       
       ---------------------------------------------------------------- 

                           UNPACKING AND INSTALLING 
                      INCLUDING ARCS, ZIPS, LZH AND MORE

       ---------------------------------------------------------------- 

       Many times a shareware package is quite large and has been 
       compressed or "archived" to fit on the disk. Another use for 
       archiving, or packing many files into one highly compressed 
       file, is to decrease telephone charges and time when transmitting 
       files by modem. In a previous section we indicated the following 
       filename extensions as pertaining to compressed or "archived" files:

       .ZIP       ---------> Compressed file, use PKUNZIP to unpack
       .ARC       ---------> Compressed file, use ARC system 
       .PAK       ---------> Compressed file, use PAK system
       .LZH       ---------> Compressed file, use LHARC
       .ZOO       ---------> Compressed file, use ZOO system

       Let's take a closer look. For example, the file FUN454.ZIP
       might contain the following files contained within the
       ZIP archive.
       
       FUNNELS  EXE                                         
       FUNNELS  DOC                                           
       FUNNELS  INV                                         
       ATC      DAT                                         
       FUNNELS  SCR                                         
       FUNNELS  TXT                            
       
       By the way, in the above example, FUN454.ZIP, we are given the
       probable clue that this might be Version 4.54 of the program.
       This is another odd but useful convention when dealing with
       the shareware community and archived or compressed files.

       In the shareware trade, one frequently hears the terms "ARCING, 
       ZIPPING, UNZIPPING, LHARCING, PAKING" and similar terms. You 
       can quickly understand that "archive processing" or compressing 
       and uncompressing disk files is what these terms refer to!

       Not all disks contain archives - some do, some don't. To unpack 
       the program you need a few blank floppies (or a hard drive) and 
       a special unpacking utility program to unpack. If your software 
       needs this utility, it is usually available on one (or several) of 
       your disks or can be ordered from most computer clubs or shareware 
       disk vendors. Here is how to unpack an archive file ending in 
       ZIP. Other files ending in .LZH, .ZOO and other file extensions
       are quite similar in use.
       
       Files which end in .ZIP are unpacked with PKUNZIP.EXE. For our 
       example let's pretend we are unpacking the file SAMPLE.ZIP. 
            
       Start with a BLANK formatted floppy. Copy the program file you 
       wish to unpack (e.g., SAMPLE.ZIP) and the file PKUNZIP.EXE 
       onto the blank floppy. Hard drive users may prefer to simply 
       copy the file to be unpacked and the unpacking utility 
       PKUNZIP.EXE to their hard drive. For our example, SAMPLE.ZIP and 
       PKUNZIP.EXE are now on a floppy in the A: drive.                     

       Next we need a place to put the unpacked files! For computers 
       without a hard drive put a blank formatted floppy in your other 
       empty B: floppy drive. This is where the unpacked newly expanded 
       files will go: the DESTINATION OR TARGET drive for the unpacked 
       software. Hard drive users will probably just unpack to the hard 
       drive (C:) using a subdirectory on the hard drive as the target 
       area.
                                                  
       Using the examples which follow, type an unpacking command 
       showing the source drive containing the packed file, the name of 
       file and the final destination drive; press enter or return key 
       after typing the unpacking command. Of course, substitute the 
       name of the file you are using for the file SAMPLE.ZIP. Blank 
       spaces in the command ARE essential. 

       EXAMPLE:             A>pkunzip A:SAMPLE.ZIP B: 

       Translation: unpack or unzip all files from the packed file 
       SAMPLE.ZIP contained on the A: floppy drive and send the 
       unpacked files to the B: floppy drive. Press enter or return key 
       after typing the command.

       EXAMPLE:             C>pkunzip C:sample.ZIP B: 

       Unpack files from C: hard drive area to a blank floppy on B: 
       drive. 

       By the way, you can omit the .ZIP file extension for a shortcut.

       EXAMPLE:               C>pkunzip C:sample B:

       Files are now unpacked and ready to use in the conventional 
       manner - after unpacking you will probably see the readme, text 
       and documentation files you need. The data is now in a more 
       familiar DOS file format. The archive can "inflate" more than 
       200% from its compressed format in some cases! 

       Some programs are very large and may be submitted to you in 
       several parts. You might find a program which consists of 
       three or four packed .ZIP, .LZH or other archive file(s) on 
       several disks.

       NOTE! for hard drive users you are usually wise to unpack each 
       program to a separate subdirectory on your hard disk. For 
       example, to use pcwrite you might unpack the files to C:\PCW. Of 
       course, you must first create a subdirectory called PCW on your 
       hard drive BEFORE you start. To prepare a subdirectory, use the 
       DOS md (make directory) command (example  c>md pcw.)  Hard drive 
       users might wish to delete the original compressed ARC/ZIP files 
       from their hard drive since the unpacked versions are now ready 
       and the original floppies serve as your backup copies.    

                    UNPACKING ARCHIVED/COMPRESSED PROGRAMS 
                 ON SINGLE FLOPPY SYSTEMS LACKING A HARD DRIVE
       
       A problem arises trying to uncompress archived programs on 
       single drive systems. Most computers have at least two drives. 
       
       On a single drive system you may need to uncompress your 
       programs to a special memory area of the computer called a RAM 
       DRIVE. Your DOS manual covers this option or you can obtain a 
       shareware package which produces a ram drive and thus allows 
       your computer to "think" it has two floppy drives. This is 
       about the only alternative for unpacking software on a single 
       drive machine. Generally single drive computers may not be fully 
       IBM compatible with many modern software packages which may need 
       two drives. Suggest you 1) return disks to vendor for refund or 2) 
       consider adding a second drive as most modern fully compatible 
       machines offer or 3) attempt unpacking with a RAM DRIVE then 
       copy back to disk. Later versions of DOS contain a RAM DRIVE
       program. You can also obtain RAM DRIVE programs from shareware
       and other software vendors.
  
