EXTRACTOR V3.0g LHA ONLY VERSION By Steve Bye, June 28th 1995 --------------------------------------------- PLEASE IGNORE REFERENCES TO DMS AND LZX. THIS VERSION ONLY SUPPORTS LHA. New to V2.0 * Support for DMS and LZX extraction & viewing. * All the archivers are now contained within the extractor executable. New to V2.1 a-e: * Extractor now uses memory more sensibly, savings of up to 150k made. * Help doc is now stored inside code and not required on disk * Extractor now needs less external files than prev needed. * "New Disk" bug now fixed, didn't always work, now does. * New way of de-archiving to Hard Drive. New to V2.1f-V2.3a * Can now archive as well as extract in DMS/LHA & LZX * Lot's of tyding up of small bugs. NEw TO V3.0a-g * Delete a file option * No need for ARCHIVES/ drawer anymore. * Hidden author pic????? * Delete a file option * Keyboard shortcuts galore * Can now click on Mem or DF0:/DF1 to update info. * NOW READS ARCHIVES FROM ROOT DIRECTORY ONLY DO NOTUSE archives/ drawer anymore. This program is for people who distribute archives but can't be bothered or don't want the hassle of making the disk friendly to de-archive. EXTRACTOR has been written with simplicity in mind for the compiler and end user. You can use EXTRACTOR as a friendly front end for disks of archived files that you wish to store for backup purposes and/or to distribute. As from V2.3a Extractor can also be used to ARCHIVE files and disks in a very easy manner, albeit a bit crude, but it's simple to do. EXTRACTOR V3.0f has been tested on a standard A600 and A1200 and works fine. Sorry A500/WB1.2< owners, EXTRACTOR will NOT work properly on your machine. EXTRACTOR can be run from Cli/Wbench or by booting the disk On loading, EXTRACTOR will display all LHA/LZH/DMS/LZX archives found in the ROOT DIRECTORY of DF0:, this means your arcived files must not be inside a drawer. The user must first click on DESTINATION to choose where they would like the extracted files to be placed (DF0: DF1: Ram: or custom *see later*) The user then clicks on a file to select it and then on the EXTRACT button. The user can FORMAT or QUICK FORMAT a disk by first setting DESTINATION to the device to be formatted and then clicking on FORMAT or QUICK FORMAT. QUICK FORMAT is useful if you have a disk that has been previously used and you just want all the files on it erased. Takes about 15 seconds. The option NEW DISK is to either re-read the current disk or so the user can use another EXTRACTOR disk of archives without having to re-boot. The NEW DISK option means if you had a 10 disk set of archives only the first disk needs to load up EXTRACTOR. The user can then insert any of the othe disks and click on NEW DISK to read and then de-archive it's contents. This saves disk space and makes it easier and quicker to use multiple disk sets. QUICK USER GUIDE FOR EXTRACTING ARCHIVES: ----------------------------------------- Make sure the EXTRACTOR disk is write protected Boot up the EXTRACTOR disk (or load your Wbench & double click on the EXTRACTOR icon) Click on DESTINATION to select DF0:, RAM: or DF1: or CUSTOM *see later* as the device you wish the extracted files to be copied to. Click on a file from the list of filenames displayed Click on EXTRACT Click any mouse button to confirm. Or press the ESC key to abort. If you want to de-archive files from another disk of a set made for EXTRACTOR just insert the next disk and then Click on NEW DISK. Now start again. If you insert a disk in DF1: click on "DF1:" so Extractor can display it's free space and update other info. If at any time you would like to view the contents of an archive and it's file sizes etc. Then select the file and then press "V" on the keyboard. I have not made this option as a button as I intend to add lots more advanced features and I don't want to clutter the screen up and put off beginners with lots of confusing options. CUSTOM: ------- If you Press "d" on your keyboard EXTRACTOR will ask you to type in the name of your desired device. Presuming you want to extract files to the Work: partition of your hard drive, then just type in Work: and then press return. EXTRACTOR will then look and see if you have a drawer on that device called EXTRACTOR_DUMP, if you haven't EXTRACTOR will create one for you. DESTINATION will be then set to "USER" You can still click on destination to change to other devices. QUICK GUIDE TO ARCHIVING: ------------------------- First prepare a disk with the files you wish to have archived, you can use drawers etc. Load Extractor, Click on the DESTINATION: button to tell EXTRACTOR where to place the archive. (Press "d" if you want to select a custom path, such as Hard Drive) Press "a" Type in the archiver you wish to use: D for DMS, L for LHA or Z for LZX compression. If you change your mind here, type in "q" to quit this option. A help requester will now appear informing you to insert the disk you want archived, do so. All the files and drawers on that disk will be compressed into one file and placed into DESTINATION: When instructed re-insert the EXTRACTOR disk. Done. * NOTE * ========= If you want to use LZX compression you will need at least 1 meg of memory FREE, refer to MEM indicator on EXTRACTORS panel. If you get errors using LZX then try booting from the EXTRACTOR disk, this will save you some memory. ** NOTE ** ========== When extracting a DMS file, it will be extracted to DF0: First Extractor will copy the archive to Ram: and then ask you to insert a disk. This disk can be brand new, unformatted or formatted, it doesn't matter. Setting DESTINATION for a DMS archive will have no effect, it will always use DF0: DISK COMPILERS: --------------- The need for writing scripts to de-archive files is no more, EXTRACTOR makes life very easy for you & the end user of your disks. However, you must set your disks up properly for EXTRACTOR to work. Hopefully you have the original archive of EXTRACTOR, if so, all you have to do is copy the following files to your target disk: S/ Startup-Sequence (Loads Wbench but you may want to boot Extractor instead) C/ GoWb (used by startup-sequence) Devs/ System-configuration (Prefers 80 col text, optional) Extractor Extractor.info All your lha/lzh/dms/lzx files MUST ONLY go in the root directory, otherwise they will be ignored. ===================================================== I apologise for the size of the EXTRACTOR executable, blame the Amos Compiler! To be fair though LHA/Format /DMS/PPmore & LZX are inside the code amounting to about 140k+ of this. EXTRACTOR can handle a disk with up to 46 files archives stored on it. It will still run with more but the user will not be able to access the extra files. If you are compiling a set of disks, make disk 1 as above then the rest of the set will just need archives in the root directory. Don't worry there are plenty of error messages if you get something wrong. KEYBOARD COMMANDS SUMMARY: ========================== Space Bar Toggle DESTINATION device Help This doc file A Archive disk menu D Delete a file E Extract selected file F Format a disk K View keys available P View internal programs used Q Quit Extractor N New disk (re-reads disk in DF0:) U Select USER DESTINATION device V View selected archive Z Quick Format a disk / Version and date Right Amiga and A toggles Workbench. INTERNAL PROGRAMS: ================= DMS V1.11 (c) SDS Software LHA V1.38 (c) Stefan Boberg LZX V1.00EC (c) Data Compression Technologies PPMore V1.4 (c) Nico Francois Thanks to the above for creating these fantastic crunchers, although a decent GUI would allieviate the need for programs like EXTRACTOR. All Copyrights respected & acknowledged. Hopefully in the next version of EXTRACTOR you will be able to upgrade/degrade the above programs to what you want. THIS TEXT VIEWER: ================= Press HELP key for options. The PRINT option won't work unless the boot disk has the printer.Device and driver set up. Press ESC to return to EXTRACTOR. I have used an old version of PPMore as it doesn't require any external files. =========================================================== DISCLAIMER: ----------- Standard disclaimer stuff applies, I can't be held responsible for any damage or loss of data etc. You use this program at your own risk. Using EXTRACTOR means you agree to these terms. =========================================================== EXTRACTOR should work on all WB2+ Amigas =========================================================== Steve Bye June 95. =========================================================== ADVERT TIME ^^^^^^^^^^^ If you would like a FREE copy of F1 Licencewares' disk catalogue or you want to tell me how great/crap EXTRACTOR is and get the latest version then please write to : F1 Licenceware, 31, Wellington Road, Exeter, Devon. EX2-9DU A disk and a stamp in a jiffy bag would guaruntee a reply. Don't forget to mention the version of EXTRACTOR you are currently using. ----------------------------------------------------------- AMOSZINE ======== EXTRACTOR was written in AmosPro, Amoszine is THE Amos programmers bible, only available from F1, see cat for more details of "Easily the best Amos mag to date" C.U Amiga. Major contributers fet it free by the way! =========================================================== PROGRAMMERS =========== F1 Licenceware are always keen to evaluate your QUALITY programs. For a FAST and FREE evaluation, send demo or full version with no obligation. Cat disk contains all the info on how F1 works. ----------------------------------------------------------- SB