Re: Help .Zip files

[rubywand@aol.com]

In article <5c0ld9$8ba@login.freenet.columbus.oh.us>,
dmasters@freenet.columbus.oh.us (Dan Masterson) writes:

>
>Recently downloaded a Zip'd file from somewhere on the net (forgot
where).
>Anyway, I tried to unzip it with PMP1.0.2 and it gives me an error
message
>about having trouble allocating memory.  I've used it before on other
>zipped files (ones even bigger than this one) and had no problems.
>
>Anyone know of anthing else that can unzip a file other than Angel.o81. 
>MUST be done on a IIgs as I think this file has a resource fork.
>
>
>

     It is fairly unusual for a downloaded .ZIP file of Apple2 stuff to
unpack directly to any kind of Apple2-usable file except a ShrinkIt (.SHK)
archive, DSK image, or binscii-wrapped file. The explanation is that .ZIP
files are, mainly, intended for downloading and un-zipping on a PC. (As
far as I know, there is no Apple II .ZIP utility equivalent in
capabilities and ease of use to GS-ShrinkIt. So, ShrinkIt remains the
standard Apple II format for file compression.)

     A site which wants to dispense wares directly to Apple II downloaders
should offer them in .SHK form. This way, they can be downloaded to an
Apple II and un-Shrink-ed using 8-bit ("IIe") ShrinkIt or GS-ShrinkIt.
GS-ShrinkIt needs to be used
to un-Shrink .SHK file archives which include GS files with resource
forks. .SHK files can, also, be downloaded to a PC and moved to an Apple
II using NULL modem.

     If you have a .ZIP file which GS un-zip programs cannot handle, it's
a good bet that either the file is corrupted or it has been zipped using a
newer version of PK-Zip (e.g. for-DOS version 2.x or for-Windows WinZIP)--
that is, it is intended for download-to/unzipping-on a PC. (Another
possibility is that the file was uploaded in a non-PK "improved" version
of PK-Zip which made the rounds a few years ago.) 

     Unfortunately, quite a few wares are corrupted by donators during
upload to a site because they are uploaded in ASCII mode. This is an easy
mistake to make during an ftp upload session, especially if you first
upload a TEXT info file. You want browsers to be able to easily view the
info file on-line; so you upload it as ASCII; then, forgetting to click
"binary" (or enter the correct "binary" switch command), you upload your
.ZIP or .SHK files.

     If you have access to a PC, try downloading the troublesome .ZIP file
there. If it unpacks okay under WinZip, you will know, at least, that it
is probably not corrupted. If it unpacks to one or more .SHK files, you
have a pretty good indication that the file was intended for PC download
and un-zipping followed by movement of the resulting files to Apple II via
NULL modem. (With luck, one of the files un-zipped on the PC will be a
plain TEXT "README" file explaining what's going on.)

      

Rubywand