Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!utgpu!water!watnot!watmath!clyde!rutgers!cbmvax!vu-vlsi!UUCP From: UUCP@vu-vlsi.UUCP Newsgroups: comp.sys.tandy Subject: Documentation for ARC4/CMD Message-ID: <690@vu-vlsi.UUCP> Date: Mon, 13-Apr-87 21:08:19 EST Article-I.D.: vu-vlsi.690 Posted: Mon Apr 13 21:08:19 1987 Date-Received: Wed, 15-Apr-87 05:20:13 EST Sender: UUCP@vu-vlsi.UUCP Lines: 707 ARC4/CMD File Archive Utility Version 01.00.00 12/11/86 for TRSDOS 6.x.x (C) COPYRIGHT 1985, 1986 by System Enhancement Associates; ALL RIGHTS RESERVED TRSDOS 6.x.x adaptations (C) COPYRIGHT 1986 by David Huelsmann; ALL RIGHTS RESERVED This document describes the ARC4 file utility, version 01.00.00, which was based on the MS-DOS ARC created by System Enhancement Associates. INTRODUCTION ARC is the copyrighted property of System Enhancement Associates. Since ARC4 s a derivative work based on ARC, it, too, is the copyrighted property of System Enhancement Associates. The TRSDOS 6.x.x modifications are the copyrighted property of David Huelsmann. You are granted a limited license to use ARC4, and to copy it and distribute it, provided that the following conditions are met: 1) No fee may be charged for such copying and distribution. 2) ARC4 may ONLY be distributed in its original, unmodified state. Any voluntary contributions for the use of this program will be appreciated, and should be sent to: System Enhancement Associates 21 New Street Wayne, NJ 07470 You may not use this product in a commercial environment or a governmental organization without paying a license fee of $35. Site licenses and commercial distribution licenses are available. See the order form in the back of this manual for more details. A word about user supported software: The user supported software concept (usually referred to as freeware) is an attempt to provide software at low cost. The cost of offering a new product by conventional means is staggering, and hence dissuades many independent authors and small companies from developing and promoting their ideas. User supported software is an attempt to develop a new marketing channel, where products can be introduced at low cost. If user supported software works, then everyone will benefit. The user will benefit by receiving quality products at low cost, and by being able to "test drive" software thoroughly before purchasing it. The author benefits by being able to enter the commercial software arena without first needing large sources of venture capital. But it can only work with your support. We're not just talking about ARC and ARC4 here, but about all user supported software. If you find that you are still using a program after a couple of weeks, then pretty obviously it is worth something to you, and you should send in a contribution. And now, back to ARC4: ARC4 is used to create and maintain file archives. An archive is a group of files collected together into one file in such a way that the individual files may be recovered intact. ARC4 is different from other archive and library utilities in that it automatically compresses the files being archived, so that the resulting archive takes up a minimum amount of space. When ARC4 is used to add a file to an archive it analyzes the file to determine which of three storage methods will result in the greatest savings. These three methods are: 1) No compression; the file is stored as is. 2) Repeated-character compression; repeated sequences of the same byte value are collapsed into a three-byte code sequence. 3) Huffman squeezing with repeated-character compression; the file is compressed into variable length bit strings, similar to the method used by the SQ programs. Note that since one of the three methods involves no compression at all, the resulting archive entry will never be larger than the original file. An interesting note: It has been brought to SEA's attention that BASIC programs compress to a smaller size when they are not tokenized. If you are more concerned with space than speed, you may wish to convert your BASIC programs to ASCII form before adding them to an archive. Your BASIC manual should give instructions on how to do this. USING ARC4 ARC4 is invoked with a command of the following format: ARC4