Home » Archimedes archive » Acorn Computing » 1994 13 (special) Disk 1.adf » !ArcFS_Docs » !Help

!Help

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File contents
!Help file for ArcFS version 0.70
by M.Smith
4th August 1994 

The current full version is v2.50 - Details of how to get it are in the info
box.

Full information on ArcFS is available as part of the 'ArcFSExtra' package,
along with technical documentation and utilities.

This version of ArcFS is not P.D., but may be distributed subject to the
conditions in the 'Licence' file.

ArcFS has filing system number 56. My thanks to Acorn for the allocation of
this filing system number and for the allocation of the SWI chunk bases
(&437C0 and &48A00) and Filetype (&3FB).

ArcFS allows the loading and opening of files in archives as easily as files
on ADFS or RamFS. It has its own ArcFS filer which displays the root
directory in a filer window of any archive which is double clicked. From
then on files and applications may be loaded as normal by double clicking
them. Directories may be displayed also by double clicking them. ArcFS can,
of course, also be used from the command line. Facilities for loading
encrypted files are included, via a preferences window which can be obtained
by clicking on the ArcFS icon.

*New to v0.60 / v2.20*

Now *MUCH* Faster. Support for a new archive filetype (&3FB) so ArcFS
archive aren't loaded by SparkFS. Full version also now puts a second copy
of file catalogue information immediately before the file data to make
recovery of files from corrupt archives easier.

*New to v0.65 / v2.23*

Memory management has now been separated out into another module. Dynamic
area memory management included for RISC OS 3.5 in v2.24

*New to v0.70 / v2.50*

Improved RISC OS 3.5 memory management + Bug fixes. The read only version is
now smaller - some resources are stored compressed within the application &
the ArcFS module is compressed with Acorn's DDE Squeeze utility. This is the
release final version that does not need MessageTrans - Future releases will
be fully internationalised and on RISC OS 2 machines will need to load it
from !System. 

*****************************************************************************

All comments and suggestions for future improvement are welcome but please
note that I cannot reply to letters without A STAMPED, ADDRESSED ENVELOPE.

The address is:

    Mr. M. Smith
    Pen-y-dre,
    Riverside Ave.,
    Broxbourne,
    Herts.,
    EN10 6RD.

I would also, of course welcome details of any bugs discovered so
that I can correct them.

My JANET email address is:

ee91mds2@brunel.ac.uk

I can be contacted by this method Oct-Jun 1994/95. (Otherwise you will just
get an automatic reply to say I'm not there, but my mail will be read when I
get back.)

Also, during this period ONLY I can be contacted more quickly at the
following postal address:

    Room 266,
    Mill Hall,
    Topping Lane,
    Uxbridge,
    Middx.,
    UB8 2TL.

� Mark Smith, 1994
00000000  21 48 65 6c 70 20 66 69  6c 65 20 66 6f 72 20 41  |!Help file for A|
00000010  72 63 46 53 20 76 65 72  73 69 6f 6e 20 30 2e 37  |rcFS version 0.7|
00000020  30 0a 62 79 20 4d 2e 53  6d 69 74 68 0a 34 74 68  |0.by M.Smith.4th|
00000030  20 41 75 67 75 73 74 20  31 39 39 34 20 0a 0a 54  | August 1994 ..T|
00000040  68 65 20 63 75 72 72 65  6e 74 20 66 75 6c 6c 20  |he current full |
00000050  76 65 72 73 69 6f 6e 20  69 73 20 76 32 2e 35 30  |version is v2.50|
00000060  20 2d 20 44 65 74 61 69  6c 73 20 6f 66 20 68 6f  | - Details of ho|
00000070  77 20 74 6f 20 67 65 74  20 69 74 20 61 72 65 20  |w to get it are |
00000080  69 6e 20 74 68 65 20 69  6e 66 6f 0a 62 6f 78 2e  |in the info.box.|
00000090  0a 0a 46 75 6c 6c 20 69  6e 66 6f 72 6d 61 74 69  |..Full informati|
000000a0  6f 6e 20 6f 6e 20 41 72  63 46 53 20 69 73 20 61  |on on ArcFS is a|
000000b0  76 61 69 6c 61 62 6c 65  20 61 73 20 70 61 72 74  |vailable as part|
000000c0  20 6f 66 20 74 68 65 20  27 41 72 63 46 53 45 78  | of the 'ArcFSEx|
000000d0  74 72 61 27 20 70 61 63  6b 61 67 65 2c 0a 61 6c  |tra' package,.al|
000000e0  6f 6e 67 20 77 69 74 68  20 74 65 63 68 6e 69 63  |ong with technic|
000000f0  61 6c 20 64 6f 63 75 6d  65 6e 74 61 74 69 6f 6e  |al documentation|
00000100  20 61 6e 64 20 75 74 69  6c 69 74 69 65 73 2e 0a  | and utilities..|
00000110  0a 54 68 69 73 20 76 65  72 73 69 6f 6e 20 6f 66  |.This version of|
00000120  20 41 72 63 46 53 20 69  73 20 6e 6f 74 20 50 2e  | ArcFS is not P.|
00000130  44 2e 2c 20 62 75 74 20  6d 61 79 20 62 65 20 64  |D., but may be d|
00000140  69 73 74 72 69 62 75 74  65 64 20 73 75 62 6a 65  |istributed subje|
00000150  63 74 20 74 6f 20 74 68  65 0a 63 6f 6e 64 69 74  |ct to the.condit|
00000160  69 6f 6e 73 20 69 6e 20  74 68 65 20 27 4c 69 63  |ions in the 'Lic|
00000170  65 6e 63 65 27 20 66 69  6c 65 2e 0a 0a 41 72 63  |ence' file...Arc|
00000180  46 53 20 68 61 73 20 66  69 6c 69 6e 67 20 73 79  |FS has filing sy|
00000190  73 74 65 6d 20 6e 75 6d  62 65 72 20 35 36 2e 20  |stem number 56. |
000001a0  4d 79 20 74 68 61 6e 6b  73 20 74 6f 20 41 63 6f  |My thanks to Aco|
000001b0  72 6e 20 66 6f 72 20 74  68 65 20 61 6c 6c 6f 63  |rn for the alloc|
000001c0  61 74 69 6f 6e 20 6f 66  0a 74 68 69 73 20 66 69  |ation of.this fi|
000001d0  6c 69 6e 67 20 73 79 73  74 65 6d 20 6e 75 6d 62  |ling system numb|
000001e0  65 72 20 61 6e 64 20 66  6f 72 20 74 68 65 20 61  |er and for the a|
000001f0  6c 6c 6f 63 61 74 69 6f  6e 20 6f 66 20 74 68 65  |llocation of the|
00000200  20 53 57 49 20 63 68 75  6e 6b 20 62 61 73 65 73  | SWI chunk bases|
00000210  0a 28 26 34 33 37 43 30  20 61 6e 64 20 26 34 38  |.(&437C0 and &48|
00000220  41 30 30 29 20 61 6e 64  20 46 69 6c 65 74 79 70  |A00) and Filetyp|
00000230  65 20 28 26 33 46 42 29  2e 0a 0a 41 72 63 46 53  |e (&3FB)...ArcFS|
00000240  20 61 6c 6c 6f 77 73 20  74 68 65 20 6c 6f 61 64  | allows the load|
00000250  69 6e 67 20 61 6e 64 20  6f 70 65 6e 69 6e 67 20  |ing and opening |
00000260  6f 66 20 66 69 6c 65 73  20 69 6e 20 61 72 63 68  |of files in arch|
00000270  69 76 65 73 20 61 73 20  65 61 73 69 6c 79 20 61  |ives as easily a|
00000280  73 20 66 69 6c 65 73 0a  6f 6e 20 41 44 46 53 20  |s files.on ADFS |
00000290  6f 72 20 52 61 6d 46 53  2e 20 49 74 20 68 61 73  |or RamFS. It has|
000002a0  20 69 74 73 20 6f 77 6e  20 41 72 63 46 53 20 66  | its own ArcFS f|
000002b0  69 6c 65 72 20 77 68 69  63 68 20 64 69 73 70 6c  |iler which displ|
000002c0  61 79 73 20 74 68 65 20  72 6f 6f 74 0a 64 69 72  |ays the root.dir|
000002d0  65 63 74 6f 72 79 20 69  6e 20 61 20 66 69 6c 65  |ectory in a file|
000002e0  72 20 77 69 6e 64 6f 77  20 6f 66 20 61 6e 79 20  |r window of any |
000002f0  61 72 63 68 69 76 65 20  77 68 69 63 68 20 69 73  |archive which is|
00000300  20 64 6f 75 62 6c 65 20  63 6c 69 63 6b 65 64 2e  | double clicked.|
00000310  20 46 72 6f 6d 0a 74 68  65 6e 20 6f 6e 20 66 69  | From.then on fi|
00000320  6c 65 73 20 61 6e 64 20  61 70 70 6c 69 63 61 74  |les and applicat|
00000330  69 6f 6e 73 20 6d 61 79  20 62 65 20 6c 6f 61 64  |ions may be load|
00000340  65 64 20 61 73 20 6e 6f  72 6d 61 6c 20 62 79 20  |ed as normal by |
00000350  64 6f 75 62 6c 65 20 63  6c 69 63 6b 69 6e 67 0a  |double clicking.|
00000360  74 68 65 6d 2e 20 44 69  72 65 63 74 6f 72 69 65  |them. Directorie|
00000370  73 20 6d 61 79 20 62 65  20 64 69 73 70 6c 61 79  |s may be display|
00000380  65 64 20 61 6c 73 6f 20  62 79 20 64 6f 75 62 6c  |ed also by doubl|
00000390  65 20 63 6c 69 63 6b 69  6e 67 20 74 68 65 6d 2e  |e clicking them.|
000003a0  20 41 72 63 46 53 20 63  61 6e 2c 0a 6f 66 20 63  | ArcFS can,.of c|
000003b0  6f 75 72 73 65 2c 20 61  6c 73 6f 20 62 65 20 75  |ourse, also be u|
000003c0  73 65 64 20 66 72 6f 6d  20 74 68 65 20 63 6f 6d  |sed from the com|
000003d0  6d 61 6e 64 20 6c 69 6e  65 2e 20 46 61 63 69 6c  |mand line. Facil|
000003e0  69 74 69 65 73 20 66 6f  72 20 6c 6f 61 64 69 6e  |ities for loadin|
000003f0  67 0a 65 6e 63 72 79 70  74 65 64 20 66 69 6c 65  |g.encrypted file|
00000400  73 20 61 72 65 20 69 6e  63 6c 75 64 65 64 2c 20  |s are included, |
00000410  76 69 61 20 61 20 70 72  65 66 65 72 65 6e 63 65  |via a preference|
00000420  73 20 77 69 6e 64 6f 77  20 77 68 69 63 68 20 63  |s window which c|
00000430  61 6e 20 62 65 20 6f 62  74 61 69 6e 65 64 0a 62  |an be obtained.b|
00000440  79 20 63 6c 69 63 6b 69  6e 67 20 6f 6e 20 74 68  |y clicking on th|
00000450  65 20 41 72 63 46 53 20  69 63 6f 6e 2e 0a 0a 2a  |e ArcFS icon...*|
00000460  4e 65 77 20 74 6f 20 76  30 2e 36 30 20 2f 20 76  |New to v0.60 / v|
00000470  32 2e 32 30 2a 0a 0a 4e  6f 77 20 2a 4d 55 43 48  |2.20*..Now *MUCH|
00000480  2a 20 46 61 73 74 65 72  2e 20 53 75 70 70 6f 72  |* Faster. Suppor|
00000490  74 20 66 6f 72 20 61 20  6e 65 77 20 61 72 63 68  |t for a new arch|
000004a0  69 76 65 20 66 69 6c 65  74 79 70 65 20 28 26 33  |ive filetype (&3|
000004b0  46 42 29 20 73 6f 20 41  72 63 46 53 0a 61 72 63  |FB) so ArcFS.arc|
000004c0  68 69 76 65 20 61 72 65  6e 27 74 20 6c 6f 61 64  |hive aren't load|
000004d0  65 64 20 62 79 20 53 70  61 72 6b 46 53 2e 20 46  |ed by SparkFS. F|
000004e0  75 6c 6c 20 76 65 72 73  69 6f 6e 20 61 6c 73 6f  |ull version also|
000004f0  20 6e 6f 77 20 70 75 74  73 20 61 20 73 65 63 6f  | now puts a seco|
00000500  6e 64 20 63 6f 70 79 0a  6f 66 20 66 69 6c 65 20  |nd copy.of file |
00000510  63 61 74 61 6c 6f 67 75  65 20 69 6e 66 6f 72 6d  |catalogue inform|
00000520  61 74 69 6f 6e 20 69 6d  6d 65 64 69 61 74 65 6c  |ation immediatel|
00000530  79 20 62 65 66 6f 72 65  20 74 68 65 20 66 69 6c  |y before the fil|
00000540  65 20 64 61 74 61 20 74  6f 20 6d 61 6b 65 0a 72  |e data to make.r|
00000550  65 63 6f 76 65 72 79 20  6f 66 20 66 69 6c 65 73  |ecovery of files|
00000560  20 66 72 6f 6d 20 63 6f  72 72 75 70 74 20 61 72  | from corrupt ar|
00000570  63 68 69 76 65 73 20 65  61 73 69 65 72 2e 0a 0a  |chives easier...|
00000580  2a 4e 65 77 20 74 6f 20  76 30 2e 36 35 20 2f 20  |*New to v0.65 / |
00000590  76 32 2e 32 33 2a 0a 0a  4d 65 6d 6f 72 79 20 6d  |v2.23*..Memory m|
000005a0  61 6e 61 67 65 6d 65 6e  74 20 68 61 73 20 6e 6f  |anagement has no|
000005b0  77 20 62 65 65 6e 20 73  65 70 61 72 61 74 65 64  |w been separated|
000005c0  20 6f 75 74 20 69 6e 74  6f 20 61 6e 6f 74 68 65  | out into anothe|
000005d0  72 20 6d 6f 64 75 6c 65  2e 20 44 79 6e 61 6d 69  |r module. Dynami|
000005e0  63 0a 61 72 65 61 20 6d  65 6d 6f 72 79 20 6d 61  |c.area memory ma|
000005f0  6e 61 67 65 6d 65 6e 74  20 69 6e 63 6c 75 64 65  |nagement include|
00000600  64 20 66 6f 72 20 52 49  53 43 20 4f 53 20 33 2e  |d for RISC OS 3.|
00000610  35 20 69 6e 20 76 32 2e  32 34 0a 0a 2a 4e 65 77  |5 in v2.24..*New|
00000620  20 74 6f 20 76 30 2e 37  30 20 2f 20 76 32 2e 35  | to v0.70 / v2.5|
00000630  30 2a 0a 0a 49 6d 70 72  6f 76 65 64 20 52 49 53  |0*..Improved RIS|
00000640  43 20 4f 53 20 33 2e 35  20 6d 65 6d 6f 72 79 20  |C OS 3.5 memory |
00000650  6d 61 6e 61 67 65 6d 65  6e 74 20 2b 20 42 75 67  |management + Bug|
00000660  20 66 69 78 65 73 2e 20  54 68 65 20 72 65 61 64  | fixes. The read|
00000670  20 6f 6e 6c 79 20 76 65  72 73 69 6f 6e 20 69 73  | only version is|
00000680  0a 6e 6f 77 20 73 6d 61  6c 6c 65 72 20 2d 20 73  |.now smaller - s|
00000690  6f 6d 65 20 72 65 73 6f  75 72 63 65 73 20 61 72  |ome resources ar|
000006a0  65 20 73 74 6f 72 65 64  20 63 6f 6d 70 72 65 73  |e stored compres|
000006b0  73 65 64 20 77 69 74 68  69 6e 20 74 68 65 20 61  |sed within the a|
000006c0  70 70 6c 69 63 61 74 69  6f 6e 20 26 0a 74 68 65  |pplication &.the|
000006d0  20 41 72 63 46 53 20 6d  6f 64 75 6c 65 20 69 73  | ArcFS module is|
000006e0  20 63 6f 6d 70 72 65 73  73 65 64 20 77 69 74 68  | compressed with|
000006f0  20 41 63 6f 72 6e 27 73  20 44 44 45 20 53 71 75  | Acorn's DDE Squ|
00000700  65 65 7a 65 20 75 74 69  6c 69 74 79 2e 20 54 68  |eeze utility. Th|
00000710  69 73 20 69 73 20 74 68  65 0a 72 65 6c 65 61 73  |is is the.releas|
00000720  65 20 66 69 6e 61 6c 20  76 65 72 73 69 6f 6e 20  |e final version |
00000730  74 68 61 74 20 64 6f 65  73 20 6e 6f 74 20 6e 65  |that does not ne|
00000740  65 64 20 4d 65 73 73 61  67 65 54 72 61 6e 73 20  |ed MessageTrans |
00000750  2d 20 46 75 74 75 72 65  20 72 65 6c 65 61 73 65  |- Future release|
00000760  73 20 77 69 6c 6c 0a 62  65 20 66 75 6c 6c 79 20  |s will.be fully |
00000770  69 6e 74 65 72 6e 61 74  69 6f 6e 61 6c 69 73 65  |internationalise|
00000780  64 20 61 6e 64 20 6f 6e  20 52 49 53 43 20 4f 53  |d and on RISC OS|
00000790  20 32 20 6d 61 63 68 69  6e 65 73 20 77 69 6c 6c  | 2 machines will|
000007a0  20 6e 65 65 64 20 74 6f  20 6c 6f 61 64 20 69 74  | need to load it|
000007b0  0a 66 72 6f 6d 20 21 53  79 73 74 65 6d 2e 20 0a  |.from !System. .|
000007c0  0a 2a 2a 2a 2a 2a 2a 2a  2a 2a 2a 2a 2a 2a 2a 2a  |.***************|
000007d0  2a 2a 2a 2a 2a 2a 2a 2a  2a 2a 2a 2a 2a 2a 2a 2a  |****************|
*
00000800  2a 2a 2a 2a 2a 2a 2a 2a  2a 2a 2a 2a 2a 2a 0a 0a  |**************..|
00000810  41 6c 6c 20 63 6f 6d 6d  65 6e 74 73 20 61 6e 64  |All comments and|
00000820  20 73 75 67 67 65 73 74  69 6f 6e 73 20 66 6f 72  | suggestions for|
00000830  20 66 75 74 75 72 65 20  69 6d 70 72 6f 76 65 6d  | future improvem|
00000840  65 6e 74 20 61 72 65 20  77 65 6c 63 6f 6d 65 20  |ent are welcome |
00000850  62 75 74 20 70 6c 65 61  73 65 0a 6e 6f 74 65 20  |but please.note |
00000860  74 68 61 74 20 49 20 63  61 6e 6e 6f 74 20 72 65  |that I cannot re|
00000870  70 6c 79 20 74 6f 20 6c  65 74 74 65 72 73 20 77  |ply to letters w|
00000880  69 74 68 6f 75 74 20 41  20 53 54 41 4d 50 45 44  |ithout A STAMPED|
00000890  2c 20 41 44 44 52 45 53  53 45 44 20 45 4e 56 45  |, ADDRESSED ENVE|
000008a0  4c 4f 50 45 2e 0a 0a 54  68 65 20 61 64 64 72 65  |LOPE...The addre|
000008b0  73 73 20 69 73 3a 0a 0a  20 20 20 20 4d 72 2e 20  |ss is:..    Mr. |
000008c0  4d 2e 20 53 6d 69 74 68  0a 20 20 20 20 50 65 6e  |M. Smith.    Pen|
000008d0  2d 79 2d 64 72 65 2c 0a  20 20 20 20 52 69 76 65  |-y-dre,.    Rive|
000008e0  72 73 69 64 65 20 41 76  65 2e 2c 0a 20 20 20 20  |rside Ave.,.    |
000008f0  42 72 6f 78 62 6f 75 72  6e 65 2c 0a 20 20 20 20  |Broxbourne,.    |
00000900  48 65 72 74 73 2e 2c 0a  20 20 20 20 45 4e 31 30  |Herts.,.    EN10|
00000910  20 36 52 44 2e 0a 0a 49  20 77 6f 75 6c 64 20 61  | 6RD...I would a|
00000920  6c 73 6f 2c 20 6f 66 20  63 6f 75 72 73 65 20 77  |lso, of course w|
00000930  65 6c 63 6f 6d 65 20 64  65 74 61 69 6c 73 20 6f  |elcome details o|
00000940  66 20 61 6e 79 20 62 75  67 73 20 64 69 73 63 6f  |f any bugs disco|
00000950  76 65 72 65 64 20 73 6f  0a 74 68 61 74 20 49 20  |vered so.that I |
00000960  63 61 6e 20 63 6f 72 72  65 63 74 20 74 68 65 6d  |can correct them|
00000970  2e 0a 0a 4d 79 20 4a 41  4e 45 54 20 65 6d 61 69  |...My JANET emai|
00000980  6c 20 61 64 64 72 65 73  73 20 69 73 3a 0a 0a 65  |l address is:..e|
00000990  65 39 31 6d 64 73 32 40  62 72 75 6e 65 6c 2e 61  |e91mds2@brunel.a|
000009a0  63 2e 75 6b 0a 0a 49 20  63 61 6e 20 62 65 20 63  |c.uk..I can be c|
000009b0  6f 6e 74 61 63 74 65 64  20 62 79 20 74 68 69 73  |ontacted by this|
000009c0  20 6d 65 74 68 6f 64 20  4f 63 74 2d 4a 75 6e 20  | method Oct-Jun |
000009d0  31 39 39 34 2f 39 35 2e  20 28 4f 74 68 65 72 77  |1994/95. (Otherw|
000009e0  69 73 65 20 79 6f 75 20  77 69 6c 6c 20 6a 75 73  |ise you will jus|
000009f0  74 0a 67 65 74 20 61 6e  20 61 75 74 6f 6d 61 74  |t.get an automat|
00000a00  69 63 20 72 65 70 6c 79  20 74 6f 20 73 61 79 20  |ic reply to say |
00000a10  49 27 6d 20 6e 6f 74 20  74 68 65 72 65 2c 20 62  |I'm not there, b|
00000a20  75 74 20 6d 79 20 6d 61  69 6c 20 77 69 6c 6c 20  |ut my mail will |
00000a30  62 65 20 72 65 61 64 20  77 68 65 6e 20 49 0a 67  |be read when I.g|
00000a40  65 74 20 62 61 63 6b 2e  29 0a 0a 41 6c 73 6f 2c  |et back.)..Also,|
00000a50  20 64 75 72 69 6e 67 20  74 68 69 73 20 70 65 72  | during this per|
00000a60  69 6f 64 20 4f 4e 4c 59  20 49 20 63 61 6e 20 62  |iod ONLY I can b|
00000a70  65 20 63 6f 6e 74 61 63  74 65 64 20 6d 6f 72 65  |e contacted more|
00000a80  20 71 75 69 63 6b 6c 79  20 61 74 20 74 68 65 0a  | quickly at the.|
00000a90  66 6f 6c 6c 6f 77 69 6e  67 20 70 6f 73 74 61 6c  |following postal|
00000aa0  20 61 64 64 72 65 73 73  3a 0a 0a 20 20 20 20 52  | address:..    R|
00000ab0  6f 6f 6d 20 32 36 36 2c  0a 20 20 20 20 4d 69 6c  |oom 266,.    Mil|
00000ac0  6c 20 48 61 6c 6c 2c 0a  20 20 20 20 54 6f 70 70  |l Hall,.    Topp|
00000ad0  69 6e 67 20 4c 61 6e 65  2c 0a 20 20 20 20 55 78  |ing Lane,.    Ux|
00000ae0  62 72 69 64 67 65 2c 0a  20 20 20 20 4d 69 64 64  |bridge,.    Midd|
00000af0  78 2e 2c 0a 20 20 20 20  55 42 38 20 32 54 4c 2e  |x.,.    UB8 2TL.|
00000b00  0a 0a a9 20 4d 61 72 6b  20 53 6d 69 74 68 2c 20  |... Mark Smith, |
00000b10  31 39 39 34 0a                                    |1994.|
00000b15