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Text File | 1992-09-09 | 16.4 KB | 343 lines

ARJSHELL v1.50 is Copyright (c)1992 by A Kellett ARJ is Copyright (c) 1990-1992 by Robert K. Jung. This program, ARJShell, is in no way associated with Robert K. Jung, it is merely my attempt to make his excellent compression product even easier to use. Thanks for trying ARJShell, I hope you find it useful. To print out this manual, at the DOS prompt type: TYPE ARJSHELL.DOC > PRN ***************************** DISCLAIMER ****************************** ARJSHELL IS LICENSED "AS-IS". A. KELLETT MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED, WITH RESPECT TO THIS SOFTWARE, ITS QUALITY, PERFORMANCE, MERCHANTABILITY, OR FITNESS FOR ANY PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN PARTICULAR, IT IS NOT GUARANTEED TO PREVENT OR DETECT DAMAGE TO YOUR DATA OR PROGRAMS. IN NO EVENT SHALL A. KELLETT BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIMS FOR LOST PROFITS OR ANY DAMAGE, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL OR OTHER DAMAGE. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, SO THE ABOVE LIMITATION OR EXCLUSION MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU. IN NO CASE SHALL A. KELLETTs' LIABILITY EXCEED THE LICENSE FEES PAID FOR THE RIGHT TO USE THE LICENSED SOFTWARE. THE LICENSE AGREEMENT AND WARRANTY SHALL BE CONSTRUED, INTERPRETED AND GOVERNED BY THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF GEORGIA. ***************************** DISCLAIMER ****************************** ARJShell FEATURES: * Easy-to-use interface: except for filenames, the Return/Enter key and the cursor keys will get you anywhere. * No switches to memorize: almost anything ARJ can do for you, ARJShell will handle. * Superior compression: ARJ v2.30 will compress smaller than PKZIP v1.1 on most types of files. * ARJShell is small: less than 25k of valuable disk space, perfect for floppy-only or laptop users. * Fast operation: ARJ is fast and so is ARJShell, even runs quickly on older 4.77MHz PCs. * Security: compress your sensitive files into a space saving ARJ archive and garble them with your own password. * Convenience: archive files into a tightly compressed self-extracting EXE to freely distribute via modem or disks. * Save time: move your files to and from archived format without typing any DOS commands. * Save space: compressed files leave you more valuable disk real estate (a precious commodity). * Many options: compress to the max or go for the speed, you can find a balance suited to your needs. * Beats paper training a litter of puppies! Ooops, how did that get in here?? * Low cost/high value: Registration is very affordable and you can try out ALL the features before you buy! WHY USE ARJShell? I have been a long and die-hard fan of PKZIP, but the much better compression ratios of ARJ finally won me over. I now have over 500k of available hard drive room at home since moving 4MB of ZIP files over to ARJ format. ARJ also has more switches than anybody would usually want. The complexity of all these switches was one thing that prompted me to start working on the early versions of ARJSHELL (yes, necessity IS the mother of invention). All YOU have to remember is the path/filenames of the files you want to work with. You can even easily try different compression methods to see what advantages or disadvantages they have using your own files! You can compress to self-extracting EXE's, garble with a password, move files to and from archives, and much more! If you use ARJ or simply want more valuable disk space available, try the ARJ and ARJShell team today!! [End Of Commercial] REGISTRATION: This program is distributed through the SHAREWARE method. If you like it and use it beyond a 30-day trial period you should register. When registering, please print and fill out the ARJS-REG.TXT file. If you fill it in by hand, writing neatly will greatly improve the accuracy of my built-in optical character reading system. For registration methods #1 or #2, let me know what disk size you require. The registered version of ARJShell does not have the shareware exit screen, and you will get the latest version when you register. Your financial support and suggestions are valuable to the future of ARJShell. There are three methods of registering: 1) Send $15 and get latest version (no exit screen) and Borland C++ v3.1 source code (it's in C, not C++). I'll also include a copy of TCWindow by Don Fordham (if you like it, you should register with him). Please note: source code is for personal use and study. It is NOT for building and distributing derivitive works (ie ARJShell work-a-likes). If you need more details, please write and include a self-addressed-stamped-envelope for a reply. 2) Send $8 and get latest version (no exit screen) 3) Send a nice postcard with suggestions or just to say thanks. If you want a reply with method #3, please send a self-addressed envelope (try putting the envelope and the postcard in a bigger envelope to send me). The registered version will include your name embedded within ARJShell, so PLEASE print your name plainly on the registration form. My address is: Andy Kellett Attn: Shareware Route One Box 430B Summerville, GA 30747-9801 U.S.A. (Please PRINT any handwritten correspondence) WHY REGISTER? Registrations are a vote that you like ARJShell, have found it useful, and believe that shareware is a step in the right direction (try-before-you-buy should benefit the user AND the author by reducing costs at both ends). It allows the author to continue development (many hours went into ARJShell already), listen to user suggestions, and pay for the disks/ mailers/postage needed to get the big shareware catalogs to consider distributing it. Registering with method #1 or #2 will get you the latest version without the shareware screen (and the pause) when you exit. If you like it somewhat, or just can't afford to register, try method #3 listed above as a vote of confidence to the author. BUG REPORTS/SUGGESTIONS/CONTACT Use it, test it, then let me know what you think. As an alternative to regular mail, you can contact me on the Final Burn BBS in Rome GA (706 232 5308) if it's nearby. I usually read my mail twice weekly (see note at end about the Sysop). If you do have gripes, please be specific! I can't make improvements based on vague gripes. Specific gripes are some- thing I can work with, having done so for years in the mainframe/mini-computer world <slight grin here>. USAGE NOTES CAUTION: I have never lost any data due to ARJ or ARJShell but it is always a good practice to make backup copies of anything stored on magnetic media. Lightning does strike somewhere, and sunspots *do* ebb and flow. It helps if you are already familiar with ARJ first, especially the move-to and move-from options (the delete stuff hopefully will be obvious to anyone who is a compression veteran). Please be sure ARJ.EXE is in your path somewhere so ARJShell can find it. This program uses approximately 90k of RAM while running. If this causes too many users problems (and they register), I'll try spending some serious time reducing this amount. However, in my testing with 560-610k of free RAM it hasn't been a problem even with multi-megabyte archive files. If you have 512k (total) of RAM or less ARJ may not have enough memory to work with, especially if you are using compression method JM or JM1. For more information on memory usage, please see the ARJ documentation file (ARJ.DOC). This version of ARJShell was tested exclusively with ARJ 2.30 -- the latest version. If you have an earlier version of ARJ, downloading the newest one from a local BBS should be the first step towards solving any problems. There were some reported bugs using the Garble function with ARJ v2.21a, so upgrading is the best option. I have also tested using ARJ v2.39a (a BETA test version). It worked fine but I will retest all functions when the final version of ARJ v2.40 becomes available. DOS versions 3.1 and above should not cause problems except for lack of memory for ARJ itself (again, see ARJ.DOC for more details). ARJShell will live nicely on a floppy disk along with ARJ itself. If you use PKLite on ARJ.EXE (seems to work for me), you will have approximately 260k of free space on a 360k floppy! For laptop users this will allow easily keeping storage space to a minimum (always a premium when travelling). Desktop users can keep infrequently used programs or data files compressed until they need them. I like to store infrequently used programs and data in archived format on floppies (1.44MB 3.5") to be unarchived only if and when they are needed again. If a shareware program looks even remotely useful, I keep it around just in case one of my friends or I need it someday. (This has saved my hide more than once when an obscure program had to be found). Although there isn't a specific menu selection to do so, you *can* extract only the files you need from an archive. All files in archive Selected files in archive filename -> MYTEST.ARJ filename ->MYTEST.ARJ path -> D:\ path ->D:\*.DBF If this is confusing to many users, I can change the menu to have several different extracts (all, some, q/password...). SelF-eXtracting (sfx) EXE files should not be created using the M4 compression method. Accordingly, ARJShell checks for M4 and will substitute M3 when creating an sfx EXE file for you. If you DO NOT specify a file specification, ARJShell will default to ALL files in the current subdirectory, something you probably will not want. Test all options to be sure what does happen is what you expected to happen. ARJShell lets you create a sfx EXE from either an already created archive file or from a file spec (non-archived files): From an ARJ From a file spec filename ->TEST.EXE filename ->TEST.EXE file spec->MYARCHIV.ARJ file spec->C:\LOTUS\*.WK* If you are the Sysop of a bulletin board system and need to keep track of other BBSs which you receive files from, the "Capture comment to file" option can come in handy. If there is a comment for the entire ARJ file, this lets you output the comment into a text file you specify. You can browse through these later, or edit the text file and use it to comment other archive files. If you find ARJShell handy, whether or not you register, upload it to *your* favorite BBS. You get some upload points and gives other users a chance to try a program you find handy. If you are using a monochrome/amber/composite monitor and the default colors look really cruddy, use the /m (or /M) command line parameter for monochrome mode: ARJSHELL /M This should make everything more readable. This was tested on a very burned-out monochrome VGA screen, and an old CGA screen which was jumpy and barely readable. Even if you forget to set it for monochrome mode, the default colors are fairly readable also -- try both modes and see which one you prefer. OLD ARJSHELL VERSIONS The early versions of ARJShell were written in PowerBasic to be included with my PBTool shareware package for PowerBasic programmers. The positive response I received after uploading it to several local BBS's showed the need for newer versions with more options and a revamped user-interface. Since there are lots of windowing packages for C/C++ (I program in C and Assembler too), I decided to rewrite it using Borland C++ v3.1 and the TCWindow shareware package by Don Fordham. The result was a much easier interface for the user, improved response in some areas, and removal of some design restraints. This means a better overall program which consumes less memory and disk space too. NEW FEATURES / RELEASE HISTORY 09/1992 version 1.50 * Completely new user interface * Completely rewritten in C * Move files to and from an archive * Smaller SelF-eXtracting EXE's (also know as SFX) * Capture comments to text file * Prompt before deleting files from an archive * Pause during listing of archive contents * View contents of a file within an archive 08/1992 version 1.02 * fixed a few minor glitches * added color per user suggestion [please note that when ARJ takes over, it'll use whatever colors DOS is using regardless of ARJShell's wishes...] * added more compression options per user suggestion * compress files and garble with a password (11 characters) * extract files from a garbled archive 07/1992 version 1.00 * initial release FUTURE RELEASES: I have a few ideas in mind for future versions of ARJShell. I expect most changes to come from the users. We'll see how many registrations and requests come in...I'd like for the future of ARJShell to be user-driven. Lemme know. CREDITS (heroes for them what cares): Special thanks to God, my wonderful wife and three special kids, my family, and close friends. Thanks to Mike P. and Howard H. (two fine coders and lots-o-fun) for great advice and programming info over the years. To all those who offered advice and kindly criticism, ARJShell is much improved beast due to your time and trouble. Borland gets a tip-of-the-cap for producing darned good language tools and letting users upgrade affordably. This is the first full-fledged application I have written in C. Although there were lots of smaller-scale utilities before, it has been a relatively pleasant learning experience. PLEASE NOTE: The Final Burn BBS is run by the Sysop, Critical Mass, and operates according to the rules he chooses to employ. The Sysop is in no way endorsing or supporting ARJShell, other than the support given to all users of the Final Burn BBS. My user id on the Final Burn is: ANDY KELLETT TRADEMARKS and more: The following names are trademarks of their respective owners: PKZIP, PKLite, ARJ, TCWindow, PowerBasic, LZEXE, Borland C++ and Turbo C