88