File: UNARC.MSG Subject: Release Message for UNARC Program Version: 1.6 Date: March 27, 1987 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Version 1.6 of the CP/M UNARC utility: * Corrects a bug in version 1.5, which caused generation of an 'incorrect CRC' warning message (during extraction of files to disk) in certain cases where such an error condition did not actually exist. Version 1.5 of UNARC included the following changes from the previous version 1.4 release: * Provides self-unpacking archive support (see below). * Corrects a serious bug in the non-Z80 version (UNARCA.COM), which caused failure to output the last 1-255 bytes of an extracted file in certain situations. (In particular, ALL files less than 256 bytes in length could not be extracted from archives.) * Supports the new "squashed" compression method generated by the MS-DOS program PKARC (version 2.0 or later). * Provides a new command line option (P) for direct printing of files on the CP/M list device. * Provides a new command line option (C) for checking the validity of archive files. * Displays a checksum total of CRC values (useful for comparing separate copies of an archive file). * Alters the mechanism used to avoid a problem with the LUX library/archive utility program, to provide independence of UNARC from recent multiple releases of new LUX versions by different authors. (See USELUX definition in UNARCOVL.ASM overlay file.) * Minor enhancements to tab expansion and CTRL-S/CTRL-C processing during file typeout. * Expands on-line help display examples. Complete details of all of the above changes (and past history of prior UNARC releases) are provided in the version 1.5 source program file (UNARC.Z80). * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * UNARC is now distributed exclusively as a "self-unpacking" archive file, UNARC16.ARK. This allows automatic extraction of the distributed files, without requiring access to a separate copy of UNARC.COM or UNARCA.COM. To utilize this capability, simply copy or rename UNARC16.ARK to a program file, UNARC16.COM, on the current disk drive. (The exact file name UNARC16.COM is required.) Then, run this program, with a single optional command line parameter specifying the disk drive to which all distribution files will be extracted (defaults to current disk). For example, assuming UNARC16.ARK is on drive B:, and the files are to be extracted to drive C:, the following CP/M commands may be used: A>B: ; Set current drive for UNARC16.ARK B>REN UNARC16.COM=UNARC16.ARK ; Rename it to UNARC16.COM B>UNARC16 C: ; Run it to extract all files to drive C: Note that this self-unpacking capability is provided only by the distributed archive file, and it will not work if that file is altered or reconstructed. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * The following files are distributed with this release: Filename.Typ Size Recs CRC Description ------------ ---- ---- ---- ----------- 1 UNARC .MSG 7k 50 Release message (this file) 2 UNARC .COM 5k 37 17B5 Program (Z80 version) 3 UNARCA .COM 6k 45 913C Program (8080/8085 version) 4 UNARC .DOC 31k 244 A8B1 User documentation 5 UNARC .FOR 1k 4 23B4 Brief "what's it for?" abstract 6 UNARCOVL.ASM 14k 111 EEC3 Overlay source for program options 7 UNARC16 .DIF 2k 14 8E8C Version 1.6 source code differences 8 UNARC .Z80 122k 969 406F Version 1.5 source code (UNARC15S.ARK) (The CRC values shown above are those displayed by UNARC itself, and these should be used for verification purposes. These are not compatible with the values produced by other CP/M programs, such as CRCK and CHEK.) Items 1-7 are included in the self-unpacking UNARC16.ARK file. Item 5 may be used to supply a requested program description after uploading UNARC16.ARK to a remote system. Item 6 supports all user-configurable program options. Item 8 is distributed in a separate archive file, UNARC15S.ARK, and it is not required for UNARC program operation or configuration. (Due to the relatively insubstantial nature of the version 1.6 update, the new source code file is not being distributed. However, item 7 may be used, in conjunction with the SSED utility (version 2.0, by Chuck Forsberg), to generate an updated source code file from the distributed file for version 1.5.) NOTE 8080/8085 USERS: The file UNARCA.COM is an alternate version of the program which will run on your systems. However, it is larger and substantially slower than the standard (Z80-only) version, UNARC.COM. (UNARCA.COM will run on ALL CP/M systems, but it is specifically NOT recommended for users with Z80's!) RCP/M SYSOPS: The assembly language overlay file UNARCOVL.ASM is provided primarily for your use in generating a secure version of UNARC for use by remote callers. Note that several of the UNARC 1.6 changes had been distributed to RCP/M Sysops in an earlier Beta-test release (UNARC 1.42). That version was also distributed with several recent releases of the LUX utility program (by different authors), and it should now be replaced by UNARC 1.6. (If you use LUX, be sure to define USELUX = YES in the overlay file.) Due to the self-unpacking feature of UNARC16.ARK, it is no longer necessary to provide separate copies of UNARC.COM and UNARCA.COM for downloading by first-time users. (Even if you prefer the use of .LBR files on your system, you are encouraged to maintain at least this one file, UNARC16.ARK, in its distributed form!) The UNARC.DOC file provides a complete program description and user operating instructions. Refer to the notice in that file regarding rights of use and distribution of this program and its associated documentation files. Copyright (C) 1987 by Robert A. Freed All Rights Reserved ------------------------------------------------------------------------------