Re: Shrinkit

[Rubywand <rubywand@swbell.net>]

John de La Fontaine writes ...
> 
> I am trying to download and unshrink a Beagle Bros. file with
> little success so far. My first attempt was using the UNIX shell
> and ftp'ing to Ground, entering "bin" for binary transfer and then
> -getting- alphaplot.shk. I then transfered the file to my IIGS using
> Xmodem. When I tried Shrinkit, I got an error that the header was
> bad / incorrect.
>
> The second attempt was using a MAC over the Web and downloading to
> an HFS formatted disk. I copied the SHK file to a blank partition
> of my hard drive on the IIGS (Thank goodness for the HFS fst!) and
> tried to unpack in with GS-Shrinkit. .... The file
> has a size of 164K and somewhere I believe it was 200% shrank - this
> should fit on a 800 K drive. ....

     Since you appear to be trying all the right moves, it seemed like a 
good idea to log onto Ground and download Beagle's Alpha Plot. It 
downloaded to PC with no problem, transferred to GS fine (both with & 
without auto-Binary][ unwrap set), unpacked to diskette under 8-bit 
ShrinkIt without a hitch, and booted nicely on our IIc+. So, at least, the 
file on Ground is okay.

     The Alpha Plot file shows up as length 83456 (both on Ground and in 
the PC's download folder). It is a shrunk 5.25" disk which must be unpacked 
using 8-bit ShrinkIt. Possibly, the file suffix should be ".sdk" so that 
there would be no doubt that we are dealing with a shrunk disk; but, the 
".shk" suffix is okay and does not interfer with unpacking.

     Evidently, somewhere along the way, the file is getting messed around. 
You might check the file as downloaded to your Mac. If its length is 83456, 
then, so far, so good.

     Next, you might check your format, baud rate, and protocol settings on 
the Mac's telecom program and the GS's telecom program. They should be the 
same. If they are and you send the file via NULL modem using plain X-modem 
(or Z-modem), then, the file should transfer okay and show up under "Icon 
Info" as length 83456. The file should unpack to a 5.25" disk under 8-bit 
ShrinkIt with no problem.

     If the downloaded file shows up as some length other than 83456 (say, 
164k), then, the problem may be with the way Mac (and/or your software) 
interprets the ".shk" suffix. For example, Mac may believe that you are 
downloading a Mac .shk file and, so, do some unwanted/erroneous processing. 
Probably, there is some way to tell the Mac (or your ftp program) to ignore 
file suffixes or to remove ".shk" from the list of recognized file types.
     

Rubywand