whitcomb@aurs01.uucp (Jonathan Whitcomb) (03/26/91)
The March ST Informer had rave reviews for the new DC Utilities
package, so I picked up a copy. In general the programs are
pretty good and useful, but there were a few bugs, and a couple
of missing features.
First ,XTractor Plus. It is designed to handle compression and
decompression of archive files, using .arc, .lzh, .zip and .zoo
methods. Lots of nice features, but the interface is not very
intuitive. One of the problems is that no title strings are
passed to the file selector, so you press the "begin" box on
the main interface, and you get a file selector with no
instructions. You can usually figure out what they want by
checking the default file selector extention, but how much
extra effort would it have taken to write an instruction
string to the file selector? (I use the Little Green File
Selector by Charles Johnson, and like it alot.)
Another problem is that you can't install the program as
an application. I currently just double click .arc and .lzh
files, and Arcshell prompts me to unpack them. XTractor Plus
just comes up cold. Until it recognizes paths passed to
it, and perhaps command lines, I'll stick with Arcshell to
unpack.
XTractor Plus does have a nice compression feature that lets you
keep selecting new files with the file selector (instead of
prompting you for each one), but it sometimes hangs when compressing
.lzh files. I had this happen several times, and consistantly with
neochrome format files. I would prefer to use .lzh, because it
usually packs the smallest of all the formats. I like the
packing environment of XTractor, but until they fix this problem,
I'll stick with Arcshell.
The DC Squish program is nice. It compresses executable files and
uncompresses them at run time with no noticable delay. You have
the option of setting fast-bits or clearing memory before running
the program, and you can unsquish any squished program. The
documentation doesn't tell you if the memory clearing option is
necessary with Pinhead, though, or indicate if it is faster or
slower. My main problem with DC Squish is that sometimes when
I unsquish a program, it leaves a squished copy in the folder
that I can't delete. I guess it sets a read only bit, but I
can't seem to clear it. This problem aside, I am very happy with
the program, and have reduced the amount of space I use on
my hard disk considerably...I will now be able to further delay
getting another hard disk!
I like the package in general. My main complaint is that DC makes
assumptions about how you will be using their software, and don't
give you alternative options. They also seem oblivious of how
their products work with other common programs (Pinhead, LGSelector,
Hotwire!, NeoDesk, etc.). Maybe I've just been spoiled by Codehead
products, which are fantastic in this regard. I also wouldn't expect
bugs and unpredictable behavior from a second generation product.
I recommend it for DC Squish, though.
Anyone else have any reflections on DC products?
-Jonathan the verbose
**********************************************************************
Jonathan Whitcomb UUCP: <whitcomb%aurgate@mcnc.org>
Alcatel Network Systems, Raleigh, NC Delphi: JBWHIT
whitcomb@aurs01.UUCP (Jonathan Whitcomb) (03/27/91)
-The March ST Informer had rave reviews for the new DC Utilities
-package, so I picked up a copy. In general the programs are
-pretty good and useful, but there were a few bugs, and a couple
-of missing features.
Is it tacky to respond to your own posting? I just had a chat
with the folks at Double Click Software. Very friendly and
helpful.
-First ,XTractor Plus.
The program is called DC XTract Plus.
-It is designed to handle compression and
-decompression of archive files, using .arc, .lzh, .zip and .zoo
-methods. Lots of nice features, but the interface is not very
-intuitive. One of the problems is that no title strings are
-passed to the file selector, so you press the "begin" box on
-the main interface, and you get a file selector with no
-instructions. You can usually figure out what they want by
-checking the default file selector extention, but how much
-extra effort would it have taken to write an instruction
-string to the file selector? (I use the Little Green File
-Selector by Charles Johnson, and like it alot.)
DC writes to their own text box. Unfortunately, it is completely
obscured by the LGFS. I don't know if this is a problem on monochrome
monitors, but it is on medium resolution. At best I can read the
beginning or end of the message if I re-position the file selector.
-Another problem is that you can't install the program as
-an application. I currently just double click .arc and .lzh
-files, and Arcshell prompts me to unpack them. XTractor Plus
-just comes up cold. Until it recognizes paths passed to
-it, and perhaps command lines, I'll stick with Arcshell to
-unpack.
My mistake...this works. Hotwire gives you two methods of installing
applications (the "HOT" method and the "GEM" method), and I used
"HOT". I tried again using "GEM", and it worked fine. Command lines
would still be nice, though.
-XTractor Plus does have a nice compression feature that lets you
-keep selecting new files with the file selector (instead of
-prompting you for each one), but it sometimes hangs when compressing
-.lzh files. I had this happen several times, and consistantly with
-neochrome format files. I would prefer to use .lzh, because it
-usually packs the smallest of all the formats.
Double Click isn't sure if this is a problem of theirs or if something
in my auto folder is mucking up the works. In any rate they'll look
into it. A new version is coming that will speed up the compression
time, and show a bar graph when compressing, so you can keep track of
it's progress.
[stuff deleted]
-The DC Squish program is nice. It compresses executable files and
-uncompresses them at run time with no noticable delay. You have
-the option of setting fast-bits or clearing memory before running
-the program, and you can unsquish any squished program. The
-documentation doesn't tell you if the memory clearing option is
-necessary with Pinhead, though, or indicate if it is faster or
-slower.
DC says that this feature doesn't fight with Pinhead at all.
-My main problem with DC Squish is that sometimes when
-I unsquish a program, it leaves a squished copy in the folder
-that I can't delete. I guess it sets a read only bit, but I
-can't seem to clear it.
DC claims this is a TOS problem (I use V1.2). What happens is
that TOS leaves two files in the folder with the same name (a
Squished and unSquished version), and then gets confused when
trying to erase one. The solution is to rename one, and then
reboot. Then you can get rid of the offending file. A bit of a
hassle. DC says that they will consider circumventing the problem
in the next version by using their own delete routine instead of
relying on TOS.
-This problem aside, I am very happy with
-the program, and have reduced the amount of space I use on
-my hard disk considerably...I will now be able to further delay
-getting another hard disk!
-I like the package in general. My main complaint is that DC makes
-assumptions about how you will be using their software, and don't
-give you alternative options. They also seem oblivious of how
-their products work with other common programs (Pinhead, LGSelector,
-Hotwire!, NeoDesk, etc.).
On the phone they seemed very familiar with these products, and which
caused problems and which didn't. It would be nice to have this
information in the manual or a readme file, though.
[stuff deleted]
-I recommend [the DC Utilities package] for DC Squish, though.
...now for the support as well as the product. They were patient
and helpful when I spoke to them, and very receptive to criticism
and suggestions. The DC SEA (self extracting archive) is nice too.
It also includes some other programs I haven't tried out.
-Anyone else have any reflections on DC products?
--Jonathan the verbose
P.S. Last week the on the Delphi Atari weekly conference we decided
a great hack would be to have the pink Energizer bunny come booming
across the monitor from time to time with a digitized voice saying
"...still going...". Sometimes across the bottom, sometimes across
the top or up and down the sides. A DC program of the week, perhaps?
**********************************************************************
Jonathan Whitcomb UUCP: <whitcomb%aurgate@mcnc.org>
Alcatel Network Systems, Raleigh, NC Delphi: JBWHIT
kron@netcom.COM (Kenneth Kron) (03/27/91)
From article <59676@aurs01.UUCP>, by whitcomb@aurs01.uucp (Jonathan Whitcomb): > [[ Details deleted ]] > > I like the package in general. My main complaint is that DC makes > assumptions about how you will be using their software, and don't > give you alternative options. They also seem oblivious of how > their products work with other common programs (Pinhead, LGSelector, > Hotwire!, NeoDesk, etc.). Maybe I've just been spoiled by Codehead > products, which are fantastic in this regard. I also wouldn't expect > bugs and unpredictable behavior from a second generation product. > I recommend it for DC Squish, though. > > Anyone else have any reflections on DC products? I agree with you 100% Jonathan. I have been thinking about writing something simular thanks for saving me the time. I bought DC Destop and while the individual programs are all very nice they just aren't configurable enough and I find my self having to reference the manual too often. The situation is just bad enough that while I haven't written them off I will be hesitant to buy anything else from them. > > -Jonathan the verbose > ********************************************************************** > Jonathan Whitcomb UUCP: <whitcomb%aurgate@mcnc.org> > Alcatel Network Systems, Raleigh, NC Delphi: JBWHIT > -- Kenneth Kron kron@netcom.COM
jcksnsr@nmt.edu (Admiral JC) (03/27/91)
In article <1991Mar26.193248.6395@netcom.COM> kron@netcom.COM (Kenneth Kron) writes: >From article <59676@aurs01.UUCP>, by whitcomb@aurs01.uucp (Jonathan Whitcomb): >> [[ Details deleted ]] >> >> I like the package in general. My main complaint is that DC makes >> assumptions about how you will be using their software, and don't >> give you alternative options. They also seem oblivious of how >> their products work with other common programs (Pinhead, LGSelector, >> Hotwire!, NeoDesk, etc.). Maybe I've just been spoiled by Codehead >> products, which are fantastic in this regard. I also wouldn't expect >> bugs and unpredictable behavior from a second generation product. >> I recommend it for DC Squish, though. >> >> Anyone else have any reflections on DC products? > >I agree with you 100% Jonathan. I have been thinking about writing >something simular thanks for saving me the time. I bought DC Destop and >while the individual programs are all very nice they just aren't >configurable enough and I find my self having to reference the manual too >often. The situation is just bad enough that while I haven't written >them off I will be hesitant to buy anything else from them. > I agree, good ideas, bad execution.... I have DC Desktop V1.0 and while I'm fairly happy with it, if I ever get serious enough to get a HD I'll probably switch to something else... The program is flaky as all hell... DC Deskdrop doesn't like Uniterm; DC Deskdrop doesn't want to give back its memory, The cabinet and print spooler seem to come and go off the desktop at pretty much random; and worst of all - Dc Desktop and DC Formater DA don't like each other! (They both run but Desktop trashes the icons used by formatter... ) I will admit thatperhaps this has been fixed in the later versions, but since Double Click wanted about half what a paid for the original for an upgrade that seemedto be mostly bug fixes (which should be done in the first place!) I blew them off.... >> >> -Jonathan the verbose >> ********************************************************************** >> Jonathan Whitcomb UUCP: <whitcomb%aurgate@mcnc.org> >> Alcatel Network Systems, Raleigh, NC Delphi: JBWHIT >> >-- >Kenneth Kron kron@netcom.COM _ /\/\/\/\> ... Slither... <Admiral JC>
ggreenbe@rodan.acs.syr.edu (Gerald Greenberg) (03/27/91)
In article <1991Mar26.193248.6395@netcom.COM> kron@netcom.COM (Kenneth Kron) writes: >From article <59676@aurs01.UUCP>, by whitcomb@aurs01.uucp (Jonathan Whitcomb): >> [[ Details deleted ]] >> I like the package in general. My main complaint is that DC makes >> assumptions about how you will be using their software, and don't >> give you alternative options. They also seem oblivious of how >> their products work with other common programs (Pinhead, LGSelector, >> Hotwire!, NeoDesk, etc.). Maybe I've just been spoiled by Codehead >> products, which are fantastic in this regard. I also wouldn't expect >> bugs and unpredictable behavior from a second generation product. >> I recommend it for DC Squish, though. >> Anyone else have any reflections on DC products? >I agree with you 100% Jonathan. I have been thinking about writing >something simular thanks for saving me the time. I bought DC Destop and >while the individual programs are all very nice they just aren't >configurable enough and I find my self having to reference the manual too >often. The situation is just bad enough that while I haven't written >them off I will be hesitant to buy anything else from them. >> -Jonathan the verbose >> ********************************************************************** >> Jonathan Whitcomb UUCP: <whitcomb%aurgate@mcnc.org> >Kenneth Kron kron@netcom.COM Well, I thought I'd give a posititive side to this line of comments. I've been using DC packages back from the days when they were shareware and not commercial...maybe even before that, that is, when Vedermann was writing his own programs, and I must say I really like them. I guess I should like them, otherwise why would I be using them? In any event, using them has so much improved my ST that on those rare times I boot up from a floppy (as opposed to my hard disk), it is like a totally different machine...so much less fun to use. I can't imagin ever doing without the things afforded by the packages. As for the configurability. Sure, when I first got DCDesktop I had to go through the manual to find out how certain things worked...but I don't see anything wrong with that considering the number of options available. Also, the people at DC have always been willing to answer any problems concerning any aspect of the program...in fact, they have an internet address! Finally, the first post made some comments about DCExtract...I find this one of the most used programs I have. As for it being unintuitive, I have no problem at all with it now...If I had problems with it in the beginning, I've totally forgotten about them now. --Gerry ggreenbe@rodan.acs.syr.edu Disclaimer: I have no connection with DC other than being a long time user, who hopes they continue to improve their current products and develop new ones.
dodgson@sol.cs.wmich.edu (Harry Dodgson) (03/27/91)
In article <59677@aurs01.UUCP>, whitcomb@aurs01.UUCP (Jonathan Whitcomb) writes: [lots of stuff deleted] - -My main problem with DC Squish is that sometimes when - -I unsquish a program, it leaves a squished copy in the folder - -that I can't delete. I guess it sets a read only bit, but I - -can't seem to clear it. > DC claims this is a TOS problem (I use V1.2). What happens is > that TOS leaves two files in the folder with the same name (a > Squished and unSquished version), and then gets confused when > trying to erase one. The solution is to rename one, and then > reboot. Then you can get rid of the offending file. A bit of a > hassle. DC says that they will consider circumventing the problem > in the next version by using their own delete routine instead of > relying on TOS. The usual way of accomplishing this is to create your output file under another name, like compress.$$$ (standard CPM tmp file). Then when you close it, you delete the original and rename the temp file to the original name. Not a difficult task, and does not force major program revisions / programming kludges. [more stuff deleted] - P.S. Last week the on the Delphi Atari weekly conference we decided - a great hack would be to have the pink Energizer bunny come booming - across the monitor from time to time with a digitized voice saying - "...still going...". Sometimes across the bottom, sometimes across - the top or up and down the sides. A DC program of the week, perhaps? Have they seen NetBunny for the Mac? Does a nice job of this on networked Mac-IIs (with sys 6.05 and 32-bit Qdraw only). Goes around to each of the machines in turn, banging on the drum. Makes it nearly impossible to get anything done. And you gotta reboot to stop it. -- Harry Dodgson Jr. | Internet dodgson@sol.cs.wmich.edu -(35.132.4.2)- Western Michigan University | UUCP ...uunet!sharkey!wmichgw!wmu-cs!dodgson Computer Science Department | Voice (616) 387-5803 Kalamazoo, MI 49008 | Office 4420 Dunbar Hall
Roger.Sheppard@bbs.actrix.gen.nz (03/28/91)
Distribution:world In article <59676@aurs01.UUCP> whitcomb@aurs01.uucp (Jonathan Whitcomb) writes: > The March ST Informer had rave reviews for the new DC Utilities > package, so I picked up a copy. In general the programs are > pretty good and useful, but there were a few bugs, and a couple > of missing features. > Items Removed*** > Anyone else have any reflections on DC products? > > -Jonathan the verbose > ********************************************************************** > Jonathan Whitcomb UUCP: <whitcomb%aurgate@mcnc.org> > Alcatel Network Systems, Raleigh, NC Delphi: JBWHIT > Well I did have a few problems with Squish and DC Plus. I could not Squish Magic Formater, a DC PD program, mind you this is the only program that has caused a problem so far. Get a few problems with DC Plus, you can't set the Base Directory, of the files that you wish to ARC/LZH from, and if more than 2 pages of Extracted data, you get some funny things going on, like click on a File, and a another file comes up in its place, try to click on a Folder to open the files in it, no go, Will not let you have more than 2 folders deep, in a LZH File, is this the LZH Limit ?, unabel to save default paths, path is set from where the Program is run from But still they are Very good progams.. One thing that I like about DC, is they don't just keep updating there stuff every week or days, with some otheres its out of date as soon as you get it ??? -- Roger W. Sheppard 85 Donovan Rd, Kapiti New Zealand...
mspacek@fquest.fidonet.org (Mark Spacek) (03/29/91)
dodgson@sol.cs.wmich.edu (Harry Dodgson) writes: > [lots of stuff deleted] > - -My main problem with DC Squish is that sometimes when > - -I unsquish a program, it leaves a squished copy in the folder > - -that I can't delete. I guess it sets a read only bit, but I > - -can't seem to clear it. > > DC claims this is a TOS problem (I use V1.2). What happens is > > that TOS leaves two files in the folder with the same name (a > > Squished and unSquished version), and then gets confused when > > trying to erase one. The solution is to rename one, and then > > reboot. Then you can get rid of the offending file. A bit of a > > hassle. DC says that they will consider circumventing the problem > > in the next version by using their own delete routine instead of > > relying on TOS. > I thought this only happened when you were using it on an accessory or auto folder program that was currently in use and TOS denied access to. Seems to me that if there were a way around this that they certainly would have found it, maybe not. I've seen people try to rename the files and delete them, but that doesn't help. Just reboot without that .ACC or .PRG, do your stuff, then boot with it again. If its not accessories or auto folder programs you are talking about then you should be using PFXPAK, it will give you better compression (I haven't been able to compare the latest DC-Squish's compression to PFXPAK, in fact, I'm not sure what version I did the comparison with, maybe 1.0. I can find out if its important).... Glad to read some comments on the new DC-Utils, I was gonna buy it at the San Antonio dealer a couple weeks ago, but they were out. Anyway... ---------------------------------------------------------------------- The preceding opinions are my own and not those of anyone else who might be registered on fquest.fidonet.org. All flames can be sent to alt.flames since we don't read that here. ----------------------------------------------------------------------