6. CONFIG: how to configure UC ============================== When UC is started without parameters there is the option to configure UC (by pressing the 'C' key). General options are: A -> Default compression method B -> Default operation C -> Reliability level D -> Automatic archive conversion E -> Virus scan during conversion F -> Smart skipping G -> Amount of output/information H -> Show (multimedia) banners I -> Store OS/2 2.x extended attributes J -> Store system/hidden files System options are: M -> Video mode N -> Dynamic program swapping O -> Use EMS P -> Use XMS Q -> Use 386/486/Pentium features R -> Advanced networking S -> Location for temporary files T -> Location for manuals (*.DOC) U -> Location for error logfile V -> Loc. for batch&script files Quick setup options are: 1 -> default 2 -> max speed 3 -> max compress 4 -> max safe 5 -> UNDO The configuration you chose here will be your default configuration when using UC. Some of the options in the configuration screen can also be temporary set on the command line. The command line options are also described in this document. This document contains the following paragraphs: - A. General options - B. System options - C. Quick setup - D. Batch files - E. Optimizing performance To jump to a certain paragraph, press the corresponding letter. To jump to a specific document/chapter, press the corresponding digit. See chapter 1 paragraph E for an overview of all documentation. 6.A GENERAL OPTIONS. ==================== A -> Default compression method ------------------------------- Equivalent command line options: -TN, -TT, -TF The compression type can be NORMAL, TIGHT/MULTIMEDIA or FAST. When installing UC the default compression type is normal. In TT mode, UC will detect whether a file is a multimedia file. Special (lossless) multimedia compression will then take place. B -> Default operation ---------------------- Equivalent command line options: -I, -B The add operation can be in BASIC MODE or INCREMENTAL MODE. In basic mode files that already exist in the archive will be replaced by a new version. In incremental mode more versions of a file can be kept in the archive. When an already existing file is added to the archive, the newer version of the file will be added. This mode increases the speed of the addition significantly, especially for slow disks and/or large archives. Another advantage of the incremental mode is the possibility of keeping multiple versions of a file in the archive. If, for example, you want to see what is changed in the file, just look at a previous version. C -> Reliability level ---------------------- Equivalent command line options: !RELIA=DETECT, !RELIA=PROTECT, !RELIA=ENSURE The reliability level can be DETECT, PROTECT or ENSURE. Detect means errors will be reported, but no action will be taken. Protect means errors will be avoided, by using damage protection. Ensure mode means UC will make as sure as technically possible, everything will go perfect. First the existing archive will be tested. Then the command given will be executed. The third step includes a complete test on the new archive. When something went wrong, a 'rollback' will take place, and the original archive will be restored. To ensure correct storage on your harddisk, U2_FLUSH is called at appropriate moments during execution of your command. (See paragraph D.) D -> Automatic archive conversion --------------------------------- Equivalent command line options: !ARCON=ON, !ARCON=OFF Automatic conversion of other archiver's archives can be ON or OFF. When the automatic conversion is on, any operation can be done on other archiver's archives. UC will automatically start rebuilding the archive to a UC archive. After rebuilding, the command will be executed. When the automatic conversion is off, UC will not automatically convert archives, but prompt the user, asking permission to convert the archive. E -> Virus scan during conversion --------------------------------- Equivalent command line options: !VSCAN=ON, !VSCAN=OFF Virus scan can be ON or OFF during the conversion of another archiver's archive (also see paragraph D). F -> Smart skipping ------------------- Equivalent command line options: !SMSKIP=ON, !SMSKIP=OFF Smart skipping can be ON or OFF. When smart skipping is on, unchanged files (already in the archive) are skipped during addition. This makes updating much faster. G -> Amount of output/information --------------------------------- The amount of output/information can be MINIMAL, VERBOSE or NORMAL. UC shows all kinds of information while it is executing your command. Minimal information mode only shows the filenames being processed, no progress indicators are given. Verbose information mode shows in great detail what UC is doing, this includes small popup windows for diskcache activities. For instance the file name in process is followed by blocks indicating progress. Normal information mode shows what UC is doing, but does not give undue attentention to details which are not directly related to the given command. H -> Show (multimedia) banners ------------------------------ Equivalent command line options: !BAN=ON, !BAN=OFF, !BAN=ASK You can choose if the banners added to the archives are shown/played automatically (ON), only when you agree (ASK) or never (OFF). I -> Store OS/2 2.x extended attributes --------------------------------------- Equivalent command line options: !SOS2EA=ON, !SOS2EA=OFF By putting this option ON, OS/2 EA's will be stored when UC finds any during compression, when this option is OFF UC will not store OS/2 2.x EA's. OS/2 2.x extended attributes (such as icons, WPS long icon names, WordPerfect 5.2 for OS/2 summary information etc.) will be retained in an archive when the option is ON. Please note that OS/2 2.x EA's will ALWAYS be extracted, when present in an archive. Extended attributes are preserved by the optimize command, even if this is performed on a machine which does not run OS/2. J -> Store system/hidden files ------------------------------ Equivalent command line options: !SYSHID=ON, !SYSHID=OFF, !SYSHID=ASK You can choose if you want 'system' and 'hidden' files to be added ON, OFF or if you want UC to ASK you how to deal with them. 6.B SYSTEM OPTIONS. =================== M -> Video mode --------------- If your card is not compatible with MDA, HERCULES, CGA, EGA, VGA, SVGA, XGA, etc. (very unlikely but possible for some older computers) choose BIOS mode. If you have a monochrome monitor (or laptops etc.) choose MONO instead of COLOUR. Please note that if UC detects DesqView (which prefers BIOS video on 286 computers) it will use BIOS video, even if UC is not configured to use BIOS video. N -> Dynamic program swapping ----------------------------- Dynamic program swapping can be ON (in which case UC will be swapped to EMS or disk if it invokes DOS) or OFF. O -> Use EMS P -> Use XMS ------------ Switch EMS/XMS OFF if your EMS or XMS (emulator) is not compatible with the Lotus/Intel/Microsoft specifications. This is not likely since UC uses these very conservative. Q -> Use 386/486/Pentium features --------------------------------- Switch off use of 386/486/Pentium options. This is usefull in case programs are active which violate 386/486/Pentium programming rules. R -> Advanced networking ------------------------ Equivalent command line options: !NET=ON, !NET=OFF, !NET=AUTO-SKIP Network Support. If you have a version of DOS which does not support DOS network calls (e.g. 2.0), or if you have a network which behaves very differently from IBM, Lantastic, Microsoft, Novell or Vines networks, you can set this option to OFF. Sharing archives is then no longer possible. When UC attempts to compress a locked file, it allows the user to skip this file by hand. When auto-skip mode is active, locked files will be skipped automatically. A warning is reported if files are skipped. S -> Location for temporary files --------------------------------- The location for temporary files can be configured. When everything goes well you will never notice the temporary files. Please make sure the directory configured exists on your disk. T -> Location for manuals (*.DOC) --------------------------------- UC will look for the manual files in the directory configured. U -> Location for error logfile ------------------------------- The error logfile will register all errors and warnings that appear while executing UC. V -> Loc. for batch&script files -------------------------------- UC will look for its special batch and script files in the directory configured. 6.C QUICK SETUP. ================ 1 -> default ------------ The default setup changes the following subjects: GENERAL OPTIONS: default compression mode into normal default operation into basic mode reliability level into detect automatic archive conversion into off virus scan during conversion into off amount of output/information into normal show (multimedia) banners into ask store OS/2 2.x ext. attributes into off store system/hidden files into ask SYSTEM OPTIONS: video mode into colour dynamic program swapping into on use EMS into on use XMS into on use 386/486/Pentium features into on advanced networking into on all locations will be set to the same location as UC.EXE 2 -> max speed -------------- The max speed setup changes the following subjects: GENERAL OPTIONS: default compression into fast default operation into incremental reliability level into detect automatic archive conversion into on virus scan during conversion into off amount of output/information into minimal show (multimedia) banners into off SYSTEM OPTIONS: video mode No matter whether the video mode is colour or mono, this configuration will turn off BIOS usage use EMS into on use XMS into on use 386/486/Pentium features into on advanced networking into auto-skip 3 -> max compress ----------------- The max compress setup changes the following subjects: GENERAL OPTIONS: default compression into tight default operation into basic mode reliability level into detect automatic archive conversion into on 4 -> max safety --------------- The max safe setup changes the following subjects: GENERAL OPTIONS: default operation into incremental mode reliability level into ensure automatic archive conversion into off virus scan during conversion into on smart skipping into off show (multimedia) banners into off SYSTEM OPTIONS: video mode No matter whether the video mode is colour or mono, this configuration will turn on BIOS usage use EMS into off use XMS into off use 386/486/Pentium features into off only if advanced networking was auto-detect: into on 5 -> UNDO --------- The configuration will be reset to the state it was before you started the configuration screen. 6.D BATCH FILES. ================ The following batch files are described in detail: U2_EDIT edit text file U2_CHECK check files for viruses U2_FLUSH flush harddisk cache U2_SHOW show/play (GIF, MOD, JPG and TXT) banner files U2_EXxxx extract all files from an archive U2_XTRA perform user defined operations during conversion You are free to edit supplied batch files, to make them call other than the default programs. You can also add new files (e.g. U2_EXxxx) to enhance the functionality of UC. U2_EDIT.BAT ----------- Task This file calls your favourite editor with the file to be edited as parameter. When is it called? The file is used when you use the command REVISE COMMENT. Standard contents The default editor is the DOS 5.x/6.x/7.x EDIT. U2_CHECK.BAT ------------ Task This file calls virus scanner(s). The current directory and its subdirectories are scanned for viruses. When no viruses are found, the file U$~CHK3 is generated, which is used as a flag. (When this file is present, UC knows that no viruses are found and that it can continue its work.) When viruses are found, a UC fatal error will occur. When is it called? When virus scanning is on in the configuration, this file is used during conversion of archives. Standard contents Default McAffee (100 or higher) and F-PROT are called. U2_FLUSH.BAT ------------ Task Everything in the disk-cache (e.g. SmartDrive, PC-CACHE or Norton Cache) which is not yet written to the disk ('delayed' or 'deferred' write cache) will be written to disk immediately. When is it called? While using UC in ensure mode, it will secure its 'transactions' using U2_FLUSH. This is to make sure contents of the disk are correct, after the completion of a transaction. Standard contents Attempts to call PC-CACHE, Norton Cache, ADCACHE and SmartDrive. U2_SHOW.BAT ----------- Task Show/play banners while extracting files from an archive. The banners are in the current directory when U2_SHOW is called. When is it called? When files are extracted from an archive and banners are present they can be shown/played. In the configuration you can choose whether you want the banners to be shown/played. Standard contents First MODPLAY is called to play the .MOD banner. The VPIC is called to show the .GIF banner and then FullView is called to show the .JPG file. Finally DOS TYPE is used to show the text banner. U2_EXxxx.BAT ------------ xxx stands for ARC, ARJ, HA, HPK, HYP, LZH, PAK, UCN, ZIP, ZOO etc.. Task These files are used to extract all files, from the archive to be converted, into the current directory. To check if everything worked out well the files U$~CHK1 and U$~CHK2 must be generated. UC checks for the existence of those files. When is it called? When an archive is converted, one of these batch files is used to extract the original archive. The extension of the archive corresponds with the xxx in the name of the batch file. Standard contents All batch files first add a file to an archive and then extract the entire archive. The main reason for this is improving reliability of the conversion, especially if certain tools are incompatible (e.g. older versions). If you are sure certain tools are present and up to date, you can simplify their batch files if you wish, to speed up conversion. U2_EXARC.BAT First ARC is called. When this fails, PK(X)ARC is called. When this also fails PAK is called. U2_EXARJ.BAT ARJ is called. U2_EXHA.BAT HA (e.g. 0.982b) is called. U2_EXHPK.BAT HPACK is called. U2_EXHYP.BAT HYPER is called. U2_EXLZH.BAT LHA is called. U2_EXPAK.BAT PAK is called. U2_EXUCN.BAT A .UC2 archive (being renamed to .UCN) is extracted. NOTICE NOTHING IS DONE TO PRESERVE FILES OF WHICH MULTIPLE VERSIONS ARE IN AN ARCHIVE, ONLY THE LATEST VERSION IS EXTRACTED. U2_EXZIP.BAT First PK(UN)ZIP 2.04ceg is called. When this is not present PK(UN)ZIP 1.x is called. When this fails, Info(UN)ZIP is called. U2_EXZOO.BAT ZOO is called. U2_XTRA.BAT ----------- Task Performs user defined operations during archive conversion. When is it called? When UC converts an archive, it first calls a U2_EX???.BAT file to extract all files from the original archive, the U2_EX???.BAT file then calls U2_XTRA.BAT when it has finished extracting all files from the archive. Standard contents No operations are performed. A disabled sample for adding banners to archives during conversion is included in U2_XTRA.BAT. 6.E OPTIMIZING PERFORMANCE. =========================== In general UC will automatically utilize available resources (RAM, microprocessor) in an optimal fashion. Please note UC does not stretch beyond the limits of your system to achieve this. It only uses officially documented methods to access XMS, EMS, DOS, Windows, OS/2 etc.. In many cases the methods UC uses have been double checked with IBM, Microsoft, QuarterDeck, Novell and others. And of course everything has been extensively tested on many different environments. There are some tips to allow UC to work as fast as possible: - make as much base, EMS and XMS memory available as you can spare - (but) on systems supporting virtual memory (e.g. Windows NT, OS/2) you should not make TOO much memory available for UC (to prevent swapping) - select maximal speed in the configuration menu - or (e.g. if you prefer better compression) - enable advanced networking (when applicable) - enable EMS/XMS usage - enable 386/486/Pentium usage - set UC information to minimal - redirect the output of UC to the NUL device (e.g. UC X test > NUL) - install sufficient BUFFERS in your CONFIG.SYS and/or install a disk caching utility