RVS-RView Shell, Version 1.13 27-Jan-95 Shell for viewing and extracting the contents of several archive types. Calls on user-selectable external programs to extract and view. Currently supported are ARC, ARJ, HYP, LZH, LZS, PAK, SQZ, ZIP and ZOO. Displays either ZIP- or LZH-style compression ratios. Various sort options. Contents: ========= Purpose Display Syntax Switches Configuration Commands Pull-down menus Contact Purpose: ======== I've never been a fan of any of the existing archive shells. No criticism intended, simply a matter of taste. On the other hand, there are times when I find my own command-line RView program (RV) inappropriate. Thus, I designed RVS to complement my use of RV, and to work the way I want it to. My preferences probably don't even remotely resemble those of the mainstream, so I don't expect RVS to become a mainstream archive shell. It's a program which I find useful, and I offer it to others who may want to share its use with me. Since filename extensions are ignored in determining archive types, this program may be used to determine the type of archive if the filename extension is missing, or inappropriate. RVS is a free program. Display: ======== The program displays either in color or "black-and-white" based on the video mode at program start-up. However, if the user has a color graphics card, but no color monitor, the display may be improved by using the DOS command "MODE BW80". Conversely, color mode may be forced on by using "MODE CO80". A command-line switch is also available to force black-and-white mode (see "Switches"). EGA/43- and VGA/50-line modes are supported. At program start-up, an attempt is made to detect the actual number of lines on the screen, up to a maximum of 50, and to adjust the display accordingly. Refer to RV.DOC, distributed with the current release of RV, for a discussion of RV's display (similar to that of RVS). When viewing directories within archives, a two character indicator on the right of the top status line shows both the type and sense of the sort. The first character is N/E/D/O/P/R/U with the same meaning as for the /Sx command-line switches (below). The second character is either a '+' or a '-' to indicate Ascending or Descending, respectively. Syntax: ======= Usage: RVS [switches] [filespec] If no extension is specified for "filespec", ".*" is assumed. If a valid filename is specified unambiguously, the file is immediately displayed. Either specifying "filespec" using wildcards, or specifying a drive or directory name causes a scrollable directory window to pop up. Simply typing the program name is the same as specifying "*.*". Examples: RVS C: <- current directory of drive C: RVS D:\ <- root of drive D: RVS \PCPLUS\DL <- DL subdirectory of \PCPLUS Switches: ========= /A Alternate compression ratio. ZIP-style compression ratios are displayed by default. Use this switch to display LZH-style ratios. (Tip: Include this switch in RVS.CFG to always display LZH-style ratios.) /BW Black-and-White mode. Provided as an alternative to using DOS's "MODE BW80" command. /Fx Where 'x' represents 0/1/2/3, as follows: F0 - don't filter (fastest/default) F1 - check only for normal archive extensions F2 - same as F1, but do a thorough check of .COM and .EXE files F3 - check all files for valid archives (slowest) /O[path] Output path for extractions ("out_path"). For use in conjunction with the "%o" format specifier (see "Configuration"). If no path is specified, the current directory is used. Also specifies which directory to use for temporary extractions when viewing, if /T is not used. /Sx[-] Where 'x' represents N/E/D/O/P/R/U, as follows: SN - Sort by Name (default) SE - Sort by Extension SD - Sort by Date/time SO - Sort by Original size SP - Sort by Packed size SR - Sort by compression Ratio SU - leave Unsorted Appending a hyphen '-' to the above switches will reverse the sense of the sort from ascending to descending. /T[path] Temporary extraction path for viewing ("temp_path"). For use in conjunction with the "%o" format specifier (see "Configuration"). This could point to a RAM-disk, for instance. This overrides the directory implied by the "/O" switch when viewing. Tip: When using the /O or /T switch, it might be better to end each "path" designation with a backslash, '\'. Note that, if "C:\TEMP" is the name of your temporary extraction directory, "PKUNZIP archive.zip D:\temp" will work but "LHA e archive.lzh D:\temp" will not. For LHA, the trailing backslash is mandatory. Either '/' or '-' may be used to specify switches. Entering an invalid switch causes the program to display a brief help screen then exit. Examples: RVS /h RVS -? Configuration: ============== An optional configuration file containing user-selected default switches may be created or edited with any editor or word processor which can save pure ASCII text files. This file should be named "RVS.CFG" and placed in the same directory from which RVS.EXE will be loaded (DOS 3.0 and above). Switches, including switch options, may be separated by spaces or placed on separate lines. In addition to specifying "true" switches, RVS.CFG should also contain lines assigning which commands to use for viewing extracted files, and which commands to use for extracting files from archives. The syntax for assigning the view commands is: /V[ext]="command" Where: "ext" is an optional filename to link to a view command. If omitted, then the associated command is the default viewer for unmatched extensions. "command" should be set to the command line, including arguments, of the view command you wish to run. There may be several assignments of view commands in RVS.CFG, each linking a different filename extension with a different command. Specifying extensions is optional. A view assignment with no extension, i.e. "/V="command" tells the program which viewer to use if the selected file's extension isn't linked to a specific view command. Tip: A maybe subtle consequence of this option to specify viewers based on extensions is that RVS is able to "recurse" through archives included within other archives, if "RVS %f" is linked to the appropriate archive extensions. This capability may be limited by memory constraints. "Command" should at least include the "%f" format specifier, which represents the currently highlighted compressed file. Example: /V="LIST %f" The syntax for assigning the extract commands is: /E="command" Where: "" is "arc", "arj", "lzh", "lzs", "pak", "zip" or "zoo". "command" should be set to the command line, including arguments, of the extraction command you wish to run for that archive type. "Command" would typically include both the "%a" and "%f" format specifiers, which represent the archive name and selected compressed file, respectively. The "%o" format specifier may also be embedded in extract commands. It indicates where in "command" either "out_path" or "temp_path" (see "Switches") should be inserted when "command" is executed. Please bear in mind that some unarchivers may not support redirection of extractions to different drives or directories. Examples: /Earj="ARJ e %a %f" /Elzh="LHA e %a %o %f" /Ezip="PKUNZIP %a %o %f" True switches should be placed on separate lines from those assigning commands. Incompatible switches used on the command line will override switches included in RVS.CFG. Switches are evaluated from left to right. A sample RVS.CFG file is included in the distribution archive for RVS, which the user may edit to "customize" RVS's behavior. Commands: ========= While viewing the contents of an archive, the following commands may be used: Pressing or the letter 'H' will display a brief help screen summarizing commonly used commands. Press any key to close the help window. Pressing or the letter 'X' will cause the currently selected file(s) to be eXtracted by the appropriate extraction program specified in RVS.CFG. By "currently selected" is meant either any tagged files, or the currently highlighted file, if no files are tagged. Files may be tagged either individually or by wildcard selection. The key may be used as a toggle to select and unselect individual files. Pressing on an unselected file selects it. Pressing on a selected file unselects it. To select a group of files using DOS-type wildcards, press the plus ('+') key. This opens up an input window into which a file specification may be entered. To unselect a group of files, press the minus ('-'). This opens up an input window similar to the one for selection. The suggested keys are the gray plus and minus keys found near the numeric keypad of many keyboards. Pressing or the letter 'V' will cause the currently highlighted file to be extracted and displayed by the appropriate commands specified in RVS.CFG. The extracted file will be erased after exiting the view program. Pressing or the letter 'T' will toggle the display between the default listing and one showing full pathnames. This command is only available for supported archives types with paths stored. Pressing or the letter 'O' will allow the user to edit "out_path" on the fly. Useful for temporarily overriding the /O switch setting specified either in RVS.CFG or from the command line. Pressing or the letter 'P' or '/' will invoke the pull-down menu system. Pressing , or the letter 'Q' will exit the program. Pull-down menus: ================ Listings may be sorted on-the-fly from the "Display" pop-up. Listings may be sorted by Name, Extension, Date/time, Original size, Packed size, compression Ratio, or left Unsorted. Listings are sorted in Ascending order by default, but the sense of the sort may be reversed from within this menu. Contact: ======== Raymond T. Kaya CompuServe: 71230,2500 P. O. Box 1436 Internet: 71230.2500@compuserve.com Honolulu, HI 96806