[comp.graphics] TAR and Z files

pjweaver@ralvm29.vnet.ibm.com (Paul J. Weaver) (06/21/91)

This probably isn't the right place to post, but I've picked up a couple of
xxx.TAR.Z files from a graphics server on the net, and am wondering how to
convert them to their natural format.  Is there a DOS program which can do
this, or do I need to find a UNIX machine ?  Thanks.

Paul Weaver
pjweaver@ralvm29.vnet.ibm.com

ts@uwasa.fi (Timo Salmi) (06/21/91)

In article <9106201847.AA15402@grape.ecs.clarkson.edu> pjweaver@ralvm29.vnet.ibm.com (Paul J. Weaver) writes:
>This probably isn't the right place to post, but I've picked up a couple of
>xxx.TAR.Z files from a graphics server on the net, and am wondering how to
>convert them to their natural format.  Is there a DOS program which can do
>this, or do I need to find a UNIX machine ?  Thanks.

An edited extract from /pc/ts/tsfaq21.arc Frequently Asked Questions
(available from garbo.uwasa.fi and simtel20 archives):

From: ts@uwasa.fi
Subject: MsDos compress for .Z files, etc
Date: Fri 14 Jun 00:00:23 1991

23. *****
 Q: Where can I find compress for MsDos to handle .Z files?

 A: Unix has compress, uncompress and zcat programs to pack or
unpack files which are given the .Z extension. These files can also
be handled under MsDos using for example /pc/unix/comp430d.zip,
which is available from anonymous FTP sites like garbo.uwasa.fi,
SIMTEL20, etc.
   There is one useful trick if you uncompress on MsDos such text
files that have been made on Unix with compress. Unix and MsDos have
different eolns (end of lines). You can extract a Unix compressed
text file as follows
      comp430d -d -c YourZFile | unix2pc > YourOutputFile
where unix2pc.exe is taken from /pc/ts/tsfilt17.arc (or whatever is
the current verion number).
   While we are at it let's look at two similar questions of MsDos
counterparts for Unix file handling. Uuencoding and uudecoding is a
common method to handle files so that they can be sent as ordinary
ascii email. There are several utilities for uu(en/de)coding files
on a PC in our /pc/decode directory. One that I can recommend in
uuexe413.zip, which has an option to use formats like the one
employed in the comp.binaries.ibm.pc binary postings.
   Yet another often queried counterpart for Unix is tar for MsDos.
See our directory /pc/unix for tar extractor utilities such as
extar10.zip (or whatever version number is current).  If you have a
*.tar.Z file, you'll first have to uncompress it and then untar it.
On MsDos this requires a bit of juggling with the file names, since
MsDos allows only one point (.) in a file name.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
...................................................................
Prof. Timo Salmi
Moderating at garbo.uwasa.fi anonymous ftp archives 128.214.12.37
School of Business Studies, University of Vaasa, SF-65101, Finland
Internet: ts@chyde.uwasa.fi Funet: gado::salmi Bitnet: salmi@finfun