UHARC 0.

6b
high compression multimedia archiver
BETA version
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==============================================================================
Copyright(c) 1997-2005 by Uwe Herklotz
All rights reserved
01 Oct 2005
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!
THIS IS A BETA VERSION AND MAY CONTAIN BUGS. USE THIS
!!!!!!
!!!!!!
ARCHIVER AT YOUR OWN RISK. UWE HERKLOTZ, THE AUTHOR OF
!!!!!!
!!!!!!
UHARC, WILL NOT TAKE ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY DAMAGE
!!!!!!
!!!!!!
OR DATA LOSS CAUSED BY USING OR MISUSING THIS SOFTWARE.
!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

===< 0. Contents >============================================================

1. Introduction
2. Usage
2.1. Commands
2.2. Switches
2.3. Environment variable
3. Examples
4. History
5. Legal info / Registration
6. Contact info

===< 1. Introduction >========================================================

UHARC is a high performance file archiver. This package contains 7 files:
LICENSE.DOC
UHARC.EXE
UHARCD.EXE
UHARCSFX.EXE
UHARC.DOC
UNUHARC.EXE
UNUHARCD.EXE

License information
program version for Win32 systems
program version for Dos32 systems
Sfx-Stub for Win32 systems
this documentation file
free extraction program for Win32 systems
free extraction program for Dos32 systems

What's new in version 0.6b ?

- free extraction programs for Win32/Dos32 added - these programs can be
used and distributed freely without any restrictions
Note: UHARC 0.6b archives are compatible with v0.6 and v0.6a archives but
NOT compatible with any previous version (version number < 0.6)!

This program will run on any 386 or better computer. Memory requirements
depend on selected compression mode. The number of files in one operation
is only limited by available memory, however current version can't handle
archives with more than 2 GB total unpacked size.

===< 2. Usage >===============================================================

Usage: UHARC command [-switch..] archive[.uha] [file..@listfile..!exclude..]
Commands:
~~~~~~~~~
a Create archive/Add files
m Create archive/Move files
l List files in archive

e
x
t

Switches:
~~~~~~~~~
ac[-,+]
b<n>
d<0..2>
idle
m<0..3,x,z>
mm[-,+]
pw[passwd]
r[-,+]
vm[-,+]

ae<attr>
bpb[-,+]
ed[-,+]
lg<file>
md<n>
o[-,+,p]
p<-,r,f>
t<dir>
y[-,+]

Clear file archive attr

Set max filebuffer size
Set display mode
Set idle process priority
Set compression mode
MM-detection on/off
Set password
Recurse subdirectories
Set virtual memory usage

Extract files to current dir

Extract files with full path
Test files in archive

Set attr exclusion mask

bpb instead of % ratio
Store empty directories
Log output to <file>
Set dictionary size
Set overwrite mode
Set path handling
Set extract target dir
Assume yes on all queries

* For commandline help type "UHARC" without any parameter.

* The command character must be placed immediately after "UHARC".
* The switches, if any, must follow the command character. UHARC supports
the use of either "-" or "/" as the switch option character.
* The UHARC archive name must be the first filename on the commandline.
If there is no archive file extension specified, UHARC will add the
default (".UHA") extension.
* After the archive filename come the list of files for the given
operation. One or more files containing a list of files to process
can also be used by prefixing the list's filename with "@". It's
possible to mix filenames and list files in any order. If a filename
on commandline or in a list file has prefix "!", this means it will
be excluded in processing. Allowed delimiters for filenames in list
files are space, tab and newline. Filenames with spaces must be
enclosed in double-quotes. The line size in list file must not
exceed 4095 characters.
* Filename wildcards are allowed in commandline and in list files,
but not for archive filename. The use of wildcards follow MS-DOS
convention. "*.*" means all files. "*.txt" means all files with an
extension of ".TXT". "?B*.*" means all files with a second character
of "B".
* If there are no files specified at all, all files ("*.*") will be

processed (use "-r" to recurse subdirectories).

* UNUHARC versions have same commandline options like UHARC but support
extraction and test commands only.

---< 2.1. Commands >---------------------------------------------------------a

Create archive and add matching files.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
If a file with the archive name already exists, UHARC will ask
before overwriting this file, unless you change the default
overwrite mode or use "-y".
Following switches have effect: ac ae b bpb d ed lg m md mm o p pw r y

Extract matching files to current directory.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Stored pathnames will be ignored. Using the switch "-t", you can
change the current directory for extracting.
Following switches have effect: b d lg o pw t y

List matching files in archive.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Using switch "-y", UHARC will not pause after one page, else you
can use the following keys:
ESCAPE
= Cancel (quit program)
TAB
= Disable pause
RETURN
= Next line
other keys = Next page
Using switch "-d2", filenames are not shortened and more
information are displayed.
Following switches have effect: b bpb d lg pw y

Create archive and move matching files.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
If a file with the archive name already exists, UHARC will ask
before overwriting this file, unless you change the default
overwrite mode or use "-y". If compression was successful, UHARC
will delete matching files on disk (but no directories).
Following switches have effect: ae b bpb d ed lg m md mm o p pw r y

Test integrity of ALL files in archive.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Following switches have effect: b d lg pw y

Extract matching files with full pathnames.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
UHARC will use the pathnames stored in archive for extraction (if

the archive was created with option "-pf", this also includes drive
letters). Using the switch "-t", you can select the root-directory
for all extracted dirs/files.
Following switches have effect: b d lg o pw t y
Note: During all operations it's possible to terminate the process
by pressing ESCAPE and answering the following question with
"Y" (when listing files, there is no additional query).

---< 2.2. Switches >-----------------------------------------------------------

Stop switches scanning

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This switch tells UHARC that there are no more switches to be
processed. It's necessary if the archive name starts with a
"-" character. Without "--" switch such name would be treated
as a switch.

-!<char>

Set exclude mask specifier

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Defines the character that is used as exclude mask specifier.
It should be used if a file name given in commandline or in
list file starts with the default exclude mask character "!".
If no character is given ("-!") then exclude mask processing
will be disabled. This option should be used carefully.
DEFAULT: -!!

-@<char>

Set list file specifier

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Defines the character that is used as list file specifier.
It should be used if a file name given in commandline or in
list file starts with the default list file character "@".
If no character is given ("-@") then list file processing
will be disabled. This option should be used carefully.
DEFAULT: -@@

-ac[-,+]

Clear file archive attribute

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
-ac[+] Clear archive attribute of files stored in archive.
-acDon't clear archive attribute.
If this option is enabled and compression was successful,
UHARC will clear the archive attribute of all files which
are stored in archive (directories are not affected).
This option has effect with add command only.
DEFAULT: -ac-

-ae<attr>

Set attribute exclusion filter

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Defines the filter for exclusion based on file attributes.
Files are excluded if specified attributes are set "+" or
cleared "-". File attributes are:
"A"
"H"
"R"
"S"

archive attribute
hidden file attribute
read-only attribute
system file attribute

Example: switch "-aeA-H+" means that files with archive

attribute cleared or hidden attribute set are not included
in the processing list.
This option has effect with add or move commands only.
DEFAULT: not specified
-b<n>

Set maximum file buffer size (in KB).

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
After allocating all structures for (de)compression the
remaining memory is used for file buffers, but never more
than <n>. The minimum buffer size is 50 KB.
DEFAULT: -b1024

-bpb[-,+]

Show bpb instead of % ratio

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
-bpb[+] Show compression ratio in bpb.
-bpb- Show compression ratio in %.
DEFAULT: -bpb-

-d<0..2>

Set display mode.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
-d0
Quiet mode (no process information, except queries).
-d1
Display some process information.
-d2
Show more information (file info, verbose listing).
DEFAULT: -d1

-ed[-,+]

Store empty directories

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
-ed[+] Store also empty directories.
-edDon't store empty directories.
This option has effect with add or move commands only.
DEFAULT: -ed-

-idle

Set idle process priority (Win32 only)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This option forces UHARC to set its process in IDLE priority
class, which means UHARC is executed as background task with

only small effect on normal system operation (assumed there

is enough memory available). This way UHARC can process very
large data sets without blocking the system for long time.
DEFAULT: not specified
-lg<file>

Log UHARC output to specified <file>.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
If UHARC fails to open <file>, no log is created (without an
error message). The display mode setting has effect on log,
too.
DEFAULT: no log file

-m<0..3>

Set compression mode.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
-m0
Store files without compression.
-m1
Use ALZ:1 (fast) compression mode.
-m2
Use ALZ:2 (norm) compression mode.
-m3
Use ALZ:3 (best) compression mode.
-mx
Use PPM compression mode.
-mz
Use LZP compression mode.
ALZ uses advanced LZ77 compression algorithm with arithmetic
entropy coder. "-m1" is the fastest ALZ mode, sacrificing
compression ratio to gain better speed. Mode "-m3" achieves
best compression and needs most time. "-m2" is a compromise
ratio/speed and is used as default mode. The decompression
speed is nearly the same for all ALZ modes and it is much
faster than compression.
PPM mode uses an order-4-2-1-0 model with preliminary LZP
pass. In most cases this mode provides the best compression
results.
LZP mode uses the same dictionary compression as in PPM mode
but with much simpler order-1-0 literal model.
There are also two extra modes (may be not supported in
future versions):
-mr
Use simple RLE compression.
-mw
Use LZ78 with selectable dictionary size.
DEFAULT: -m2

-md<n>

Set maximum dictionary size (in KB).

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
If dictionary is disabled, this setting has no effect.
Valid sizes:
-m1..3,-mx,-mz n = power of 2 from 1 to 32768 or "a".."p"
-mw
n = power of 2 from 1 to 32
or "a".."f"
A one-character shortcut can be used instead of size number,
e.g. "-mda" instead of "-md1" or "-mdk" instead of "-md1024".
Dictionary size selection:
1. Using option "-md<n>", UHARC will never select a

dictionary size greater than <n>. If "-md<n>" is not

used, UHARC will try to use default dictionary (n=4096).
2. If data stream size is smaller than <n>, UHARC will use
the smallest dictionary size which is greater than the
data stream.
3. If there is not enough memory for current selection,
UHARC will use the largest dictionary size which is
possible with available memory.
DEFAULT: -md4096
-md[-,+]

Disable/enable dictionary-based compression.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This has effect only with modes "-m1", "-m2", "-m3" and "-mx".
-md[+] Enable dictionary-based compression.
-mdDisable dictionary-based compression.
Generally, it's NOT RECOMMENDED to disable dictionary-based
compression. Without dictionary, the compression ratio is
almost always worse. But for some data types (e.g. waveform
sounds or photographic true-color pictures), the compression
isn't affected much by dictionary. Using "-md-" in such cases
will speed up the compression process considerably.
If dictionary-based compression is disabled, there are nearly
no differences between the three modes "-m1", "-m2" and "-m3".
DEFAULT: -md+

-mm[-,+]

Disable/enable built-in multimedia detection/compression.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
-mm[+] Enable multimedia detection/compression.
-mmDisable multimedia detection/compression.
UHARC multimedia detection/compression supports many data
types (8/16-bit mono/stereo waveforms, 24-bit true color
pictures and many other types using 8/16/24/32-bit record
sizes). It's also possible to detect multimedia-like data
in other file types (e.g. in executables). Therefore it's
NOT RECOMMENDED to disable multimedia detection/compression
unless the user knows, that there is absolutely no chance
to use multimedia compression (e.g. compressing text only).
DEFAULT: -mm+

-o[-,+,p]

Set overwrite mode.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
-op
Prompt user before overwriting files.
-o[+] Always overwrite files without asking.
-oNever overwrite existing files.
Using -op with -y has the same effect as -o[+].
If UHARC shows an overwrite query, the user can select one of
the following options:
"Y"
Yes, overwrite current file.
"N"
No, don't overwrite current file.
"A"
Always Yes, overwrite current file and auto-answer

"C"

all following overwrite queries with "Y".

Cancel, don't overwrite and quit process.

DEFAULT: -op
-p<-,r,f,e> Set path mode.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
-pStore no paths (exclude paths from names).
-pr
Store relative paths.
-pf
Store full paths including drive letter.
-pe
Store relative paths but exclude all paths
specified in commandline or in list file.
Using option "-pr", paths are stored in relation with the
current directory of each drive (drive letter isn't stored).
With option "-pf" it's possible to backup data from different
drives into one archive and restore all data correctly.
Option "-pe" is the same as "-pr" but any path specified in
commandline or list file is excluded from the path stored in
archive.
DEFAULT: -pr
-ph[-,+]

Archive header encryption

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
-ph[+] Encyrpt archive header.
-phDon't encyrpt archive header.
The archive header contains folder and file names, sizes etc.
of the complete archive. If this header is encrypted then the
correct password is needed even to read the archive content.
DEFAULT: -ph+

-pw[passwd] Set encryption password

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
-pw
Request user to enter password.
-pw<s> Use "s" as password.
With switch "-pw" the user is requested to enter the password
twice for safety reasons (input will not be echoed on screen).
DEFAULT: not specified
-px

Pause before program exit

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This switch tells UHARC to wait for a key stroke before exit.
It could be useful if the console window will be closed
automatically after program finish.

-r[-,+]

Set subdir recursion mode.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
-r[+] Recurse subdirectories.
-rDon't recurse subdirectories.

If recursion is enabled, matching files are also searched

in all subdirectories (regardless of directory names and
attributes) of all specified directories (commandline and
list files).
DEFAULT: -r-sfx[stub]

Create self-extracting archive (Win32 version ONLY !).

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
With this option UHARC will create a self-extracting archive
(SFX). A self-extracting archive is a Win32 executable with
appended UHARC archive. Running a SFX archive without any
options will extract ("x" command) the archive content to
current directory. The SFX program supports "x", "e" and "t"
commands for any UHARC archive (self-extracting and normal
ones) with same command-line options as UHARC program. Other
commands are not supported.
[stub] is an optional parameter specifying the stub program
used to create the SFX archive. By default stub UHARCSFX.EXE
is used which must be located in current directory or in the
directory where UHARC.EXE is running from.
The SFX option is applicable only if new archive is created.
The following DOS command can be used in order to transform
an existing UHARC archive into SFX:
COPY /B UHARCSFX.EXE+"archive.uha" "archive.exe"

-t<dir>

Set extract target directory.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
UHARC will store all extracted files in directory <dir>.
If <dir> doesn't already exist, UHARC will create it.
Using this option with the "e" command, <dir> will be the
'current directory' for extracting. Using this option with
the "x" command, <dir> will be the root-directory for all
extracted dirs/files.
DEFAULT: not specified

-vm[-,+]

Set virtual memory usage

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
-vm[+] Use virtual memory.
-vmDon't use virtual memory.
With virtual memory usage disabled UHARC
memory at program start and will not use
that require more memory. Proper work of
guaranteed if it is used in multitasking
DEFAULT: -vm-

-y[-,+]

Set auto-answer mode.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
-y[+] Assume YES on all queries.
-yDon't auto-answer queries.

checks free physical

compression modes
this option is not
systems.

Using the option -y[+], all queries, except critical error

messages, don't appear on screen and are auto-answered
with "Y".
DEFAULT: -y-

---< 2.3. Environment variable >---------------------------------------------It's possible to define default options in the environment variable
"UHARC_OPT". Whenever UHARC is executed, it first looks for this
environment variable and parses the values of this variable like
commandline switches. Any arguments in the environment variable
can be overridden on the commandline.
Example:
~~~~~~~~
SET UHARC_OPT=-d2 -p- -lgc:\uharc.log
When UHARC is next executed, it will use verbose display mode,
store no paths and log all outputs to file "C:\UHARC.LOG" by default.
Note: If the environment variable contains a log file switch, it's
not possible to disable log file directly. Use instead the switch
"-lgNUL" on commandline. This overrides the default log file and
write all log outputs to the NUL file (effective no output).

===< 3. Examples >============================================================

1.

UHARC a archive *.dll @c:\list *.exe

This will compress all "*.DLL", "*.EXE" and the files listed in the file
"C:\LIST" to the archive file "ARCHIVE.UHA" using the default compression
mode.

2.

UHARC a -m3 -r -pf -o backup.arc c:\*.ini d:\*.ini c:\*.cfg d:\*.cfg

This will compress all "*.INI" and "*.CFG" files on drives "C:" and "D:"
to the archive file "BACKUP.ARC" using the ALZ:3 compression mode. UHARC
will store full paths including drive letter, so it will be possible
to restore all files on correct drives. If a file named "BACKUP.ARC"
already exists, UHARC will overwrite this file without asking.

3.

UHARC m -mz -md64 -mm- -r text c:\text\*.txt

This will move all "*.TXT" files in "C:\TEXT\" and its subdirectories
to archive file "TEXT.UHA" using LZP mode with max 64K dictionary and
without multimedia detection/compression.

4.

UHARC l -d2 -lguharc.lst archive a*.doc b*.doc

This will verbosely list all "*.DOC" files with a first character of
"A" or "B" in archive file "ARCHIVE.UHA" and log the output to file
"UHARC.LST".
5.

UHARC x -y arc.uha
This will extract all files in archive "ARC.UHA" with full paths. All
queries, except critical error messages, will be auto-answered with YES,
so if one of the files already exists, UHARC will overwrite this file
without asking the user.

6.

UHARC e -td:\temp archive readme.txt

This will extract the file "README.TXT" from archive "ARCHIVE.UHA" to
the directory "D:\TEMP\". If this directory doesn't already exist,
UHARC will create it.

7.

UHARC e -o- sounds @mysounds.lst

This will extract all files listed in "MYSOUNDS.LST" from archive
"SOUNDS.UHA" to the current directory. UHARC will not overwrite
existing files.

8.

UHARC t -d2 -lglog archive

This will test the integrity of all files in archive "ARCHIVE.UHA" and
log the verbose output to file "LOG".

9.

UHARC a -m3 -r -sfx MyGame "Games\My Favourite Game\*.*"

This will compress the complete content of "Games\My Favourite Game\"
folder (including all subfolders) to the self-extracting archive file
"MyGame.exe" using the ALZ:3 compression mode.
Note: SFX and long file names are supported in Win32 version only!

===< 4. History >=============================================================

Date
Version
~~~~
~~~~~~~
01.10.2005 0.6b See chapter "Introduction".
06.02.2005

0.6a What's new in version 0.6a ?

- supports self-extracting archives (SFX / Win32 only)
- using again PMODE/W DOS Extender

19.12.2004

0.6

What's new in version 0.6 ?

- slightly improved compression (for PPM, ALZ and LZP)
- several bug fixes

15.10.2002

0.5

Intermediate non-public version.

28.12.2001

0.4

What's new in version 0.4 ?

improved compression and new modes (PPM,LZP)

improved built-in detection of multimedia data types
support for long filenames (Win32 only)
encryption of archives
more archiver options (e.g. attribute filters or
exclusion masks)
- display output is written to stdout for better file
manager integration
- several bug fixes
05.03.2000

0.3

Intermediate non-public version.

21.12.1997

0.2

Initial public release.

26.06.1997

0.1

First working archiver version (still non-public).

===< 5. Legal info / Registration >===========================================

Disclaimer:
~~~~~~~~~~~
Uwe Herklotz, the author of UHARC, disclaims any liability for any damage
caused by using or misusing this software. The author cannot be held
responsible for data loss or other damages and any consequences from this
loss or damages.
!! U S E

T H I S

P R O G R A M

A T

Y O U R

O W N

R I S K !!

---------------------------------------------------------------------------This software is Copyright(c) 1997-2005 by Uwe Herklotz. All rights reserved

---------------------------------------------------------------------------UHARC is freeware for non-commercial use. UnUHARC programs can be freely
distributed without any restriction. See License.doc for details.
The current beta version is mainly intended for testing and evaluation,
so please ensure that the archiver can correctly extract if it is used
for any important data.
If you have any problems or questions then please feel free to contact
me at the e-mail address below.

===< 6. Contact info >========================================================

If you have any advice, comments, bug reports or requests for info,
you can send e-mail to:
Uwe.Herklotz@gmx.de
or mail to:

Uwe Herklotz
Irkutsker Str. 111
09119 Chemnitz
Germany

##############################################################################
UHARC Copyright(c) 1997-2005 by Uwe Herklotz
All rights reserved