Re: bsq

[dales@pro-novapple.cts.com (Dale Smith)]

In <uerics.732592043@mcl> uerics@mcl.ucsb.edu (Eric D. Shepherd) writes:

>I use GScii+ 2.3.1 _exclusively_ and have _never_ had any trouble with it!  It
>works like a charm every time.
>

- Eric S.

There really are a couple of problems with GScii+ 2.3.1.  One I have tested
myself, though it seems that it is dependent on some other factors.  When you
BinSCII encode a SHK archive it will (under some, not all,
circumstances) add $100 to the AuxType.  you will recognize
GScii-encoded files by the fact that the SHK archive ences out with
$E0/$8102 filetype/auxtype instead of the $E0/$8002 it should have.  This
doesn't make for much of a problem because GSHK and ShrinkIt are quite
tolerant of munged filetypes/auxtypes; the icons are less so.
 
Besides this, I have heard that using GScii+ to BinSCII an SEA archive (or
maybe just to unBinSCII it) will append some bytes to the end of the file,
and you will get errors when you try to launch the SEA and extract its
contents -- GS/OS applications need to be precisely the right length.  This
too can be bypassed if you already have a version of GSHK that will handle
SEA archives, but then you wouldn't need the SEA.  This problem is much more
serious -- and it will mostly attack the inexperienced user who doesn't know
how to fix it.  Advice in this case is "Stay away from GScii+" on both ends
(coding and decoding).

In spite of the problems, I do like GScii+.  BTW, both bugs have been
reported to the author for quite some time now (at least a year) - not by me.

Dale


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