[comp.sys.mac] Using BinHex to un-Binhex files downloaded from comp.binaries.mac

prf@cit5.cit.oz (Paul Freeman) (04/06/89)

Could someone please indicate how to convert BinHex files back to their 
original un-BinHexed form.  I have downloaded from comp.binaries.mac
a number of programs and then tried unsuccessfully to unBinHex them
using BinHex 4.0.  The procedure I am using is as below.  The files have
been downloaded to a Mac using Kermit 0.8(34), text mode, data fork.

1.	Remove characters from the beginning of the file upto but
	not including :
2.	Remove any text at the end of the file, such as --end of part one-
	but leave : at the end of the last part of the file
3.	Where a program consists of more than one part, combine these.
4.	Use BinHex 4.0, Upload-->application, TEXT filter on
5.	Use Fedit to change the file type to INIT, APPL or whatever is
	appropriate.

When I tried this with MacSnoop1.4.4.1, it didn't work.  The program appeared
 in the folder with an icon, but when it was launched, an error message along
 the lines of "application is busy or damaged" appeared.  What is happening?

I haven't used BinHex before so I would appreciate any advice.

Please email me or post to comp.sys.mac, comp.binaries.mac or aus.mac.

Thanks in advance,
Paul Freeman
Centre for Stream Ecology
Chisholm Institute of Technology
P.O. Box 197
Caulfield East 3145 Victoria
Australia
EMAIL:	munnari!cit5.cit.oz.au!prf@uunet.uu.net (I think this is correct)

Could someone please indicate how to convert BinHex files back to their 
original un-BinHexed form.  I have downloaded from comp.binaries.mac
a number of programs and then tried unsuccessfully to unBinHex them
using BinHex 4.0.  The procedure I am using is as below.

1.	Remove characters from the beginning of the file upto but
	not including :
2.	Remove any text at the end of the file, such as --end of part one-
	but leave : at the end of the last part of the file
3.	Where a program consists of more than one part, combine these.
4.	Use BinHex 4.0, Upload-->application, TEXT filter on
5.	Use Fedit to change the file type to INIT, APPL or whatever is
	appropriate.

When I tried this with MacSnoop1.4.4.1, it didn't work.  The program appeared
 in the folder with an icon, but when it was launched, an error message along
 the lines of "application is busy or damaged".  What is happening.

I haven't used BinHex before so I would appreciate any advice.

Please email me or post to comp.sys.mac, comp.binaries.mac or aus.mac.

Thanks in advance,
Paul Freeman
Centre for Stream Ecology
Chisholm Institute of Technology
P.O. Box 197
Caulfield East 3145 Victoria
Australia
EMAIL:	munnari!cit5.cit.oz.au!prf@uunet.uu.net (I think this is correct)

sobiloff@thor.acc.stolaf.edu (Blake Sobiloff) (04/09/89)

In article <2422@cit5.cit.oz> prf@cit5.cit.oz (Paul Freeman) writes:
>Could someone please indicate how to convert BinHex files back to their 
>original un-BinHexed form.  I have downloaded from comp.binaries.mac
> [...]
>1.	Remove characters from the beginning of the file upto but
>	not including :
>2.	Remove any text at the end of the file, such as --end of part one-
>	but leave : at the end of the last part of the file
>3.	Where a program consists of more than one part, combine these.
>4.	Use BinHex 4.0, Upload-->application, TEXT filter on
>5.	Use Fedit to change the file type to INIT, APPL or whatever is
>	appropriate.

I can see two areas where your problems might be occurring: 1) When you
combine the multipart downloads, make sure that there are no breaks in the
file, i.e. that all the lines remain the same length and there are no blank
lines.  The only line that may be shorter than normal is the very last one.
2) Choose *DOWNLOAD*--> Application.  I don't know if that was a typo, but
you need to choose the download-->Application option to convert from BinHex
to normal.  You shouldn't have to use Fedit to change file types- I think this
is related to the problems above.


-- 
* Blake "Hey, where's *MY* fancy footer?" Sobiloff *
*   "Meet me in a restaurant..." or call me at-    *
*           sobiloff@thor.acc.stolaf.edu           *

ajq@mace.cc.purdue.edu (John O'Malley) (04/09/89)

In article <2422@cit5.cit.oz> Paul Freeman writes:
>   [ confusion about proper way to convert downloaded files]
>
> using BinHex 4.0.  The procedure I am using is as below.  The files have
> been downloaded to a Mac using Kermit 0.8(34), text mode, data fork.
>
> 5.	Use Fedit to change the file type to INIT, APPL or whatever is
>    	appropriate.
>
> Paul Freeman
> EMAIL:  munnari!cit5.cit.oz.au!prf@uunet.uu.net (I think this is correct)

[My response is of general interest.  I elected to post.]

Paul,

The procedure you described is the one that I've used successfully for
quite some time ... but you may want to make some minor changes.

Firstly, I know that the files say "convert with BinHex 4.0".  I use
version 5.0.  It will convert 4.0 files just fine.  Plus, you're using a
very old and nasty version of Kermit.  I believe 0.9(40) is the latest.
With proper key mappings, it'll work better than 0.8(34).

Many comp.binaries.mac postings are not only "BinHexed" but also "packed"
or "stuffed" using one of two additional programs:  PackIt or StuffIt.
StuffIt is the newer of the two standards, and it's probably more likely
format you'll see.

After unbinhexing the files, if the file has a ".pit" or ".sit" suffix,
the file needs additional decoding.

Find a copy of the latest StuffIt.  I believe the latest version is 1.5.1.
(If you see a version 2.0, do NOT use it.  Rumors are that some nasty
person somewhere, not the legit StuffIt author, created a bogus program
calling it StuffIt 2.0.  It may be virus-infected.)  StuffIt can actually
do the whole process:  unBinHex a file, unpack a file, and/or unstuff a file.

There's never a need to use FEdit or anything similar to change file
types.  Programs should be ready to run after they've been converted
properly.

By the way, if you find any of the above programs useful, you might consider
paying the shareware fee, if any.


John O'Malley           / Macintosh  / Purdue University / (317)
mace.cc.purdue.edu!ajq / Specialist / Computing Center  / 494-1787