@DATABASE "xPackIt v1.2 documentation"

@NODE MAIN "xPackIt v1.2 documentation"

                               xPackIt v1.2
             Shell only Data file PowerPacker packer/unpacker.

xPackIt and this documentation are Copyright © 1994 by Michael Barsoom.

@{" Copyright & Disclaimer " Link Copyright_&_Disclaimer}  --  Please read this first.
@{" Features               " Link Features}  --  What exactly does xPackIt do?
@{" Requirements           " Link Requirements}  --  What you need to run xPackIt.
@{" Installation           " Link Installation}  --  How to install xPackIt.
@{" Usage                  " Link Usage}  --  How do I get it to work?
@{" Setting Defaults       " Link Defaults}  --  I don't like the default settings
@{" Author's Address       " Link Address}  --  How do I reach the author.
@{" Shareware              " Link Shareware}  --  Shareware information.
@{" History                " Link History}  --  What has changed.

@ENDNODE

@node Copyright_&_Disclaimer "Copyright & Disclaimer"
xPackIt and this documentation are Copyright © 1994 by Michael Barsoom.

xPackIt may be freely distributed as long as no charge is made other than to
cover time and copying costs.  This should be no higher than what Fred Fish
charges from one of his freely redistributable disks.

You may not copy and/or distribute this program without the accompanying
documentation unless you get permission from the author to do so.

Fred Fish and Walnut Creek have permission to include this program on their
freely redistributable disks/CDRoms.

If you write a freely redistributable program and would like to include
xPackIt with it, feel free to do so only if you send me a fully registered
version of your program.  Nico Francois has exclusive permission to include
xPackIt with any of his programs.

Finally if you wish to include xPackIt on a disk magazine you are REQUIRED
to get the author's permission FIRST.  Usually this will require you to
just send me a copy of the issue with xPackIt free of charge.

Please see @{"Address" Link Address} for how to you can reach me.

                           -+- Disclaimer -+-

This product is sold "as is" without representation or warranty of any
kind, either expressed or implied.  The user assumes all risks and
responsibilities related to its use.
@endnode

@node Features
xPackIt is a cli program to pack and unpack files using xpk libraries.

Features:
      o One program for packing and unpacking.
      o Will not pack executables unless told to do so.
      o Will automatically determine if a file is packed or not and
        then either unpack it or pack it respectively
      o Allows use of wildcards to pack/unpack whole directories.
      o Files can be encrypted, and passwords can be entered on the command
        line.
      o Default options can be stored in an environment variable
      o When packing/unpackinga directory which recursion on, xPackIt
        will maintain the directory structure in the destination directory

Thanks:
To my loving wife Barbara.
@endnode

@node Requirements
xPackIt does not require much, you just need to have the following:

1) Workbench 2.0+
2) xpk libraries
3) ReqTools library (© Nico Francois) this is not required unless you
   wish to enter passwords via a requester when decrunching encrypted
   files

Also xPackIt must be run from shell, if you run it from WB it will just
exit.
@endnode

@node Installation
Manual installation:
1) Make sure you have a xpk libraries in libs:.
2) Copy the approprate xPackIt type in any directory you want, I recommend
   C:
@endnode

@node Usage
xPackIt ?   -- there is no extended usage :-(

xPackIt v1.2  PowerPacker Data Packer/UnPacker
Copyright © 1994 by Michael J. Barsoom  (Shareware)
Compilation date: <day-month-year>

Usage: xPackIt <@{"source" Link Source}> [<@{"destination" Link Destination}>] [<Method>] [<PassWord>] 
               [Efficiency 0-100] [All] [Executable] [Pack] [UnPack]
With
 @{"Method" Link Method}     : Method to use for packing.
 @{"PassWord" Link PassWord}   : Password to use for encrypting/decrypting.
 @{"Efficiency" Link Efficiency} : Efficiency to use while packing (1-100)
 @{"All" Link All}        : Enter directories recursively (only with wildcards)
 @{"Executable" Link Executable} : Pack executables also.
 @{"Pack" Link Pack}       : Only pack files.
 @{"UnPack" Link UnPack}     : Only UnPack files.
Hit ^C to abort.
If no destination is given source will be overwritten
@endnode

@node Source
@prev Usage
Files, directory, or pattern of files to Pack

If packing a group of files, you may need to hit ^C twice, once to abort
packing/unpacking, and once to quit.
@endnode

@node Destination
@prev Usage
The destination file or directory.  This is optional, if not give the source
files will be overwritten.

The destination can either be a file or a dir.  If you specify a dir as the
destination, the source file will be saved (either packed or unpacked)
with the same name in the destination.  When using wildcard, if you give a
destination it MUST be a directory.

You can use "" to signify the current directory, just like AmigaDos' copy
command.

To pack/unpack all files in a directory use
xPackIt #?

To make sure all the files in a directory are packed use,
xPackIt #? Pack
This will prevent xPackIt from unpacking files that are already packed.

If you need to use the wildcard ?  use (?) instead, this is required
because ?  is used for the built in help.
@endnode

@node Method
This is where to specify the xpk suplibrary you wish to use.  The default
is 'BLZW' but this can be easily changed buy using the environment variable.

Please see @{"Defaults" link Defaults} to change the default packing mode.
@endnode

@node Efficiency
@prev Usage
This options sets the efficiency with which the file should be packed.
For the xpk libraries that support efficienct the range is 0-100, with
0 being the worst and 100 being the best.

Please see @{"Defaults" link Defaults} to change the default mode.
@endnode

@node PassWord
@prev Usage
This options lets you specify the password to encrypt a file with, or the
password needed to unpack an encrypted file.

There is no default.
Please see @{"Defaults" link Defaults} to set a default password.
@endnode

@node Executable
@prev Usage
Pack the file even if it is an executable.

Note:  You will not be able to run the packed file unless you are using
xLoadSeg.

This option is off by default.
Please see @{"Defaults" link Defaults} to change the default mode.
@endnode

@node Pack
@prev Usage
This option tells xPackIt to only pack files.  If a file is already pack
it will not be unpacked.

This option is off by default.
Please see @{"Defaults" link Defaults} to change the default mode.
@endnode

@node UnPack
@prev Usage
This option tells xPackIt to only unpack files.  If a file is already not
pack it will be left alone.

This option is off by default.
Please see @{"Defaults" link Defaults} to change the default mode.
@endnode

@node All
@prev Usage
This option tells xPackIt to enter all deep directories all act on all the files.
If you specify this option, and give a destination xPackIt will preserve the
directory stucture, creating all needed directories.

This option is off by default.
Please see @{"Defaults" link Defaults} to change the default mode.
@endnode

@node Defaults
Starting with v1.1 you are no longer stuck with the default that I have
chosen.  You can now specify your own default by setting the environment
variable xPackIt.

The template for ENV:xPackIt is
    M=@{"Method" Link Method}/K,PW=@{"PassWord" Link PassWord}/K,E=@{"Efficiency" Link Efficiency}/K/N,@{"All" Link All}/S,Exe=@{"Executable" Link Executable}/S,@{"Pack" Link Pack}/S,@{"UnPack" Link UnPack}/S:

Just set it as you want the default values to be.

Now you can also use the command line to toggle the values.  If you specify
an option in the environment variable and again on the command line it will
be turned off.  In other words if an option is specified on both the
command line and the environment variable it will be as if you did not
specify the option; but if and option is specified in EITHER the envronment
variable OR the command line it will be activated.
@endnode

@node Address
you can reach me at:

Michael Barsoom
5524 Pine Street
Omaha NE 68106
USA

Internet:  mbars@bluejay.creighton.edu
Fidonet:   Mike Barsoom @ 1:285/11.9
AmigaNet:  Mike Barsoom @ 40:200/10.9
@endnode

@node Shareware
PLEASE SUPPORT SHAREWARE!

xPackIt is shareware, however unlike most shareware authors I have not
crippled it any way.  You can use all of xPackIt's functions without any
restrictions or anoying requesters.  Please, if you use xPackIt on a regular
basis, concider sending me the registration fee.  Currently this amount is
$5.00 US.

Please see @{"Address" Link Address} for how to you can reach me and where to send in your
registration fee.

@endnode

@node History "History"
v1.0
  o Initial release

v1.1
  o Opps, v1.0 required an '030 or better processor.
  o Complete rewrite
  o All options can now be saved in the envronment variable
  o Added directory recurstion with wildcards.
  o Added options 'Pack [only]' and 'UnPack [only]'
  o Will no longer save small files which become longer as a result of
    being packed.

v1.2
  o When decrunching an encrypted file and a password is not given on the
    commandline, you will be presented with a requester to enter one.
@endnode