Mail Archives: opendos/2001/01/29/23:56:16
Thanks.
Note however, that the possible "large file" problem is with UNTGZ,
*not* GZIP. The problem I had with GZIP was that (from memory) :
1. It has a nasty habit of overwriting the source file.
2. It doesn't seem to handle LFN's within archives properly.
3. It's documentation sux.
Joe.
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Patrick Moran [SMTP:pmoran22 AT yahoo DOT com]
> Sent: Tuesday, 30 January 2001 15:05
> To: opendos AT delorie DOT com
> Subject: Re: TGZ compression (was Greed, nee DPMS info)
>
> Hmmm, I have not had any problems with GZIP with DOS. Maybe if you gave
> me some examples, I can see what is wrong. Of course I got used to using
> it under Linux and am pretty familiar with it. It does not do everything
> in DOS that it can do in Linux. I'll try zipping some very large files
> with it and see what happens. I have some huge WINDOZE crap that I can
> experiment with. However, I rarely use GZIP alone I usually use TAR and
> filter GZIP though TAR. That may be where you have problems with large
> files. I'll try some huge zipped WINDOZE file and just zip it again with
> GZIP and see what happens. Also it is possible that DPMI is not so very
> compatible with GZIP. Often I have to turn DPMI off to make programs
> work right. I'll paly with it some and see if I can make it fail without
> using TAR.
>
> Pat
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Da Silva, Joe" <Joe DOT daSilva AT emailmetering DOT com>
> To: <opendos AT delorie DOT com>
> Sent: Monday, January 29, 2001 7:09 PM
> Subject: RE: TGZ compression (was Greed, nee DPMS info)
>
>
> > Yep, TGZ compression is very good - "all round" it outperforms
> > anything else out there (AFAIK).
> >
> > The only problem I have with it is that GZIP/GUNZIP is the
> > most user-vicious software I have ever tried to use!!! And the
> > documentation is not much help. If you know how to use it
> > *safely* under various DOS environments (with and without
> > LFN), please tell us the secret! After my last attempt with
> > GZIP, I gave up in disgust and used WinZip to extract what
> > I wanted (yep, that's the Windoze package you are probably
> > thinking of ...).
> >
> > As for UNTGZ, this is a MUCH, MUCH more user-friendly
> > piece of software. Unfortunately, it doesn't always work.
> > IIRC, the documentation mentions this WRT the infamous
> > LZW compression, however I think it also baulks at very
> > large files (?).
> >
> > Speaking of LZW, this is used, not just in many GIF files, but
> > also some ZIP files, some PDF files, Unix 'compress' files
> > (IIRC), some other graphics formats, etc. etc. etc. It is very
> > pervasive, as it was the first "good" compression algorithm
> > developed. Anyway ... having a look at patents recently, it
> > appears that the LZW patent is due to expire in about 2.5
> > years. So eventually, all those programs where the LZW
> > algorithm was removed thanks to Unisys (eg. Ghostscript,
> > InfoZIP, etc.), can be made "whole" again. In the meantime
> > just boycott all Unisys products! <g>
> >
> > Joe.
> >
> > > -----Original Message-----
> > > From: Patrick Moran [SMTP:pmoran22 AT yahoo DOT com]
> > > Sent: Tuesday, 30 January 2001 11:06
> > > To: opendos AT delorie DOT com
> > > Subject: Re: Greed (was DPMS info)
> > >
> > > I have a much better idea! Why doesn't everyone just use .tgz
> files!?
> > >
> > > That is use TAR through GZIP. You can use TAR and GZIP on every
> > > operating system I have used. it with Unix, Linux, DOS, WINDOZE
> (3.x,)
> > > OS/2.
> > >
> > > You can also use TAR and GZIP backups to tape drives, zip drives,
> hard
> > > drives, LS-120, MO drives, or just about any other type of drive. It
> > > will work with SCSI, QIC-20/30/60/120/150/250/525/etc. It will even
> work
> > > with QIC-80.
> > >
> > > This way there would be a universal standard using FREE GNU/GPL
> > > software. GZIP compression is better than PKZIP and probably equal
> to or
> > > better than RAR. I would have to compress some large files and see
> if
> > > GZIP is as good as the latest RAR. RAR may get better results from
> > > multimedia files, but I get very little compression with those using
> RAR
> > > anyway.
> > >
> > > I seem to remember that you can also unzip .ZIP files with GZIP. I
> > > believe that is what I did with .ZIP files under Linux. However,
> PKZIP
> > > cannot unzip GZIP files (at least the DOS version cannot.)The people
> > > making packages and such for Linux got mad at RAR authors and have
> > > pretty much given up on RAR. I can UNRAR files in Linux though.
> > >
> > > I think if people would use TAR and GZIP for DOS files and maybe
> other
> > > files (most WINDOZE users are so dumb they
> > > cannot do anything but point and click! Give them a program with
> some
> > > real capabilities and the would be immediately lost!) All that would
> be
> > > needed is to start using it for DOS files and who knows maybe
> someone
> > > will write a frontend for it for WINDOZE and maybe even one for DOS
> so
> > > you don't have to remember all those modifiers. (especially for tape
> > > drives.)
> > >
> > ----- snip -----
> >
> > > BTW one or both RAR and PKZIP WINDOZE versions will decompress .tgz
> > > files. I don't recall which will do this. There is also a program
> for
> > > DOS call UNTGZ. This is very easy and simple to use for files. (not
> > > tapes and other media.)
> > >
> > > Pat
> > >
> > ----- snip -----
>
>
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