Category : File Managers
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Filename : ZIP.DOC

 
Output of file : ZIP.DOC contained in archive : ZIP20.ZIP
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ZIP - Integrated File Handler Package - Version 0.90
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An All-purpose Directory Utility and Command Shell for
the IBM Personal Computer & Close Compatibles

By Edward V. Dong
March 15, 1988

Copyright (c) 1985 - 1988 by Edward V. Dong.
All rights reserved.
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GENERAL DESCRIPTION
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1.0 INTRODUCTION: What is ZIP?

The ZIP program is an integrated file handling utility package,
able to do ALL of the following (and more!). Over 30 different
functions are embedded into a single program!

DESKTOP FUNCTIONS

1) Display current month's calendar.
2) Display current reminder/tickler file.
3) Provide AutoMenu function similar to Fixed Disk Organizer.

DIRECTORY FUNCTIONS

1) Display an alphanumerically sorted directory list, showing ALL
files, including hidden, read-only, system files.
2) Read & set file attributes to hide/unhide files, etc.
3) Copy/print/delete multiple files, including subdirectories.
4) Rename files, including subdirectories.
5) Wildcard selection for directory listing.
6) Provides both Drive and Directory sizing information (bytes
used).
7) Direct jump to a directory (similar to CD command in DOS).
8) Move files between directories.
9) Set/change disk/volume labels.
10) Autocatalog files.
11) Look at other drives, without switching.

EDIT/VIEW FUNCTIONS

1) View standard ASCII text files and WordStar files.
2) Edit text files, with limited screen editing capabilities.
3) Edit/Display Hexadecimal contents of files.

FILE MANAGEMENT FUNCTIONS

1) Squeeze/unsqueeze files.
2) Library functions: list libraries, extract members, add
members to libraries; create libraries.
3) Build, list & unpack ARC files.
4) Encrypt/decrypt file(s).

PROGRAM EXECUTION FUNCTIONS

1) Ability to execute files (.BAT, .COM, .EXE), directly from
directory display.
2) Ability to run other programs or DOS functions from ZIP,
WITHOUT leaving ZIP.
3) Ability to substitute your own commands (called "alternate
commands") for ZIP's own.

TELECOMMUNICATIONS

1) 300/1200/2400 BPS telecommunications.
2) Send & receive text files, either in ordinary ASCII or via
Xmodem/Ymodem.
3) Run ZIP functions and your own commands, without
disconnecting.

However, ZIP is not completely standalone. It works with various
files and supplementary programs, to provide the capabilities
just listed.

With ZIPCUST.EXE
1) Set the color of ZIP's display and windows.
2) Set the bootup ZIP telecommunications parameters and file
transfer parameters.
3) Restore default ZIP colors and telecommunications parameters.
4) Set mouse movement sensitivity.


With a Hayes compatible modem, the following files can be used by
ZIP in the Telecommunications mode:
o 300.ZIP, 1200.ZIP, 2400.ZIP - Dialing directories.
o ANSWER.ZIP - sets modem to auto answer.
o HANGUP.ZIP - modem goes on-hook (i.e. hangs up phone).
o RESET.ZIP - resets modem to defaults (kills autoanswer)

The file CONFIG.ZIP sets ZIP's alternate commands. It is an
ASCII (i.e., regular text) file, and can be edited with EDLIN or
ZIP's own built-in editor.

The ZIP90 version is the new ZIP program. There is a new HELP
screen, complementary to new added functions. TELINK is still
not added; it may never be, until I get some hard requests for
it. Floppy disk formatting will probably be the last feature to
be added. Note that ZIP has grown to 100K. Is there any end in
sight?

You can jump to Section 2. What's left in this section are Some
Important Legal Type Stuff. You ought to read this Legal Type
Stuff, especially if you want to copy and distribute ZIP. (I'm
sure you will; I'm also sure that, once you start using ZIP,
you'd wonder how you could ever have gotten along without ZIP!)

1.1 Legal Type Stuff

ZIP is currently distributed as "User Supported Software", under
the "FreeWare" or "ShareWare" concepts. With a few restrictions,
this allows the program, although copyrighted as an unpublished
proprietary work, to be freely copied and distributed.

ZIP is NOT in the public domain; it is shareware.

Version numbers less than 1.0 are beta test versions, where user
comments and testing are solicited. When sufficient testing (and
fixes and/or upgrades) has been completed, the version will go to
1.0 or higher. Whole numbers will indicate a significant upgrade
or revision, while fractional numbers will indicate minor
upgrades or bug fixes.

1.2 WARRANTY & GUARANTEE

There aren't any, implied or otherwise.

The author is not responsible for possible consequent damages
arising out of the use of ZIP under any circumstances whatsoever.
Remittance or contribution shall not provide for any warranties
or guarantees of performance or against consequent damages,
implied or express or otherwise.

1.3 DISTRIBUTION & COPYING

ZIP may be freely used, distributed, and copied, as long as:

1) ZIP is only for personal (not commercial) use.

2) This product must be copied and distributed as a complete
package. This includes both the ZIP program (ZIPxxx.EXE), its
supplementary files and programs, and this documentation file
(ZIPxxx.DOC), where xxx is the current version number. ZIP is
copyrighted and may not be distributed if altered or modified in
any way.

3) Finally, no fee is to be charged for copying or distributing
the programs without the written permission of the author.
However, fees may be charged to the extent to offset the cost of
diskettes, printing (if any), and mailing.

Commercial users should remit a $50 "fee" to avoid possible legal
hassles. $50 is awfully cheap in the commercial environment.

In short, ZIP may be copied and distributed to anyone who wishes
it as long as it is a complete unmodified package including the
programs, files, and documentation and no fee is charged; but
ZIP is NOT a public domain program. It is distributed under the
concept of limited time evaluation -- i.e., use the program as
long as you need to, in order to evaluate its usefulness to you.
If you decide it is a useful program, you are expected to remit
the amount suggested in the attached invoice form. Private users
please contribute whatever you feel the program is worth. Your
contributions will help offset development costs and thus assure
future updates and products.

However, for the fee suggested in the invoice form, a pair of
DSDD disks will be sent, containing the latest version of the ZIP
programs, supplementary files, documentation, and complete source
files.

Even if you don't feel that the program merits any contribution
(shame on you!), please continue to copy and share this program
with others.

Edward V. Dong
12205 Alexandria Place
Chino, California 91710

2.0 WHAT IS NEEDED TO RUN ZIP?

Here's what you need to be able to run ZIP:

1) IBM PC, XT, AT, PC-3270, or close clone.

2) PC-DOS 2.0, or later, MS-DOS 2.11 or later. (If you still
have DOS 1.X, shame on you! Most of ZIP simply CANNOT run under
this old and obsolete DOS, so be aware!)

3) Like so many other sophisticated programs, ZIP needs quite a
bit of memory.

a. At least 128K-140K "free" (what's left over from the
memory used by DOS itself, any device drivers you might
have, and memory-resident programs like SIDEKICK(tm))
for plain file-handling only.

b. At least 192K "free" to run I, X, and Z options. When
you run I or X options, as will be explained later,
you're running ANOTHER program from inside ZIP. 192K
may not be enough, just because the program you want to
run, needs more.

c. At least 220K "free" to run ZIP's ARC options.

4) Set FILES=15 (at least! more is better) and BUFFERS=16 (here,
too, more is better) in the CONFIG.SYS file. You probably
already have a CONFIG.SYS file; if you don't, please go look at
your DOS manual for how to set up a CONFIG.SYS file.

5) Finally, a standard IBM color/graphics or monochrome CRT
adapter, or equivalent. ZIP doesn't currently support the EGA,
the Tecmar, or any extended graphics adapter. Sorry about that.

3.0 QUICKSTART PROCEDURE

The best way to learn how to use a program, even though ZIP has
been designed to provide an "intuitive" command set, is to simply
USE the program. This section is intended to help you get
started right away with ZIP.

There's a detailed ZIPCMDS document, that details all the ZIP
commands, and a ZIPTIPS document, that gives you some tips on how
to run ZIP. A ZIPFILES document tells you about the various ZIP
files.

3.1 HOW DO I GET GOING RIGHT AWAY?

[The following was written by a ZIP user. The best kind of
documentation are those written by users for other users, so that
what's happening here.]

1. Type ZIP088C8 (or whatever version number or file name you
have), followed of course by an ENTER. You should see an opening
logo display for ZIP; clear this, by pressing any regular key.

2. IF your screen goes blank and stays blank, DO NOT PANIC.
Press the G key, and then B, C, or M, for single color CRTs,
color CRTs, or IBM-style monochrome, respectively.

3. What you should see first is ZIP's opening logo display,
which will be in color (if you have a color monitor) or B&W (if
you don't). Press any regular key, to go past the ZIP logo.
What you then see should be an alphanumeric sort of the
directory. If you happen to have a large number of files, it
might take ZIP more than a minute to read and sort all those
files.

o Move the cursor with the arrow keys on the number pad.
o MARK and unMARK files with the space bar.
o Get HELP by typing a ? (question mark).
o Type a Z from the help screen to see the Alternate
Commands Set. See step 6 for another way to do this.

4. Type a Z. ZIP will respond with "Alt CMDS Off". This means
you'll be using ZIP's internal command set. (If ZIP does NOT
respond with the OFF statement or the statement "No CONFIG.ZIP",
try typing a Z again.)

5. Move the cursor to the ZIP088C8.EXE file, i.e., the main ZIP
file itself. Type R, then RENAME the file to ZIP.EXE. (Follow
the prompts at the bottom of the screen.)

6. Move the cursor to the CONFIG.ZIP file. Then do as follows:

a) Press V to VIEW the file. The VIEW window will open and
display the contents of the CONFIG.ZIP file. This is
the alternate command set. You may prefer to use your
own Library utility, Squeezer, Editor, Lister, etc. and
this is where you set it up.

b) Press ESC to QUIT VIEWing. IF the contents of the
CONFIG.ZIP file are satisfactory, GOTO step 7. ELSE,
continue here.

c) Type E to EDIT the CONFIG.ZIP file.

- ZIP's EDITOR will start off in the OverWrite Mode.
- Use the arrow keys to move the cursor to the line
you want to change.
- To get HELP, press the F1 key.
- To Insert characters, position the cursor and press
the Insert Key, then enter your filename.
- To Insert a line, press the F5 key.
- To delete a character, position the cursor over the
character and press the Delete key.
- To delete the entire line, press the F6 key.
- To EXIT the Editor, type ESC. To save the changed
file, respond Y to the prompt on the last line.

7. The files called with the Alternate Commands must be on the
same drive/directory as ZIP, OR on the DOS PATH command. To set
the DOS PATH, (if it is not already done):

a) Type I to INPUT a DOS Command. (Hopefully you have
enough memory.)

b) Follow the prompts on the bottom line. In this case,
enter PATH to display the PATH. If you really want to
change it, you may do so. See the DOS manual for
directions on how to set the PATH if you don't know how.

c) Press the Space Bar to return to ZIP.

8. Press T for TERMINAL. When the window appears, read it. If
you want to change the parameters, just press F5. Follow the
directions. To see the Terminal Window again, press F10. Be
advised that you are ON-Line. ZIP will tell you if you're
CONNECTED (detects CARRIER if present, and if your modem sup-
ports that feature).

a) If you enter ATDT Tel # and you have a Hayes Modem, ZIP
will dial the number.

b) To see the dialing directory for the baud (bps) rate you
selected, press Alt-D.

c) To stay ON-Line while going back to ZIP, press F6. You
will go back to ZIP, BUT you're still connected. To get
back to your terminal as you left it, type T.

d) To QUIT out of the terminal mode back to ZIP press F7.
This drops the connection.

9. QUIT ZIP by pressing the Q key or the ESCape key. This will
clear the CRT.


3.2 SETTING ZIP's COLORS & TERMINAL VALUES

To get started, rename ZIPxxx.EXE to ZIP.EXE if not already done.
Type ZIPCUST. Follow Directions. (Yes, it really is that easy!)

ZIP will display a mini view of all the options and their
existing colors. Be advised - CAUTION!! - Setting the
foreground color to the same value as the background will make
the text INVISIBLE. Type S to see the list of user changeable
color options. Type R to restore the standard ZIP colors and
terminal values.


Appendix I. KNOWN BUGS, BUG REPORTS & OTHER COMMENTS

I-1. KNOWN BUGS

For ZIP 0.90T, these are (embarrassing, aren't they?):

1) UNSQUEEZE: ZIP does not unsqueeze all files. Files squeezed
via SQ2 or ZSQ utilities, use a nonstandard squeeze format. This
isn't a bug as such, but rather a limitation. One user reported
that only ALUSQ utility could be used for the files that ZIP
won't unsqueeze; all files normally unsqueezable by other
standard unsqueezers, WILL be unsqueezed by ZIP.

2) FILE ATTRIBUTES: When changing file attributes, you must
enter "Q" (or "q") to end the session. Pressing ESC won't ter-
minate the session.

3) Please check the README file for any last-minute bug reports.

I-2. Bug Reports & Comments

Address bug reports and other comments (praise won't be
unwelcome, of course; naturally, the highest praise being ca$h)
to the above address. E-Mail may be addressed at the present
time to me ("Edward Dong") via:

Jim Holloway's DIAMOND BAR RBBS/PCBOARD
Diamond Bar, California
714-861-1549
1200/2400/9600 baud, 24 hrs/day.

If you subscribe to GENIE (a computer subscription service like
The Source or CompuServ), you can send E-mail to "E.Dong", too.
You can also now reach me on CompuServ, address 71641,2371, as of
March, 1988. If there is sufficient response, I'll upload the
latest version to GENIE or to CompuServ.

Appendix II. COMMON QUESTIONS

II-1. WHAT IS SQUEEZING & UNSQUEEZING?

Squeezing is a way by which the size of the file can be made
smaller, sometimes as much as 50%. This allows you to have more
files on a disk, because they can be made smaller, i.e.,
squeezed. To use the files (whether to read or run them), they
have to be UNSQUEEZED, i.e., restored to normal. ZIP provides
for both squeezing and un- squeezing.

II-2. WHAT IS LIBRARYING & WHAT'S AN .LBR FILE?

A library file, typically those with an .LBR extension on the
filename, is used to SAVE space on disks. How does this work?
DOS, in order to provide quick response when you want to read,
access, or run a file, allocates space on the disk, in fixed
units. For DOS 2.X, for floppy disks, this allocation is 1024
bytes, and for DOS 2.X on 10 MB hard disks, this is 8192 bytes.
Thus, if a file is LESS than this amount, it will, nevertheless,
occupy disk space EQUAL to this amount. You can see that, if you
have a number of small files, they will quickly fill up a disk.

A library file is one answer to this problem. You can group a
number of small files into one large one -- an .LBR file -- so
that more disk space is made available. ZIP's LBR functions
provide for building an .LBR file, listing the files that went
into the .LBR file, and for extracting the files out of the
library.

II-3. WHAT IS AN ARCHIVE?

Another answer to the problem of disk space posed in III-2 above,
is the ARC or archive file. ARC is a program created by Systems
Enhancement Associates, which uses not only squeezing and
library-like techniques, but also other compression techniques.
ARC is a combination of both the SQueeze and the LBR techniques,
done in one operation. However, the basic disadvantage is that
the ARC process is relatively SLOW.

Appendix III. CREDIT WHERE CREDIT IS DUE

The following describes where some of the features in ZIP
originated. ZIP would not be possible except for various
authors, known and unknown, who contributed their source code to
the public domain. As a result, this appendix is dedicated to
selfless programmers (CPM and MS/PC-DOS) noted here, and to all
those who contribute to the public domain.

Bob Hobbs, Dick Bravinder, Earl Beachler, Jim Holloway, Doug
Luce, Tom Kinch, and Rob McKaughan helped debug version 0.88 of
ZIP. There are others whose names I've forgotten to include
here, who will forgive me for being so forgetful. All of these
also contributed time and effort in beta-testing this version of
ZIP. Thanks, guys!

Windowing
---------

Some of the windowing and fast pop/push screen functions were
derived from a program called WINDOW.LBR, by R. McVay. I
modified it considerably to make it much faster, by customizing it
for the IBM PC color/graphics adapter. Verne Buerg's LIST program
suggested a way for eliminating SNOW in the ZIP display. These
routines are now supplemented by Borland's Turbo C version 1.5
windowing and text routines for ZIP.90.

Squeeze/Unsqueeze
-----------------

The squeeze and unsqueeze functions are based on Richard
Greenlaw's "C" versions.

Library (LBR) Functions
-----------------------

The library functions are based on various assembler versions
written originally by Vernon Buerg, but mostly on Tom Jennings'
LU.C.

Command/File Execution
----------------------

ZIP.90 uses the Turbo C "system()" routine and "exec()" routine
for command file execution.

Previous versions of ZIP used the DeSmet built-in EXEC function,
with a shell around this, to search for COMMAND.COM. This shell
uses a derivative of ENVIRON.C, author unknown, but was supplied
by Peter Chow.

ZIP.88 and ZIP.89 used a brand-new EXEC function, written by
yours truly, somewhat inspired by Reuss's code (see below), but
greatly modified and includes a patch for a DOS 2.X problem, too.

The old test versions 0.88C2 (and 0.88C3) used code, loosely
based on similar code in C developed by Ted Reuss and in Pascal
by Russ Nelson, Potsdam, NY, with small modifications and
uploaded by Kim Kokkonen, 72457,2131. These old versions relied
on the use of TWO undocumented DOS interrupts to turn the trick.

For what it's worth, Reuss's code is in error in specifying how
the command line should be written and passed to DOS.
Nelson-Kokkonen's code cannot handle DOS commands like PATH, and
seems to have problems with .BAT files, too. Reuss's code used
undocumented interrupt 51; while Nelson-Kokkonen's code used
undocumented interrupt 2e.

Telecommunications
------------------

ZIP-TERM, ZIP's telecommunications, is based on earlier work done
by a number of individuals, including Alan Bishop. Much of
ZIP-TERM is based on Phillip R. Burns' PIBTERM of January, 1985.
He designed an Xmodem protocol in Turbo Pascal, which was adapted
and heavily modified (i.e., optimized). The windowing, command
set used in ZIP-TERM, and ZIP interfaces are solely E.Dong's.

The basic asynchronous communications interrupt handler routines
are based on a set of Lattice C callable functions to support
interrupt driven character I/O on the IBM PC, originally written
by Curt Klinsing, which I converted to DeSmet C v2.3. All data
is in the code segment, unfortunately, since ASM88 (DeSmet
assembler) doesn't allow multiple segments other than DSEG and
CSEG. With version 0.84, I modified the interrupt handler to
also support COM2. With version 0.87, the terminal package has
been modified to support XMODEM/CRC and YMODEM/CRC (the abridged
version used by PCBOARD, not the complete YMODEM or YAM
protocol), plus allowing ZIP to automatically enter the terminal
mode and allowing ZIP to change values mid-session WITHOUT
dropping the line.

ARC
---

ZIP's ARC file utility is based on, and compatible with, ARC
version 5.1X, which was created by System Enhancement Associates,
(C) COPYRIGHT 1985 by System Enhancement Associates, ALL RIGHTS
RESERVED. ARC is the copyrighted property of System Enhancement
Associates. Some ideas on ZIP's ARC derived from DEARC5.PAS, a
Turbo Pascal version by diverse hands, but none of the code,
however. ZIP's ARC is the copyrighted property of Edward V.
Dong, as an unpublished proprietary work.

The following notes are reproduced from the ARC documentation.

In its short life thus far, ARC has astounded us with its
popularity. We first wrote it in March of 1985, but now (in
August of 1985) we find that our program seems to have become a
new institution. Therefore, we would like to give credit to the
following people, without whose efforts ARC could not exist:

Brian W. Kernighan and P. J. Plauger, whose book "Software
Tools" provided many of the ideas behind the distributive
directory approach used by ARC.

Dick Greenlaw, who wrote the public domain SQ and USQ programs,
in which the Huffman squeezing algorithm was first developed.

Robert J. Beilstein, who adapted SQ and USQ to Computer
Innovations C86 (the language we use), thus providing us with
important parts of our squeezing logic.

Kent Williams, who graciously allowed us to use his LZWCOM and
LZWUNC programs as a basis for our Lempel-Zev compression logic.

David Schwaderer, whose article in the April 1985 issue of PC
Tech Journal provided us with the logic for calculating the CRC
16 bit polynomial.

And many, many others whom we could not identify.


Other ZIP Functions
-------------------

All other functions are solely the creation of the author, Edward
V Dong. These are:

o Change, create, delete, rename directory functions.
o Screen Edit function.
o Hex edit/dump function.
o Full-screen Browse/View function.
o Fast disk access.
o Copy/Delete/Print function.
o Multiple file processing (e.g., tagging).
o Alternate commands.
o Creating/changing disk/volume name/label.
o Moving files between directories on the same disk drive.
o Calendar, Reminders, and AutoMenu functions.
o ZIPCOLOR (ZIP.89 and earlier) and ZIPCUST (ZIP.90 and later).

plus, of course, the total integration package that ZIP
represents.

Appendix VI. ZIP VERSION HISTORY

ZIP version 0.90 is written mainly in Turbo C version 1.5 for
PC/MS-DOS 2.0 or later, with some assembly language subroutines
embedded. The current version number is identified in the top
line of the ZIP display as a decimal number enclosed in brackets,
e.g., [0.86] or [.88]. When followed by the letter "C", the
version number indicates a version done in the "C" language;
else "T" indicates a a version done in Turbo C. Else if not "C"
or "T", it is a version done in Turbo Pascal. A number following
"C" indicates the beta subversion. If followed by the letter
"D", this indicates a disk-based version (using overlays on
disk), instead of total in-memory version.

Version history (in descending version numbers):

o Version 0.90

-- The major enhancement in ZIP90 over ZIP88 (and ZIP89) is
that ZIP supports a nearly complete menu mode as well as a
command mode. This includes mouse support. Use F10 to
switch into menu mode. The menu mode is intended to
eventually support a mouse; the first "mice" supported are
MicroSoft and Logitech, and any MicroSoft compatible mouse.
LEFT button "tags" files OR, if in a menu window, selects
the current menu choice. The RIGHT button switches between
menu and directory windows; OR, if not in a menu mode,
brings up the menu mode.

-- Provides automatic invocation of ZIPCUST, as well as
capability for setting your mouse sensitivity.

-- Different colors are used on the quick help screen to better
show off the different commands. Also the help screens have
been enhanced.

-- Now includes a Kill Dir option: you can kill an entire
directory and its subdirectories and all files thereto,
except for any protected files. If there are protected
files, the kill operation will fail. I don't intend to add
anything for killing protected files; if they're protected,
they're protected for a reason, and should be dealt with on
an individual basis.

NOTE: If you run this at the ROOT directory of a diskette
or a drive, then EVERYTHING not write-protected WILL BE
DELETED! This can be a useful feature.

-- Displays & updates NUM/CAP/INS status once a second, for
those keybds without LED indicators.

-- As a sop to ego, ZIP (unless abnormally aborted by the user)
will terminate with its logo displayed, and saying, "Have a
Good Day!"

-- ZIP performs unsquashing. Where ZIP is able to do so, it
does so correctly. There are some files which won't
unsquash; for these, you'll still need PKXARC.

-- In Telecommunications, ZIP supports alias commands similar
to those for QMODEM or GTCOMM, such as PgDn for Receive. A
more sophisticated dialing directory is provided; ZIP still
supports dialing by name as well as number. You can also do
an Alt-V to view a file. HOME will show you the expanded
command set. Sorry, no menu mode supported in
Telecommunications.

-- ZIP supports a Find File (aka WhereIs), see "F" command, "F"
subcommand.

-- ZIP supports a directory "tree", see "F" command, "D"
subcommand.

-- A different version of AutoMenu option is provided, via
CNTL-Z. Note the calendar function has been expanded: you
can view other months and years, too.

-- New help screens, and new menu screens.

-- You can view a text file member of an ARC or LBR. In the
LBR case, the view will automatically unsqueeze. ESC
terminates the viewing, while any other key causes a pause.

-- Title line indicates DOS version, while the "F" menu screen
now shows BIOS ROM date.

-- A Retry request is presented on an error in copying or
deleting.

-- File move now operates between drives, as well as between
directories on the same drive. To go between drives,
specify drive with a colon, as well as the destination
directory pathname. ZIP uses this to distinguish between
moving between drives, as opposed to moving between
directories only. The file move between drives is a
(obviously!) combined copy/delete operation.

-- New directory menu provied (see "D" subcommand under "F"
command).

-- You will note that time and date is automatically updated
every second.

-- Improved string handling: you can do an INSERT on the
manual input line.

-- In the "F" option, ZIP divides into two windows. The right
window is the command window; the left is the
file/directory display window. You can toggle between them
by using the LEFT/RIGHT arrow keys.

-- ZIP "remembers" the last manual command input. You can
retrieve it by pressing either the up or down arrow key. You
can then edit it.

-- When a file is highlighted on the main display,and you hit a
CR (RETURN), ZIP checks if this is a subdirectory and jumps
to it -- this has been a standard feature. It is now extend-
ed: if NOT a subdirectory, ZIP checks the file extension,
and invokes ARC if .ARC; LBR if .LBR; or executes it, if
.COM or .EXE or .BAT.

-- For FileInfo, you can tag files, and either show or create/-
change info on each tagged file. The Tagging remains in
place afterward, so you copy/delete/etc. the files.

-- EDLIN, and some other editors, terminate ASCII files with a
CNTL-Z (hex 1A or decimal 26). This screwed up the AutoMenu;
this is now fixed in the AutoMenu option. ZIP's EDIT also
discards CNTL-Z's if found in ASCII files.

o Version 0.89
- Never released. Improved user interface and bug fixes.

o Version 0.88C14

- ZIP now directly supports the EXTRACTION ("unpacking") of
ARC files. This is in addition to listing the members of
ARC files. You can redirect the unpacked files to
different drive/directories, of course, just as in the
LBR utility.

- ZIP now directly supports the CREATION ("packing") of ARC
files. This is in addition to listing the members of ARC
files. You can select to ADD to an existing ARC on the
same or different drive/directory, as well.

- On yes/no prompts (Y/N), the default option on the prompt
is a "N", and the "Y" option is now a lower case "y".
This is consistent with BBS practice.

- Rewrote EXEC portion of ZIP, to account for the use of
the ZIP windows, which fixes the EXEC problem. The EXEC
problem was that, after invoking ZIP's command shell a
number of times (11 times on a True Blue PC, 16 times on
a True Blue AT), a message is generated, saying
"Insufficient Memory"; after this, if you exit ZIP, your
system has to be repowered up and rebooted. The problem
is now TRULY fixed ONCE and FOR ALL!! (Thanks to Bob
Nance, who reported the problem in a form that made it
possible to duplicate it.)

- ZIP's terminal package automatically installs proper
communications parameters (data bits, stop bits, and
parity) if you do a binary file transfer (XMODEM or
YMODEM) in either direction (send or receive). New
options added to SEND_TEXT, to accommodate commerical
telecommunications services, like GEnie and TeleMail.

- ZIP's opening logo won't leave a part of the calendar
display when you exit to the main ZIP display. ZIP now
also detects leapyears; didn't before, but this won't be
problem anyway until 1988. Time & date updated
automatically in ZIP's calendar / reminder / AutoMenu
option; ZIP hadn't before.

- Minor cleanups in ZIP's EDIT function: BKSP function
restored.

- EDIT/VIEW now handles file segments up to 56K per
segment, with 8K allocated to allow you to insert new
lines into the edited files. The bottom two lines
indicate the amount of memory used, versus what's
available. This is updated as you edit. If you don't
need all 56K, the buffer is corresponding larger, and is
equal between the file size and 64K.

CAUTION: ZIP won't warn you if you exceed the 8K
buffer!!

- A rudimentary HEX Editor has been added to this version.
Use with caution. Actually, it's a pretty good HEX
editor.

Note on SEARCH: To search for an ASCII string, preface
the string with a quote, single or double. Anything else
is a HEX string.

HEXEDIT always starts out with PATCH = OFF. Use F5 to
allow for patching. You must write the segment to disk
(F6), but, once written, the file is PERMANENTLY changed.
ZIP doesn't create a backup file!

- If you invoke function "F", subfunction "L" allows you to
look at another disk drive.

- Autodialing directory can be used, by specifying the NAME
of the host system. You abort by specifying a
nonexistent number or name.

- All screen snow has been completely removed in this
version. Hooray, hooray.

- Added new options to SEND_TEXT function under ZIP's
terminal mode. Tested with Telemail; should work for
BBSs.

- The BREAK key (F8) in ZIP's terminal mode now works
perfectly. It uses the PC's BIOS-ROM clock interrupt
1Ah, so unless you use some kind of speedup kit (which
changes the clock speed), the BREAK key will work fine.

- The "Y" command (provided in 0.87) has been deleted. The
PC configuration information is automatically provided
via the "F" option, which will also list the available
disk drives (physical and logical).

- Time is now displayed as "am" and "pm", on the ZIP title
line at the top of the screen. The ZIP title line is
also displayed if you do a manual DOS input command.

o Version 0.87C8

- Bob Hobbs made the comment that it might not be useful
for ZIP to directly incorporate ARC extract/update, as
ARC is also being constantly improved; it's almost a
race between ZIP and ARC..

- Added file move capability ("F"ile command), to move
files between subdirectories, per Bob Hobbs' request.

- Added capability to ZIP to create/change disk/volume
labels. The basic C source has been released as
"SETVOL.C" or equivalent, or will have been, by the time
this has been released.

- New opening logo display. ZIP now provides a reminder
or tickler display. Also your own AutoMenu. You can
still bypass these by entering "ZIP087C8 [or whatever
name for ZIP] Q".

- Bob Hobbs reported a bug in the ZIP terminal package: if
a file being downloaded won't fit on your disk, ZIP
continues anyway, without an error message. ZIP now
aborts the transfer, kills the offending file, and posts
an error message.

- Bob Hobbs reported another bug in that ZIP wouldn't dis-
play on a monochrome; this was traced to the snow remov-
al logic. This has been fixed.

- Both Bob Hobbs and Jay Graham strongly requested that
ZIP provide automatic ZIP terminal communications/modem
and file transfer protocols on entry. This has been pro-
vided; use ZIPCOLOR 2.10 to set these.

- ZIP provides a built-in ARC lister -- lists members of
ARC files. Extract has not been created, nor can ZIP
add files to an ARC or create it. Yet.

- EDIT has been considerably improved. (See ZIPCMDS.TXT
for a description of the new EDIT.)

- HEXDUMP -- has new additional commands. They're shown
at the bottom of the screen, when HEXDUMP is invoked.

- F(ile services): includes decrypt/encrypt (CHANGED since
ZIP087C2), directory sort, file attribute change/reset
(you can now hide/unhide directories). The file attri-
butes can be changed simultaneously for all TAGGED
files.

- TERMINAL SERVICES: Xmodem/Checksum, Xmodem/CRC, and
Ymodem/CRC now supported. Telink IS NOT SUPPORTED,
despite what the display says. Sending files will
now tell you how long it should take. Note, when using
Ymodem on Receive, there's about 10 second wait before
it tells about the first block received -- that's about
how long it is to get that first block.

- TERMINAL SERVICES: ZIP now allows you to change the
communications/modem parameters in mid-session, WITHOUT
dropping the connection.

- Help screen is in color. I think it looks better than
it did before.

- You can set CRT mode: B&W, Color or Monochrome, via "G".

- ALT-I gives you an autocataloging function. You can
build a file in your root directory. You can add to it,
update it, or print it.

- Print will cause a formfeed AFTER you print a file,
rather than BEFORE it's printed.

- Snow removal -- well, most of the snow has been removed,
but not all of it. Interesting to note that there's
hardly any snow on an AT, but there is on a PC/XT -- due
to the processor speed no doubt.

o Version 0.86C3
- Supports wildcards.
- Display colors may now be modified via DEBUG or
ZIPCOLOR.EXE.
- Jump (to), Rename, Make, and Delete subdirectories.
- Display current PC equipment configuration, including
memory.
- Provides "bytes used" for both current drive and current
directory.
- Provides "total bytes tagged" in addition to the number
of files tagged.
- Various bugs fixed:
a) Correctly timestamp copied files.
b) Created separate stack for display push/pop.
c) Delete destination file if copying is unsuccessful.
d) Increased copy buffer.
e) Decreased edit buffer.
f) Eliminated search buffer error on view.

o Version 0.85
- ZIPARC provided, to support ARChiving.
- Supports alternate commands for selected options.
- CNTL-C transmission supported.
- LBR bug fixed.
- Editor bug fixed.
- Indicates when in process of reading a directory or new
drive.
- Supports B&W/green/amber monitors, color monitors, and
IBM-style monochrome monitors.

o Version 0.84
- COM2 & 2400 bps support added.

o Version 0.83
- Minor bugs fixed.

o Version 0.8C
- Screen editing bug corrected. Added capability to delete
members of an LBR. Added capability for Hayes-type
modems to autoanswer / autodial / hangup / reset.

o Version 0.7C
- Screen editing now supported.

o Version 0.6C
- View now supports string search, paging, and
automatically strips high-order bit, thus allowing
WordStar file browsing. Telecom expanded to handle some
non-Hayes modems.

- ZIP LBR files made compatible with LUT, LUE, LUU, and
LAR, and with some versions of LU86. ZIP will show LBR
member file date & time, if available.

- Copying speed increased 16 times.

o Version 0.5C
- Previous versions written in Turbo Pascal 2.0;
revised/translated to "C", DeSmet ver. 2.3. Edit not
supported yet under C; view is more basic. Library
functions expanded to include library creation &
add/update library members.

o Version 0.4
- Added new Edit/View options; copy, squeeze, unsqueeze
now run much faster; added basic telecommunications
capability.

o Version 0.3
- Added print capability; show number of files which are
tagged; additional error checking; verify option on
copy.

o Version 0.2
- Added capability to execute files or manual commands as
if entered from DOS prompt line.

o Version 0.1
- Edit bugs fixed; disk label bug fixed.

o Version 0.0
- Original beta version.


  3 Responses to “Category : File Managers
Archive   : ZIP20.ZIP
Filename : ZIP.DOC

  1. Very nice! Thank you for this wonderful archive. I wonder why I found it only now. Long live the BBS file archives!

  2. This is so awesome! 😀 I’d be cool if you could download an entire archive of this at once, though.

  3. But one thing that puzzles me is the “mtswslnkmcjklsdlsbdmMICROSOFT” string. There is an article about it here. It is definitely worth a read: http://www.os2museum.com/wp/mtswslnk/