UHARC 0.6 high compression multimedia archiver BETA version

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Copyright(c) 1997-2004 by Uwe Herklotz All rights reserved 19 Dec 2004

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

!!!!!! THIS IS A BETA VERSION AND MAY CONTAIN BUGS. USE THIS !!!!!!

!!!!!! ARCHIVER AT YOUR OWN RISK. UWE HERKLOTZ, THE AUTHOR OF !!!!!!

!!!!!! UHARC, WILL NOT TAKE ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY DAMAGE !!!!!!

!!!!!! CAUSED BY USING OR MISUSING THIS SOFTWARE. !!!!!!

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

===< 0. Contents >============================================================

1. Introduction

2. Usage

2.1. Commands

2.2. Switches

2.3. Environment variable

3. Examples

4. History

5. Legal info / Registration

6. Contact info

===< 1. Introduction >========================================================

UHARC is a high performance file archiver. This package contains 3 files:

UHARC.EXE program version for Win32 systems

UHARCD.EXE program version for Dos32 systems

UHARC.DOC this documentation file

What's new in version 0.6 ?

- slightly improved compression (for PPM, ALZ and LZP modes)

- several bug fixes

Note: UHARC 0.6 archives are NOT compatible with previous versions !

This program will run on any 386 or better computer. Memory requirements

depend on selected compression mode. The number of files in one operation

is only limited by available memory, however current version can't handle

archives with more than 2 GB total unpacked size.

===< 2. Usage >===============================================================

Usage: UHARC command [-switch..] archive[.uha] [file..@listfile..!exclude..]

Commands:

~~~~~~~~~

a Create archive/Add files e Extract files to current dir

m Create archive/Move files x Extract files with full path

l List files in archive t Test files in archive

Switches:

~~~~~~~~~

ac[-,+] Clear file archive attr ae<attr> Set attr exclusion mask

b<n> Set max filebuffer size bpb[-,+] bpb instead of % ratio

d<0..2> Set display mode ed[-,+] Store empty directories

idle Set idle process priority lg<file> Log output to <file>

m<0..3,x,z> Set compression mode md<n> Set dictionary size

mm[-,+] MM-detection on/off o[-,+,p] Set overwrite mode

pw[passwd] Set password p<-,r,f> Set path handling

r[-,+] Recurse subdirectories t<dir> Set extract target dir

vm[-,+] Set virtual memory usage y[-,+] Assume yes on all queries

* For commandline help type "UHARC" without any parameter.

* The command character must be placed immediately after "UHARC".

* The switches, if any, must follow the command character. UHARC supports

the use of either "-" or "/" as the switch option character.

* The UHARC archive name must be the first filename on the commandline.

If there is no archive file extension specified, UHARC will add the

default (".UHA") extension.

* After the archive filename come the list of files for the given

operation. One or more files containing a list of files to process

can also be used by prefixing the list's filename with "@". It's

possible to mix filenames and list files in any order. If a filename

on commandline or in a list file has prefix "!", this means it will

be excluded in processing. Allowed delimiters for filenames in list

files are space, tab and newline. Filenames with spaces must be

enclosed in double-quotes. The line size in list file must not

exceed 4095 characters.

* Filename wildcards are allowed in commandline and in list files,

but not for archive filename. The use of wildcards follow MS-DOS

convention. "*.*" means all files. "*.txt" means all files with an

extension of ".TXT". "?B*.*" means all files with a second character

of "B".

* If there are no files specified at all, all files ("*.*") will be

processed (use "-r" to recurse subdirectories).

---< 2.1. Commands >----------------------------------------------------------

a Create archive and add matching files.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

If a file with the archive name already exists, UHARC will ask

before overwriting this file, unless you change the default

overwrite mode or use "-y".

Following switches have effect: ac ae b bpb d ed lg m md mm o p pw r y

e Extract matching files to current directory.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Stored pathnames will be ignored. Using the switch "-t", you can

change the current directory for extracting.

Following switches have effect: b d lg o pw t y

l List matching files in archive.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Using switch "-y", UHARC will not pause after one page, else you

can use the following keys:

ESCAPE = Cancel (quit program)

TAB = Disable pause

RETURN = Next line

other keys = Next page

Using switch "-d2", filenames are not shortened and more

information are displayed.

Following switches have effect: b bpb d lg pw y

m Create archive and move matching files.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

If a file with the archive name already exists, UHARC will ask

before overwriting this file, unless you change the default

overwrite mode or use "-y". If compression was successful, UHARC

will delete matching files on disk (but no directories).

Following switches have effect: ae b bpb d ed lg m md mm o p pw r y

t Test integrity of ALL files in archive.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Following switches have effect: b d lg pw y

x Extract matching files with full pathnames.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

UHARC will use the pathnames stored in archive for extraction (if

the archive was created with option "-pf", this also includes drive

letters). Using the switch "-t", you can select the root-directory

for all extracted dirs/files.

Following switches have effect: b d lg o pw t y

Note: During all operations it's possible to terminate the process

by pressing ESCAPE and answering the following question with

"Y" (when listing files, there is no additional query).

---< 2.2. Switches >----------------------------------------------------------

-- Stop switches scanning

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This switch tells UHARC that there are no more switches to be

processed. It's necessary if the archive name starts with a

"-" character. Without "--" switch such name would be treated

as a switch.

-!<char> Set exclude mask specifier

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Defines the character that is used as exclude mask specifier.

It should be used if a file name given in commandline or in

list file starts with the default exclude mask character "!".

If no character is given ("-!") then exclude mask processing

will be disabled. This option should be used carefully.

DEFAULT: -!!

-@<char> Set list file specifier

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Defines the character that is used as list file specifier.

It should be used if a file name given in commandline or in

list file starts with the default list file character "@".

If no character is given ("-@") then list file processing

will be disabled. This option should be used carefully.

DEFAULT: -@@

-ac[-,+] Clear file archive attribute

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

-ac[+] Clear archive attribute of files stored in archive.

-ac- Don't clear archive attribute.

If this option is enabled and compression was successful,

UHARC will clear the archive attribute of all files which

are stored in archive (directories are not affected).

This option has effect with add command only.

DEFAULT: -ac-

-ae<attr> Set attribute exclusion filter

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Defines the filter for exclusion based on file attributes.

Files are excluded if specified attributes are set "+" or

cleared "-". File attributes are:

"A" archive attribute

"H" hidden file attribute

"R" read-only attribute

"S" system file attribute

Example: switch "-aeA-H+" means that files with archive

attribute cleared or hidden attribute set are not included

in the processing list.

This option has effect with add or move commands only.

DEFAULT: not specified

-b<n> Set maximum file buffer size (in KB).

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After allocating all structures for (de)compression the

remaining memory is used for file buffers, but never more

than <n>. The minimum buffer size is 50 KB.

DEFAULT: -b1024

-bpb[-,+] Show bpb instead of % ratio

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

-bpb[+] Show compression ratio in bpb.

-bpb- Show compression ratio in %.

DEFAULT: -bpb-

-d<0..2> Set display mode.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

-d0 Quiet mode (no process information, except queries).

-d1 Display some process information.

-d2 Show more information (file info, verbose listing).

DEFAULT: -d1

-ed[-,+] Store empty directories

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

-ed[+] Store also empty directories.

-ed- Don't store empty directories.

This option has effect with add or move commands only.

DEFAULT: -ed-

-idle Set idle process priority (Win32 only)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This option forces UHARC to set its process in IDLE priority

class, which means UHARC is executed as background task with

only small effect on normal system operation (assumed there

is enough memory available). This way UHARC can process very

large data sets without blocking the system for long time.

DEFAULT: not specified

-lg<file> Log UHARC output to specified <file>.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

If UHARC fails to open <file>, no log is created (without an

error message). The display mode setting has effect on log,

too.

DEFAULT: no log file

-m<0..3> Set compression mode.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

-m0 Store files without compression.

-m1 Use ALZ:1 (fast) compression mode.

-m2 Use ALZ:2 (norm) compression mode.

-m3 Use ALZ:3 (best) compression mode.

-mx Use PPM compression mode.

-mz Use LZP compression mode.

ALZ uses advanced LZ77 compression algorithm with arithmetic

entropy coder. "-m1" is the fastest ALZ mode, sacrificing

compression ratio to gain better speed. Mode "-m3" achieves

best compression and needs most time. "-m2" is a compromise

ratio/speed and is used as default mode. The decompression

speed is nearly the same for all ALZ modes and it is much

faster than compression.

PPM mode uses an order-4-2-1-0 model with preliminary LZP

pass. In most cases this mode provides the best compression

results.

LZP mode uses the same dictionary compression as in PPM mode

but with much simpler order-1-0 literal model.

There are also two extra modes (may be not supported in

future versions):

-mr Use simple RLE compression.

-mw Use LZ78 with selectable dictionary size.

DEFAULT: -m2

-md<n> Set maximum dictionary size (in KB).

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

If dictionary is disabled, this setting has no effect.

Valid sizes:

-m1..3,-mx,-mz n = power of 2 from 1 to 32768 or "a".."p"

-mw n = power of 2 from 1 to 32 or "a".."f"

A one-character shortcut can be used instead of size number,

e.g. "-mda" instead of "-md1" or "-mdk" instead of "-md1024".

Dictionary size selection:

1. Using option "-md<n>", UHARC will never select a

dictionary size greater than <n>. If "-md<n>" is not

used, UHARC will try to use default dictionary (n=4096).

2. If data stream size is smaller than <n>, UHARC will use

the smallest dictionary size which is greater than the

data stream.

3. If there is not enough memory for current selection,

UHARC will use the largest dictionary size which is

possible with available memory.

DEFAULT: -md4096

-md[-,+] Disable/enable dictionary-based compression.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This has effect only with modes "-m1", "-m2", "-m3" and "-mx".

-md[+] Enable dictionary-based compression.

-md- Disable dictionary-based compression.

Generally, it's NOT RECOMMENDED to disable dictionary-based

compression. Without dictionary, the compression ratio is

almost always worse. But for some data types (e.g. waveform

sounds or photographic true-color pictures), the compression

isn't affected much by dictionary. Using "-md-" in such cases

will speed up the compression process considerably.

If dictionary-based compression is disabled, there are nearly

no differences between the three modes "-m1", "-m2" and "-m3".

DEFAULT: -md+

-mm[-,+] Disable/enable built-in multimedia detection/compression.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

-mm[+] Enable multimedia detection/compression.

-mm- Disable multimedia detection/compression.

UHARC multimedia detection/compression supports many data

types (8/16-bit mono/stereo waveforms, 24-bit true color

pictures and many other types using 8/16/24/32-bit record

sizes). It's also possible to detect multimedia-like data

in other file types (e.g. in executables). Therefore it's

NOT RECOMMENDED to disable multimedia detection/compression

unless the user knows, that there is absolutely no chance

to use multimedia compression (e.g. compressing text only).

DEFAULT: -mm+

-o[-,+,p] Set overwrite mode.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

-op Prompt user before overwriting files.

-o[+] Always overwrite files without asking.

-o- Never overwrite existing files.

Using -op with -y has the same effect as -o[+].

If UHARC shows an overwrite query, the user can select one of

the following options:

"Y" Yes, overwrite current file.

"N" No, don't overwrite current file.

"A" Always Yes, overwrite current file and auto-answer

all following overwrite queries with "Y".

"C" Cancel, don't overwrite and quit process.

DEFAULT: -op

-p<-,r,f,e> Set path mode.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

-p- Store no paths (exclude paths from names).

-pr Store relative paths.

-pf Store full paths including drive letter.

-pe Store relative paths but exclude all paths

specified in commandline or in list file.

Using option "-pr", paths are stored in relation with the

current directory of each drive (drive letter isn't stored).

With option "-pf" it's possible to backup data from different

drives into one archive and restore all data correctly.

Option "-pe" is the same as "-pr" but any path specified in

commandline or list file is excluded from the path stored in

archive.

DEFAULT: -pr

-ph[-,+] Archive header encryption

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

-ph[+] Encyrpt archive header.

-ph- Don't encyrpt archive header.

The archive header contains folder and file names, sizes etc.

of the complete archive. If this header is encrypted then the

correct password is needed even to read the archive content.

DEFAULT: -ph+

-pw[passwd] Set encryption password

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

-pw Request user to enter password.

-pw<s> Use "s" as password.

With switch "-pw" the user is requested to enter the password

twice for safety reasons (input will not be echoed on screen).

DEFAULT: not specified

-px Pause before program exit

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This switch tells UHARC to wait for a key stroke before exit.

It could be useful if the console window will be closed

automatically after program finish.

-r[-,+] Set subdir recursion mode.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

-r[+] Recurse subdirectories.

-r- Don't recurse subdirectories.

If recursion is enabled, matching files are also searched

in all subdirectories (regardless of directory names and

attributes) of all specified directories (commandline and

list files).

DEFAULT: -r-

-t<dir> Set extract target directory.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

UHARC will store all extracted files in directory <dir>.

If <dir> doesn't already exist, UHARC will create it.

Using this option with the "e" command, <dir> will be the

'current directory' for extracting. Using this option with

the "x" command, <dir> will be the root-directory for all

extracted dirs/files.

DEFAULT: not specified

-vm[-,+] Set virtual memory usage

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

-vm[+] Use virtual memory.

-vm- Don't use virtual memory.

With virtual memory usage disabled UHARC checks free physical

memory at program start and will not use compression modes

that require more memory. Proper work of this option is not

guaranteed if it is used in multitasking systems.

DEFAULT: -vm-

-y[-,+] Set auto-answer mode.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

-y[+] Assume YES on all queries.

-y- Don't auto-answer queries.

Using the option -y[+], all queries, except critical error

messages, don't appear on screen and are auto-answered

with "Y".

DEFAULT: -y-

---< 2.3. Environment variable >----------------------------------------------

It's possible to define default options in the environment variable

"UHARC_OPT". Whenever UHARC is executed, it first looks for this

environment variable and parses the values of this variable like

commandline switches. Any arguments in the environment variable

can be overridden on the commandline.

Example:

~~~~~~~~

SET UHARC_OPT=-d2 -p- -lgc:\uharc.log

When UHARC is next executed, it will use verbose display mode,

store no paths and log all outputs to file "C:\UHARC.LOG" by default.

Note: If the environment variable contains a log file switch, it's

not possible to disable log file directly. Use instead the switch

"-lgNUL" on commandline. This overrides the default log file and

write all log outputs to the NUL file (effective no output).

===< 3. Examples >============================================================

1. UHARC a archive *.dll @c:\list *.exe

This will compress all "*.DLL", "*.EXE" and the files listed in the file

"C:\LIST" to the archive file "ARCHIVE.UHA" using the default compression

mode.

2. UHARC a -m3 -r -pf -o backup.arc c:\*.ini d:\*.ini c:\*.cfg d:\*.cfg

This will compress all "*.INI" and "*.CFG" files on drives "C:" and "D:"

to the archive file "BACKUP.ARC" using the ALZ:3 compression mode. UHARC

will store full paths including drive letter, so it will be possible

to restore all files on correct drives. If a file named "BACKUP.ARC"

already exists, UHARC will overwrite this file without asking.

3. UHARC m -mz -md64 -mm- -r text c:\text\*.txt

This will move all "*.TXT" files in "C:\TEXT\" and its subdirectories

to archive file "TEXT.UHA" using LZP mode with max 64K dictionary and

without multimedia detection/compression.

4. UHARC l -d2 -lguharc.lst archive a*.doc b*.doc

This will verbosely list all "*.DOC" files with a first character of

"A" or "B" in archive file "ARCHIVE.UHA" and log the output to file

"UHARC.LST".

5. UHARC x -y arc.uha

This will extract all files in archive "ARC.UHA" with full paths. All

queries, except critical error messages, will be auto-answered with YES,

so if one of the files already exists, UHARC will overwrite this file

without asking the user.

6. UHARC e -td:\temp archive readme.txt

This will extract the file "README.TXT" from archive "ARCHIVE.UHA" to

the directory "D:\TEMP\". If this directory doesn't already exist,

UHARC will create it.

7. UHARC e -o- sounds @mysounds.lst

This will extract all files listed in "MYSOUNDS.LST" from archive

"SOUNDS.UHA" to the current directory. UHARC will not overwrite

existing files.

8. UHARC t -d2 -lglog archive

This will test the integrity of all files in archive "ARCHIVE.UHA" and

log the verbose output to file "LOG".

===< 4. History >=============================================================

Date Version

~~~~ ~~~~~~~

19.12.2004 0.6 See chapter "Introduction".

15.10.2002 0.5 Intermediate non-public version.

28.12.2001 0.4 What's new in version 0.4 ?

- improved compression and new modes (PPM,LZP)

- improved built-in detection of multimedia data types

- support for long filenames (Win32 only)

- encryption of archives

- more archiver options (e.g. attribute filters or

exclusion masks)

- display output is written to stdout for better file

manager integration

- several bug fixes

05.03.2000 0.3 Intermediate non-public version.

21.12.1997 0.2 Initial public release.

26.06.1997 0.1 First working archiver version (still non-public).

===< 5. Legal info / Registration >===========================================

Disclaimer:

~~~~~~~~~~~

Uwe Herklotz, the author of UHARC, disclaims any liability for any damage

caused by using or misusing this software. The author cannot be held

responsible for data loss or other damages and any consequences from this

loss or damages.

!! U S E T H I S P R O G R A M A T Y O U R O W N R I S K !!

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

This software is Copyright(c) 1997-2004 by Uwe Herklotz. All rights reserved

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

UHARC is freeware for non-commercial use. The current beta version is

mainly intended for testing and evaluation, so please ensure that the

archiver can correctly extract if it is used for any important data.

If you have any problems or questions then please feel free to contact

me at the e-mail address below.

===< 6. Contact info >========================================================

If you have any advice, comments, bug reports or requests for info,

you can send e-mail to:

Uwe.Herklotz@gmx.de

or mail to: Uwe Herklotz

Irkutsker Str. 111

09119 Chemnitz

Germany

##############################################################################

UHARC Copyright(c) 1997-2004 by Uwe Herklotz All rights reserved