AV (Archive Viewer)
Copyright (c) 1992/93 by M. Kimes
All rights reserved



Overview:
========

AV is a 32-bit PM archive viewing, file/directory maintenance and
program launching utility for OS/2 2.x.

Features:
--------

o Configurable for any archive type, past, present and future
via self-documenting plain text configuration file. Internal editting
dialog available, or can be editted with an external text editor.
Sample C code included should you want to utilize the configuration
file in your own work.

o Drag & drop, full keyboard interface including accelerator keys,
standard menu and configurable "toolbar" support. Choose your
interface.

o Fast file-oriented design. Not as pretty as WPS, but much quicker.
However, AV supports (and can even create and destroy) WPS objects.

o Full range of file manipulation functions: copy, move, rename,
delete, execute, view, edit, print, alter attributes and datestamp,
set icon, create objects, encrypt, and more, on selected files.

o Directory tree with directory maintenance commands; delete, make,
rename, move, copy, and archive. Delete and make work on multiple
levels: delete a subdirectory and all files and subdirectories are
deleted; create a directory many levels deep with one command.

o Viewing and editting text files via simple internal MLE viewer/editor
or seamlessly integrate more sophisticated and/or specialized external
programs; for example, view ICONs via ICONEDIT and INFs via VIEW just
by selecting them.

o File association separate from the WPS's; no space required in
"fragile" OS/2 system .INI files or EAs. Can be used to extend
viewing capabilities and/or execute programs when their data files are
selected.

o OS/2 1.x-like Groups for organizing programs. Can be used as an
alternate Workplace Shell on low memory machines. Secure-mode
available in registered version to password-restrict a workstation to
a pre-arranged set of programs.


As you've received AV, it's set up for the following OS/2 archivers on
your PATH:

Zoo 2.1 [ZOO.EXE]
PK(Un)Zip 1.01 [PKZIP.EXE/PKUNZIP.EXE]
Zip/UnZip 1.9/5.0 [ZIP.EXE/UNZIP.EXE]
LH2 2.22 [LH.EXE]
UnArj port 2.10 [UNARJ.EXE]
UnArj demo 2.30 [UNARJ.EXE]
Arc 5.12mpl [ARC.EXE]
Arc2 6.0 [ARC.EXE]

If you don't have these OS/2 archivers by these names on your PATH
you'll need to use a text editor to edit the ARCHIVER.BB2 control file
or use the Config->Edit Archiver menu item from AV to make the necessary
changes so your setup is reflected accurately. Otherwise, archive
viewing and manipulation may not work properly. It's a simple process,
so dive in.


There's complete help online, so this document is mercifully brief.
To get the most information in the least time, try the Contents
option.

To install AV, unpack it into a scratch directory (top level only) with
UNZIP.EXE, then run INSTALL.EXE and answer a few questions.
Alternatively, unpack the internal AVEXE.ZIP and copy AV.EXE to a
directory on your PATH, AV.HLP to a directory in your HELP path, and
ARCHIVER.BB2 to a directory on your DPATH (automated installation can be
easilty accomplished with this in mind). Note that you cannot install a
new version of AV while AV is already running. You might want to set a
default directory for AV that would point to where new archives are
usually to be extracted (the AV work directory will be off of this
directory, too), and enable AV for drag-and-drop startup by including
"%*" as a parameter, like this on the first settings page of the AV WPS
object (note the Parameters and Working directory fields):


-- AV.EXE - Settings




Program

Session
Required
Path and file name: Assocation

C:\UTILS\AV.EXE Find... General


Optional
Parameters:

%*

Working directory:

D:\ADIRECTORY



Undo Help

< >







You may also want to add associations for archive files at the
Associations tab of the Settings notebook. That will allow you to start
AV looking at the file by double-clicking on a file object in a
directory folder:


-- AV.EXE - Settings



Available types Current types
Program
Assembler Cod^ Add>> Arc archive ^
BASIC Code Arj archive Session
Binary Data FTN mail arch
Bitmap LHarc archive Assocation
C Code LHarc source
COBOL Code v Zip archive v General
< < > < >

New name: Current names

*.ARC Add>> *.ZIP ^
*.LZH
*.ZOO
v
Remove
Undo Help < >

< >








As lagniappe, LA.EXE is included in the archive. It's a text-mode app
that can list and view archive contents, and extract from archives,
without your needing to know anything about what kind of archive it is
or what the various archivers' commands are. Run it without arguments
for a brief help screen. It also uses ARCHIVER.BB2 and is a 16-bit
application.


System Menu Maximize icon
Title Bar Hide/minimize icon

-- AV: Select Files

Menu Files Dirs Config Misc End F1=Help


Masks* v @ *.C v

Dir
Stats5 35975k 0 > 1 88266k 0
V V

E:\ D:\ADIR Path


DOCS V >> 93/02/25^ TEST.C V >> 93/04/03^
FTSCDOCS >> 93/02/11
GRAPHICS >> 93/02/12
MISC_BBS >> 93/02/11 File list
PROG >> 93/02/12
XBBS >> 93/02/10
AV32SRC.ZIP >> 93/08/31
HEAD4SRC.ZIP >> 93/08/31
XBBS2SRC.ZIP >> 93/08/31
FMSRC.ZIP >> 93/08/31
XBBSOS2!.ZIP >> 93/08/31v v

< > < >


Toolbox
icons

Figure: A typical AV main (Select Files) window

You'll do most of your AV work from a window like that in the figure
above.



Known bugs/features:
===================

AV doesn't handle archived filenames with spaces in them. Setting a
desktop bitmap with anything but Scaled doesn't work. Other limitations
are as imposed by OS/2; for instance, DosStartSession, the API that
creates new sessions, can only accept 1024 bytes on the command line,
listboxes are still limited to around 64K of text, and the internal
viewer is subject to the usual MLE limitations and caveats. Future
revisions of OS/2 may relax these restrictions.

Sometimes the archivers themselves have bugs: for example, ZOO 2.01
seems to extract files with paths even when you don't ask for it, ZIP
1.9 sometimes crashes out with an "internal logic error" when building
files, and UNZIP 5.01 doesn't seem to extract a file without directories
at all. I've tried to note these bugs, where known, in ARCHIVER.BB2.

There could be bugs in AV, of course -- AV is a non-trivial program --
but these problems/features are all I know about. If you think you've
found a bug and would like to report it, do so with enough detail to
allow me to repeat the problem, or you're wasting your time and mine. I
can't fix phantoms. "It doesn't work" doesn't help. "If I do this,
then I do this, that happens" might.



Warranty:
========

Absolutely none.



Support:
=======

Registered users may send and receive Fidonet netmail, Snail mail or
call the BBS with questions and answers (although, to be honest, AV is
so simple help should rarely, if ever, be needed). See end of document
for addresses.

Unregistered users will get help as and if I get the time.



Reality Check:
=============

I have a strange sense of humor, and it shows. Registered users can
turn the weird stuff off if they don't like it.



Shareware:
=========

If you like and regularly use AV, you should register it by sending the
author $35.00 US via check or money order (sorry, no plastic) at the
address below. Send $5.00 US more for shipment outside the continental
US (unless you want to pick it up electronically or send an SASE). The
registered version doesn't have the opening popup, has fully operational
Groups, will build archives, and allows the OS/2 2.x extended selection
interface. You'll get the latest copy by diskette with whatever
additional enhancements I can concoct on it.

You may continue to use the unregistered version of AV if you're a
tightwad, or just plain broke (not a sin). My intent is not to gouge
you for cash, but to provide a service and sell a program. You must
register, however, to get a fully functional copy of AV, and
registrations help to ensure that AV will continue to be upgraded and
improved regularly (makes the wife happy). Compare the cost to
something like Norton Commander at a retail of $149.00...

The above prices and terms are for private individuals. Commercial
users _must_ register to use AV, and must pay $75.00 US per
copy/machine. Bulk rates and site licenses available on request.

You can call the BBS at the number below to set up picking up your
registered version by modem if you prefer. I'll still send you a disk.



Copyrights and such:
===================

Zoo -- Rahul Dhesi
Lh2 -- Peter Fitzsimmons (from Haruyasu Yoshizaki)
PK(UN)ZIP -- PKWARE (Phil Katz)
Arj -- Robert Jung
Zip -- Mark Adler, Richard B. Wales, Jean-loup Gailly
and Kai Uwe Rommel.
Unzip -- S. H. Smith and others / Info-ZIP
Pak -- Nogate Consulting
ARC -- System Enhancements Associates (Thom Henderson)
Fidonet -- Tom Jennings
AV, XBBS, -- Mark Kimes
FM &
Headedit



Mark Kimes
542 Merrick
Shreveport, LA 71104
(318)222-3455 data (FTN mailer and BBS)
Fidonet#1:380/16.0