jdf@ptsfd.UUCP (Jack Fine) (04/14/86)
I have just recently tried to log into some local BBS's to download some software to help me on projects I am working on. In the process I have run accross some .ARC files and they are, it would seem, at times the files I need. Yet I don't know how to make them usable. I assumed they needed some sort of unpacking program but haven't been able to find one that works. I am running pc-dos, if that information helps. So whats the secret?? Dying to find out.. Jack Fine
akk2@ur-tut.UUCP (A Kacker) (04/17/86)
Keywords:Unpack programs
There are unpacking programs available on those very BBS's. Look
for ARC512.COM for instance.
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A.Kacker
UUCP : {allegra|seismo|decvax}!rochester!ur-tut!akk2
BITNET : HNUC@UORVM
=========================================================================mjw@aluxp.UUCP (Michael Weber) (04/17/86)
>I have just recently tried to log into some local BBS's to download some >software to help me on projects I am working on. In the process I have run >accross some .ARC files and they are, it would seem, at times the files I >need. Yet I don't know how to make them usable. I assumed they needed some >sort of unpacking program but haven't been able to find one that works. I am >running pc-dos, if that information helps. So whats the secret?? > >Dying to find out.. > >Jack Fine Jack, you need to look for a file named ARC51.COM on your local BBS. Download the file using XMODEM or any other protocol that will handle binary data transfer. Type 'ARC51<CR>' while in the directory you downloaded ARC51.COM and it will unpack itself into several files. The ARCxxx.EXE file will do the packing and unpacking of .ARC files for you (I usually rename this file 'ARC.EXE' and place it in the subdirectory with my other MSDOS commands). The ARCxxx.DOC file is an ASCII file that you can TYPE or PRINT to learn how to use ARC. Two other programs are available that perform only the 'extraction' function that ARC provides. They are valuable in that they perform the unpacking much, much quicker than ARC. One is called PKXARC (sometimes renamed XARC) and the other ARCE. These two programs also have documentation files associated with them. Unfortunately most BBS systems I have seen them on have them packed into .ARC files so you will need ARC51.DOC anyway. The latest version of each program is as follows: ARC Version 5.1.2 Named ARC51.COM or ARC512.COM PKXARC Version 3.0 Named PKXARC30.ARC ARCE Version 1.24 Named ARCE124.ARC Personally I have been using ARCE for unpacking .ARC files. Version 3.0 of PKXARC seems to have problems at times (however, version 2.6 seemed to work properly). I hope this information is useful to you and others on the net. This question is constantly raised by new users of various BBS systems. You will also find ARC useful for creating BACKUPs of your files since it will save you many bytes of floppy disk space. If you need any additional assistance please reply by mail. One last note: If the ARC51.COM file is named ARC512.COM it will not unpack properly. It MUST be renamed to ARC51.COM (this may have been corrected recently, although I doubt it). -- Regards, AT&T Bell Laboratories Michael Weber 1255 South Cedar Crest Boulevard ihnp4!aluxp!mjw Allentown, Pennsylvania 18103
brown@nicmad.UUCP (04/18/86)
In article <330@ptsfd.UUCP> jdf@ptsfd.UUCP (Jack Fine) writes: > >I have just recently tried to log into some local BBS's to download some >software to help me on projects I am working on. In the process I have run >accross some .ARC files and they are, it would seem, at times the files I >need. Yet I don't know how to make them usable. I assumed they needed some >sort of unpacking program but haven't been able to find one that works. I am >running pc-dos, if that information helps. So whats the secret?? You are close to what they are. ARC files are library files with packing also involved. The place you got the files from, should have also had the ARC program and documentation. If not, I recently posted it to net.sources, so you can get it there. If you can't get the program from your computer (which you are reading this news on) to your PC, then you can give our BBS a call and download the ARC files. Call (608) 273-5037; 6pm to 8am CST, M-F or all day on weekends. List the directory UPLOAD. You will find them listed there. >Dying to find out.. Was it worth dying to find out? :-) >Jack Fine -- ihnp4------\ harvard-\ \ Mr. Video seismo!uwvax!nicmad!brown topaz-/ / decvax------/