Re: unarchive caltech apple2 files

[dalloff@freenet.columbus.oh.us (Dave Althoff)]

Sid Stulberg (misty@idirect.com) wrote:
: I'm just about ready for the funny farm. I just cannot unarchive any of
: caltech's apple2 library.  I've tried every uncompressor of which I'm
: aware but I still get a message which tells me it's not a GS file.

: Yet I read that nobody seems to problems unpacking these Mac files.

: O.K. folks, what  do you know that I don't.  Any help will be MOST
: sincerely appreciated.  Get me out of my misery PLEASE. :(

Not a whole lot to go on, but here are some frequent causes of trouble...

Most of the files on Caltech are .SHK archives...Shrinkit file archives
and disk archives.  Since you are using a IIgs, get thee a clean copy of
Shrinkit-GS.  I believe that Shrinkit is available as an uncompressed
Binscii file...just download it and pass it through Binscii.

The problem with .SHK files is that they are binary files, and do not have
the ASCII armor that keeps file transfer programs which are too "smart"
for their own good from corrupting them.  For this reason, make sure that
whatever program you are using is in BINARY mode.  Using a Unix account
and the "ftp" shell application, a session might look something like this:

gemini% ftp apple2.caltech.edu
   {Starts the FTP utility and opens a connection to apple2.caltech.edu}

[apple2.caltech.edu]
[the usual welcome message]

ftp> cd pub/apple2/stuff
CWD command successful

   {changes the directory to the apple2/stuff directory}

ftp> binary
type set to I
   {VERY IMPORTANT:  Tells FTP to transfer the file *exactly* as it appears
    on the server}

ftp> get program.shk
Opening BINARY connection for program.shk (65,816 bytes)
65,816 bytes received in 2.3 sec. (286Kbps)

   {tells FTP to get the file "program.shk"}

ftp> close
Goodbye!
   {closes the FTP connection}

ftp> quit
   {shuts down the FTP shell}

gemini% sz program.shk
Sending file "program.shk" (65,816 bytes).  Start your ZMODEM receive...

   {tells the UNIX box to send the file to my IIgs}
(and so on.)

Another thing to be aware of:  When you download the file to your GS, its
filetype will probably be either TXT or BIN.  You may need to select the
"Show all files" checkbox on Shrinkit in order for it to appear in the
file list.

I have never had a problem with a file downloaded from Caltech.  Now,
files I've downloaded from ftptoo.apple.com, well that is another matter...8-)

--Dave Althoff, Jr.
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