Short: A flexible,powerful,simple to use DATA/FILE recognition library :-) Author: Alexis Nasr aka The Cyborg Uploader: thiedb@club-internet.fr Version: 1.0 Type: util/libs Tested: A1200 (OS3.1,Blizzard A1230 IV/8Mb) Requires: Amiga OS2.04+,reqtools.library,xpkmaster.library Date: August 1996 The package ~~~~~~~~~~~ It contains both the user & developer docs/sources. User will find interesting tools such as DMcontrol or ** DMlauncher ** the datamaster.library ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ datamaster.library is a standard Amiga Shared library. I had to create this library from scratch,as a 'sub-tool' for the xpkCYB1.library I was developing: I needed a library providing a DATA recognition (NOT a lousy filename-based one ;-),and with global types of data (something like "executable","music", etc..).After looking at the existing recognition tools,none suited my needs: - datatypes.library: - Works only with v39 (not a problem though hehe) - Heavy,memory-consuming,sometimes bugged... (Ok it provides much more than just recognition that's true!) - Does the job on >FILES<.I had to work also in >MEMORY< - whatis.library: - Hmmm.Well...I don't have the docs,just the prefsfile.It's a good library,with an open environment,but: - It doesn't "group" the types - Don't know if it can handle MEMORY (just FILES?) - MATCHBYTE-like functions are powerful but limited (for 'complex' formats). -FileID.library: - Arhhhh...all formats are built-in the library.(!) - It makes some silly/useless recognitions: nobody cares recognizing a device file,or an AmigaBasic source!!! - Works on MEMORY? I really don't think so. "Ok boy now tell us how YOUR libby beats all the previous ones" :-) * It provides 2 `filetype' checking modes: ->REAL `DATA checking' ("heavy" mode,but very precise). Whatis.library does it too,it's true,but datamaster uses external `recognizer's using >>REAL CODE<<.This should beat all the MATCHBYTE(0x44ff00..) thing I guess....And `recognizer's come out with a 100-200 bytes size which is not that much you'll agree! ->FILE `PATTERN matching',very classic,used in most the previous libraries of this kind before.(accuracy:so,so :-) * An open architecture,with external `recognizer's,that can be very easily added,removed,etc... by user. It's also very easy to create new `recognizer's.As an example of the recognizer's flexibility,there is even a LINK-Datatypes recognizer,that uses the datatypes.library.It's just in case you find brand new datatypes you REALLY need,and there is no existing recognizer (yet ;-),so you can use this 'bridge' to datatypes meanwhile. * The recognizers are sorted by priority:recognizers that are known to be slow/rare will have a low priority etc etc... So----->speed gain. * Some tools or libraries recognized very precise filetypes,making a difference between a Library & a Device files,or recognizing Amigabasic sources! Hell! This is totally useless!!The only programs needing such a precision are... the programs that are specific to these formats ("AmigaBasic" program etc :-) In the datamaster.library,the 'philosophy' is to group as much as possible,filetypes that will lead to the same actions,the same data treatment...That's why there is ONE PTK&Clones filetype (& not 40 separate ones handling the whole mess!).In fact it's a question of balance...Another example:for this reason GIF,JPEG,IFF are **separated** & not grouped in a 'GFXdata' filetype...why? simply because there are tools like FastJPEG or FastGIF that make a better specific treatment of this filetype. A question of balance... * The main recognition functions are directly useable by a simple library call. * Many support functions for the programmers.These functions are for all kind of text/string comparisons,& were made to be used in the `recognizer's, but they may be used as well in your own programs. * Small & fast library (100% assembler). (The library itself is 5Kb or so!!...then you add/remove the recognizers YOU need). ============================= Archive contents ============================= Original Packed Ratio Date Time Name -------- ------- ----- --------- -------- ------------- 1233 593 51.9% 14-Aug-96 22:33:28 DMlib_Release_1.0.info 1233 593 51.9% 10-Jul-96 15:51:28 +Bin.info 2904 1596 45.0% 14-Aug-96 19:48:52 +DMcontrol 3872 2298 40.6% 14-Aug-96 19:48:52 +DMlauncher 1380 556 59.7% 01-Aug-96 14:21:40 +DMlauncher.prefs 5272 3176 39.7% 14-Aug-96 19:48:14 +datamaster.library 188 146 22.3% 14-Aug-96 19:48:24 +ANIM-FLI 188 143 23.9% 14-Aug-96 19:48:24 +ANIM-IFF 188 140 25.5% 14-Aug-96 19:48:24 +ANIM-MPEG 208 157 24.5% 14-Aug-96 19:48:26 +ASCII-AmigaGuide 320 237 25.9% 14-Aug-96 19:48:26 +ASCII-REXX 280 218 22.1% 14-Aug-96 19:48:26 +ASCII-Text 204 162 20.5% 14-Aug-96 19:48:26 +GFX-BMP 300 238 20.6% 14-Aug-96 19:48:26 +GFX-DXF 184 136 26.0% 14-Aug-96 19:48:26 +GFX-GIF 180 144 20.0% 14-Aug-96 19:48:26 +GFX-IFF 212 161 24.0% 14-Aug-96 19:48:26 +GFX-JPEG 212 170 19.8% 14-Aug-96 19:48:26 +GFX-PCX 188 137 27.1% 14-Aug-96 19:48:26 +GFX-TARGA 220 173 21.3% 14-Aug-96 19:48:28 +GFX-TIFF 660 477 27.7% 14-Aug-96 19:48:28 +LINK-Datatypes 436 281 35.5% 14-Aug-96 19:48:28 +MUSIC-Others.patt 192 154 19.7% 14-Aug-96 19:48:28 +MUSIC-PtkClones.data 556 344 38.1% 14-Aug-96 19:48:28 +MUSIC-PtkClones.patt 736 398 45.9% 14-Aug-96 19:48:28 +MUSIC-Synth.patt 180 140 22.2% 14-Aug-96 19:48:28 +PACKED-DMS 200 155 22.5% 14-Aug-96 19:48:28 +PACKED-LHA 172 131 23.8% 14-Aug-96 19:48:28 +PACKED-LZX 184 140 23.9% 14-Aug-96 19:48:28 +PACKED-ZIP 176 142 19.3% 14-Aug-96 19:48:28 +SMPL-IFF 360 262 27.2% 14-Aug-96 19:48:30 +SMPL-Others 0 0 0.0% 18-Jul-96 12:05:52 + 1233 594 51.8% 04-Aug-96 18:35:46 +Docs.info 22128 8359 62.2% 15-Aug-96 00:10:06 +Datamaster.lib.engl.guide 1869 1355 27.5% 04-Aug-96 18:35:44 +Datamaster.lib.engl.guide.info 24248 9216 61.9% 15-Aug-96 00:10:14 +Datamaster.lib.fr.guide 1869 1355 27.5% 04-Aug-96 18:35:44 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18:35:44 +DMcontrol.engl.guide.info 13311 3896 70.7% 04-Aug-96 18:31:16 +DMcontrol.fr.guide 1869 1352 27.6% 04-Aug-96 18:35:46 +DMcontrol.fr.guide.info 8652 3411 60.5% 14-Aug-96 19:10:58 +DMlauncher.engl.guide 1869 1355 27.5% 04-Aug-96 18:35:44 +DMlauncher.engl.guide.info 9089 3631 60.0% 04-Aug-96 18:33:00 +DMlauncher.fr.guide 1869 1355 27.5% 04-Aug-96 18:35:46 +DMlauncher.fr.guide.info 2713 424 84.3% 08-Aug-96 17:47:56 +formats.guide 1869 1353 27.6% 04-Aug-96 18:35:44 +formats.guide.info 1233 596 51.6% 04-Aug-96 18:35:44 +Formats.info 395 203 48.6% 08-Aug-96 17:48:02 +ANIM-FLI.guide 559 298 46.6% 08-Aug-96 17:48:02 +ANIM-IFF.guide 422 211 50.0% 08-Aug-96 17:48:02 +ANIM-MPEG.guide 527 275 47.8% 08-Aug-96 17:48:02 +ASCII-AmigaGuide.guide 625 341 45.4% 08-Aug-96 17:48:02 +ASCII-REXX.guide 1288 669 48.0% 08-Aug-96 17:48:02 +ASCII-Text.guide 420 221 47.3% 08-Aug-96 17:48:02 +Executable.guide 390 203 47.9% 08-Aug-96 17:48:04 +Generic.guide 423 226 46.5% 08-Aug-96 17:48:04 +GFX-BMP.guide 495 257 48.0% 08-Aug-96 17:48:04 +GFX-DXF.guide 399 209 47.6% 08-Aug-96 17:48:04 +GFX-GIF.guide 390 206 47.1% 08-Aug-96 17:48:04 +GFX-IFF.guide 550 287 47.8% 08-Aug-96 17:48:04 +GFX-JPEG.guide 974 539 44.6% 08-Aug-96 17:48:04 +GFX-PCX.guide 397 201 49.3% 08-Aug-96 17:48:04 +GFX-TARGA.guide 449 230 48.7% 08-Aug-96 17:48:04 +GFX-TIFF.guide 451 241 46.5% 08-Aug-96 17:48:04 +Icon.guide 2258 1107 50.9% 08-Aug-96 17:48:06 +LINK-Datatypes.guide 1285 423 67.0% 08-Aug-96 17:48:06 +MUSIC-Others.guide 1609 514 68.0% 08-Aug-96 17:48:06 +MUSIC-PtkClones.guide 2211 540 75.5% 08-Aug-96 17:48:06 +MUSIC-Synth.guide 409 212 48.1% 08-Aug-96 17:48:06 +PACKED-DMS.guide 397 204 48.6% 08-Aug-96 17:48:06 +PACKED-LHA.guide 397 206 48.1% 08-Aug-96 17:48:06 +PACKED-LZX.guide 359 183 49.0% 08-Aug-96 17:48:06 +PACKED-XPK.guide 411 213 48.1% 08-Aug-96 17:48:06 +PACKED-ZIP.guide 342 171 50.0% 08-Aug-96 17:48:08 +SMPL-IFF.guide 569 285 49.9% 08-Aug-96 17:48:08 +SMPL-Others.guide -------- ------- ----- --------- -------- 301702 112717 62.6% 24-Aug-96 13:23:12 94 files