The Archive Control Center Copyright 1993-94 by Brian W. Fry All Rights Reserved CIS: 70732,1327 The Archive Control Center is a Windows interface to five file compression (archive) programs - ARC, ARJ, LHA, PAK, PKWARE (PKZIP, PKUNZIP, ...). Most of the commands / options of these programs are supported by the ACC. ACC also supports Microsoft's Compress.exe utility, as well as the expansion of files compressed with MicroSoft's compress utility without shelling to DOS. Both DOS and Windows versions of Anti-Virus programs are supported and may be implemented at the time of file extraction; or they may be invoked from the menu under Launcher. Archive contents may be viewed w/o the use of any of the file compression programs - the ACC parses the files itself and no shelling to DOS is required - All other archive procedures require the appropriate program be installed on your system and properly configured w/i ACC. You may also extract a file (or files) into your favorite text editor for viewing prior to extracting files to disk. In addition, you can choose to extract all files from an archive or only a select few. See the on-line Help for further info including the versions of the archive programs used for testing. A program Launcher has also been added if you desire to use another program without going to you program manager. Also added was a File Find utility. See below for a list of Enhancements. SFX files created by ARJ, LHA and PKZIP can also be edited/viewed just like a normal archive file. This support is not yet implemented for SFX files created by ARC or PAK. The ACC is being distributed to be used freely by anyone who so chooses. Users are free to provide copies to others interested in using it provided the entire setup disk is supplied. You, the user, accept full responsibility for using the ACC. Requirements: Windows 3.1 (incompatible with 3.0) and all of its requirements. VBRUN300.DLL (not supplied w/ BBS versions - widely available) THREED.VBX ( supplied w/ ACC) MSGHOOK.VBX (supplied w/ ACC) BFVBHLPR.DLL (supplied w/ ACC) LZEXPAND.DLL (supplied w/ windows) SHELL.DLL (supplied w/ Windows) COMMDLG.DLL (supplied w/ Windows) Installation is simple. From Windows simply perform a File, Run, source drive\directory\setup.exe; or from File Manager just click on the setup.exe for the ACC and follow the directions. The first time you run ACC the ACC configuration will automatically run. The following files will be placed on your system: 1. ACC.EXE -- placed in the directory specified for ACC during Setup 2. ACCHELP.HLP -- placed in the directory specified for ACC during Setup 3. READACC.TXT -- placed in the directory specified for ACC during Setup 4. ACCSHELL.PIF -- placed in the directory specified for ACC during Setup 5. ACCSETUP.EXE -- placed in your Windows directory 6. THREED.VBX -- placed in your Windows\System directory 7. MSGHOOK.VBX -- placed in your Windows\System directory 8. BFVBHLPR.DLL -- placed in your Windows\System directory 9. VBRUN300.DLL (if you did not get the ACC from a BBS) -- placed in your Windows\System directory NOTE: The first 3 files specified must remain in the same directory. The PIF file should also remain in this directory, but may be placed in another directory provided the directory is in your path statement (e.g.; \Windows). The last 3 files must remain on your system and w/i your Windows\System directory! The ACC does not modify any of the files on your system; e.g.; system.ini, win.ini, config.sys, autoexec.bat. This version has incorporated improved error handling and has corrected bugs present in version 2.0 & 2.1. Version 2.1 eliminated the need for the GRID.VBX custom control: all statistics are now presented within the ACC's main window (which has been made scrollable). ********************************************************************** READ ME PLEEEEEEASE ********************************************************************** Version 2.5 has made the following enhanchements: Eliminated the need for the CMDIALOG.VBX custom control while still using Windows Common Dialog. Added full support for PKWARE Vers. 2 including the spanning of multiple diskettes for archives. Support for using Text files to comment ZIP and ARJ files has also been implemented. In the case of PKZIP, first create the archive and then perform an Edit Existing / Edit/Add Comment. Arj may be implemented at any time. Added support for Windows versions of Anti-Virus programs. Added capability to edit and view SFX files created with ARJ, LHA, and PKZIP. Ability to create SFX files in a single process has been added: no longer need to make an archive and then convert it to SFX format. Invoke from the Create menu / SFX. Added support for Microsoft's compress.exe utility and improved the code used for the expansion of files compressed w/ this utility. Added the ability to launch other programs from w/i the ACC. Added a File Finder utility. Added a Status Bar that provides "Quick Help" on ACC's Menu commands, as well as Toolbar buttons. Toolbar buttons provide info simply by moving the mouse cursor over them. ADDED DRAG & DROP FUNCTIONALITY FROM FILE MANAGER! To view an archives contents, simply Drag & Drop the filename from File Manager to the magnifying glass. If more than one file is dropped, only the first file will be parsed. To create a new archive, Drag the desired filenames from the File Manager and Drop anywhere w/i ACC's Main Window. To add files to an existing archive, Drop files from File Manager on ACC's main window, specify (or select) the desired archive to add files to, and answer Yes to the next prompt. Of course, you do not have to use this feature. ACC still has it's own file selection dialog that provides slightly more functionality. Also provided a means / option for keeping ACC On Top of other Windows - check out the system menu (control box). Improved the setup program: for first time installers, you can choose whether to place the ACC icons in an existing Program Manager group, or create a new group for ACC. For existing users of ACC, the setup program searches for any installed icons in the Program Manager groups and replaces them w/ the new version. I also added an auto-configuration option to ACC's configuration dialog. Using this, the ACC will search your hard drives for any of the five allowed archive programs and automatically add the paths for you. If you have more than one copy or version of the same program, you may need to modify the choice ACC made to the one of your choice. *************************************************************** Sorry, the help file is a little outdated, but still provides pertinent info. To uninstall ACC, simply delete the ACC directory and the program manager icons. Please let me know if you encounter any bugs, have any suggestions and / or comments regarding the ACC. My CompuServe address is 70732,1327. I hope you find ACC beneficial.