I'm running PKZip on my old BBS box and have started to see some choppiness when I'm unzipping files in the backgrouns. I was wondering if I might get better performance running a 32-bit unzip program instead of the old DOS programs.

Does anyone have infozip/unzip command lines handy?

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Subject: Best unzipper for low-memory systems?
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I'm running PKZip on my old BBS box and have started to see some

choppiness

when I'm unzipping files in the backgrouns. I was wondering if I might

get

better performance running a 32-bit unzip program instead of the old DOS programs.

Does anyone have infozip/unzip command lines handy?

I believe Synchronet already includes 32-bit zip tools (I think they are
the infozip tools), and I thought Synchronet was pre-configured to use its command lines, is it not?

I have a Synchronet archiver setup guide with command lines for various archivers (geared toward Win32, as that's what I'm running): http://www.digitaldistortionbbs.com/SyncArcGuide.html
I didn't include the infozip command lines, as those should already be configured in Synchronet; however, I have tried the 32-bit PKZip 2.5 and have commands for that on my page. The command-line 7-zip and RAR tools should
also be able to unzip zip files.

Also, with a 32-bit zip tool, not only will you get better performance, it
will handle long filenames too.

Nightfox

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Re: Best unzipper for low-memory systems?
By: Nightfox to Poindexter Fortran on Thu Dec 11 2014 11:38 am

I didn't include the infozip command lines, as those should already be configured in Synchronet; however, I have tried the 32-bit PKZip 2.5 and have commands for that on my page. The command-line 7-zip and RAR tools should also be able to unzip zip files.

My old Synchronet config started dates back to 3.12, doesn't have the 32-bit command lines. :(

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I'm running PKZip on my old BBS box and have started to see some choppiness >PF> when I'm unzipping files in the backgrouns. I was wondering if I might get >PF> better performance running a 32-bit unzip program instead of the old DOS >PF> programs.
Does anyone have infozip/unzip command lines handy?

I believe Synchronet already includes 32-bit zip tools (I think they are the infozip tools), and I thought Synchronet was pre-configured to use its command lines, is it not?
I have a Synchronet archiver setup guide with command lines for various archivers (geared toward Win32, as that's what I'm running): http://www.digitaldistortionbbs.com/SyncArcGuide.html

Just out of curiosity, what would be the benefit in configuring the other archive formats? The instructions look pretty easy to follow, I just wasn't sure what type of usage that would be helpful for. Probably just my lack of knowledge here, since I'm fairly new to using/running a BBS.

~KenDB3

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Re: Best unzipper for low-memory systems?
By: Poindexter Fortran to All on Mon Dec 08 2014 10:43 am

I'm running PKZip on my old BBS box and have started to see some choppiness when I'm unzipping files in the backgrouns. I was wondering if I might get better performance running a 32-bit unzip program instead of the old DOS programs.

Does anyone have infozip/unzip command lines handy?

InfoZip command-lines are included in this otherwise obsolete document: http://cvs.synchro.net/cgi-bin/viewcvs.cgi/*checkout*/docs/sbbsunix.txt

digital man

Synchronet "Real Fact" #15:
Synchronet first supported FidoNet networking (with SBBSFIDO) in 1992.
Norco, CA WX: 57.8øF, 87.0% humidity, 9 mph SSE wind, 0.00 inches rain/24hrs

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Re: Best unzipper for low-memory systems?
By: Poindexter Fortran to All on Mon Dec 08 2014 10:43 am

I'm running PKZip on my old BBS box and have started to see some choppiness when I'm unzipping files in the backgrouns. I was wondering if I might get better performance running a 32-bit unzip program instead of the old DOS programs.

Does anyone have infozip/unzip command lines handy?

google does.
also infozip's command line help is "--help"

btw, they've had 32bit pkware products for a very long time.
i have the pkzc flavor and the pkzip/pkunzip which was converted
to 32bit via some updater.
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Re: Re: Best unzipper for low-memory systems?
By: KenDB3 to Nightfox on Thu Dec 11 2014 22:11:57

Just out of curiosity, what would be the benefit in configuring the other archive formats? The instructions look pretty easy to follow, I just wasn't sure what type of usage that would be helpful for. Probably just my lack of knowledge here, since I'm fairly new to using/running a BBS.

Perhaps a user wants to use a different archive format. ;)

ZIP is the de-facto standard, but it's not the only archiver out there. Also, I enjoy customizing things and giving people more choices, so I had fun setting those up..

Nightfox

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Re: Re: Best unzipper for low-memory systems?
By: KenDB3 to Nightfox on Thu Dec 11 2014 22:11:57

Just out of curiosity, what would be the benefit in configuring the other archive formats? The instructions look pretty easy to follow, I just wasn't sure what type of usage that would be helpful for. Probably just my lack of knowledge here, since I'm fairly new to using/running a BBS.

I realized I probably wasn't very clear in my last reply. One of the places where Synchronet uses the compressible formats is when a user downloads a QWK message packet - By default, I believe Synchronet will use zip to compress it, but a user can configure that in their user settings - The user setting is called "Temporary/QWK Archive Type". As far as the extractable archive formats, one place I believe where those are used is when Synchronet looks for a file_id.diz description file in file uploads. The more extractable file formats you define, the more types of files Synchronet will be able to extract file_id.diz from.

This is the Synchronet documentation describing extractable files: http://www.synchro.net/docs/file_section.html#ExtractableFiles

Nightfox

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Just out of curiosity, what would be the benefit in configuring the other archive formats? The instructions look pretty easy to follow, I just wasn't sure what type of usage that would be helpful for.
Probably just my lack of knowledge here, since I'm fairly new to using/running a BBS.

Perhaps a user wants to use a different archive format. ;)

ZIP is the de-facto standard, but it's not the only archiver out there. Also, I enjoy customizing things and giving people more choices, so I had fun setting those up..

I can appreciate that. I love to tinker too. However, my question is much more basic and rudimentary than that. What can the BBS zip? ... and how? I've never seen that functionality and I'm curious where it would be used?

~KenDB3

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Re: Re: Best unzipper for low-memory systems?
By: KenDB3 to Nightfox on Fri Dec 12 2014 09:27 am

I can appreciate that. I love to tinker too. However, my question is much more basic and rudimentary than that. What can the BBS zip? ... and how? I've never seen that functionality and I'm curious where it would be used?

The BBS creates archive files when it makes QWK packets for offline readers, and opens/modifies archive files when you upload files to the BBS, typically to do virus checking and add an advertisement into the archive.

BBSes communicate with other BBSes over networks; messages get from your BBS to my BBS via QWK formatted packets which are sent from the hub BBS to other BBSes, and they're archived. Fidonet also typically relies on archived packets to get messages from one BBS to another BBS.

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Perhaps a user wants to use a different archive format. ;)

ZIP is the de-facto standard, but it's not the only archiver out
there. Also, I enjoy customizing things and giving people more
choices, so I had fun setting those up..

I can appreciate that. I love to tinker too. However, my question is

much

more basic and rudimentary than that. What can the BBS zip? ... and how? I've never seen that functionality and I'm curious where it would be

used?

The best example I can think of is when a user wants to download a QWK message packet. The message packet will be archived in some format, which (I believe) is zip by default. From the user settings screen, a user is able to choose a different format for QWK message packets, and they'll be able to choose from the archive formats that you configure.

As far as extractable files, one example I can think of is when a user uploads a file, Synchronet will try to extract a file_id.diz file to use
for the extended file description. The more extractable archive formats
you set up, the more Synchronet will be able to recognize.

Eric

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Re: Re: Best unzipper for low-memory systems?
By: Nightfox to KenDB3 on Thu Dec 11 2014 09:43 pm

Perhaps a user wants to use a different archive format. ;)

ZIP is the de-facto standard, but it's not the only archiver out there. Also, I enjoy customizing things and giving people more choices, so I had fun setting those up..

for personal use, i prefer .rar for backup purposes.
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Re: Re: Best unzipper for low-memory systems?
By: KenDB3 to Nightfox on Fri Dec 12 2014 09:27 am

I can appreciate that. I love to tinker too. However, my question is much more basic and rudimentary than that. What can the BBS zip? ... and how? I've never seen that functionality and I'm curious where it would be used?

the files in the file areas. message packets.
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The best example I can think of is when a user wants to download a QWK message packet. The message packet will be archived in some format, which (I believe) is zip by default. From the user settings screen, a user is able to choose a different format for QWK message packets, and they'll be able to choose from the archive formats that you configure.

As far as extractable files, one example I can think of is when a user uploads a file, Synchronet will try to extract a file_id.diz file to use
for the extended file description. The more extractable archive formats
you set up, the more Synchronet will be able to recognize.

Eric

OK! That makes a lot more sense now. Thank you so much, I really appreciate
the explanation, and examples help me have that "Aha" moment even more :-)

In fact, I'm even more interested in setting that up now.

Kenny D

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The BBS creates archive files when it makes QWK packets for offline
readers, and opens/modifies archive files when you upload files to the BBS, typically to do virus checking and add an advertisement into the archive.

BBSes communicate with other BBSes over networks; messages get from your
BBS to my BBS via QWK formatted packets which are sent from the hub BBS to other BBSes, and they're archived. Fidonet also typically relies on
archived packets to get messages from one BBS to another BBS.

Thank you as well Poindexter Fortran! I'm still learning my way around a lot
of the BBS functionality. I grew up with computers, but never had any
knowledge of BBS's until long after I had been on the Internet. My mom bought
a 14.4kbps modem back in the day, and we installed on our Tandy 1000 (286). I never had any idea I could dial out to a BBS with it, no one I knew had ever done that. Running Synchronet now is my way of trying to see what I missed all those years ago.

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Re: Re: Best unzipper for low-memory systems?
By: Mro to Nightfox on Fri Dec 12 2014 20:29:13

for personal use, i prefer .rar for backup purposes.

I used to use RAR, but I've since discovered that 7-zip (.7z) seems to compress better in most cases.

Nightfox

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Re: Re: Best unzipper for low-memory systems?
By: Nightfox to Mro on Fri Dec 12 2014 09:31 pm

Re: Re: Best unzipper for low-memory systems?
By: Mro to Nightfox on Fri Dec 12 2014 20:29:13

for personal use, i prefer .rar for backup purposes.

I used to use RAR, but I've since discovered that 7-zip (.7z) seems to compress better in most cases.

rar has a v5 format so it's probably the same as 7z now.
i'm not so into how much i can compress something. all archivers pretty much compress stuff the same amount at this point. i like the rar features and also my license works on any platform which is nice.
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I can appreciate that. I love to tinker too. However, my question is
much more basic and rudimentary than that. What can the BBS zip? ... and how? I've never seen that functionality and I'm curious where it would
be used?

the files in the file areas. message packets.

Thanks!

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Re: Re: Best unzipper for low-memory systems?
By: Mro to Nightfox on Sat Dec 13 2014 16:00:37

much compress stuff the same amount at this point. i like the rar features and also my license works on any platform which is nice.

I like RAR's features as well, but it seems to me that archivers/compressors are very similar on features these days. Also, 7-zip is free, so you don't have to worry about buying a license.

Nightfox

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Re: Re: Best unzipper for low-memory systems?
By: Nightfox to Mro on Sun Dec 14 2014 10:54 am

much compress stuff the same amount at this point. i like the rar features and also my license works on any platform which is nice.

I like RAR's features as well, but it seems to me that
archivers/compressors are very similar on features these days. Also, 7-zip is free, so you don't have to worry about buying a license.

yeah it's free. but i have been using rar since the bbs days and i figured i'd bite the bullet and pay the little fee. i dont 7zip's interface as well.

sometimes if you like something and if you really use it, you should pay for it. or give back in some form.
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Digital Man wrote to Poindexter Fortran <=-

InfoZip command-lines are included in this otherwise obsolete document: http://cvs.synchro.net/cgi-bin/viewcvs.cgi/*checkout*/docs/sbbsunix.txt

Saved. Thanks!



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