Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!bloom-beacon!bu-cs!purdue!mentor.cc.purdue.edu!mace.cc.purdue.edu!ajq
From: ajq@mace.cc.purdue.edu (John O'Malley)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac
Subject: Re: Using BinHex to un-Binhex files downloaded from comp.binaries.mac
Summary: Some unpacking instructions for beginners
Message-ID: <2168@mace.cc.purdue.edu>
Date: 9 Apr 89 03:01:40 GMT
Reply-To: ajq@mace.cc.purdue.edu (John O'Malley)
Organization: Purdue University Computing Center
Lines: 48

In article <2422@cit5.cit.oz> Paul Freeman writes:
>   [ confusion about proper way to convert downloaded files]
>
> using BinHex 4.0.  The procedure I am using is as below.  The files have
> been downloaded to a Mac using Kermit 0.8(34), text mode, data fork.
>
> 5.	Use Fedit to change the file type to INIT, APPL or whatever is
>    	appropriate.
>
> Paul Freeman
> EMAIL:  munnari!cit5.cit.oz.au!prf@uunet.uu.net (I think this is correct)

[My response is of general interest.  I elected to post.]

Paul,

The procedure you described is the one that I've used successfully for
quite some time ... but you may want to make some minor changes.

Firstly, I know that the files say "convert with BinHex 4.0".  I use
version 5.0.  It will convert 4.0 files just fine.  Plus, you're using a
very old and nasty version of Kermit.  I believe 0.9(40) is the latest.
With proper key mappings, it'll work better than 0.8(34).

Many comp.binaries.mac postings are not only "BinHexed" but also "packed"
or "stuffed" using one of two additional programs:  PackIt or StuffIt.
StuffIt is the newer of the two standards, and it's probably more likely
format you'll see.

After unbinhexing the files, if the file has a ".pit" or ".sit" suffix,
the file needs additional decoding.

Find a copy of the latest StuffIt.  I believe the latest version is 1.5.1.
(If you see a version 2.0, do NOT use it.  Rumors are that some nasty
person somewhere, not the legit StuffIt author, created a bogus program
calling it StuffIt 2.0.  It may be virus-infected.)  StuffIt can actually
do the whole process:  unBinHex a file, unpack a file, and/or unstuff a file.

There's never a need to use FEdit or anything similar to change file
types.  Programs should be ready to run after they've been converted
properly.

By the way, if you find any of the above programs useful, you might consider
paying the shareware fee, if any.


John O'Malley           / Macintosh  / Purdue University / (317)
mace.cc.purdue.edu!ajq / Specialist / Computing Center  / 494-1787