****************************************************************************************** CAB-Extractor 1.0 *** EVALUATION COPY ****************************************************************************************** The CAB-Extractor 1.0 is a shell for the *Microsoft Diamond Extract Tool*. It helps to locate and extract files in cabinet files, that Microsoft frequently uses to ship large applications and operating systems--as like the betas of Windows 95. The basic idea of CAB-Extractor 1.0 is, extracting the directories of a single cabinet file or of several chained cabinet files first and store them in cabinet list files in any location you like on your harddisk. After that it takes less time to locate and extract a specified file, accessing the according cabinet file(s) later on--you just have look up the cabinet list file(s). Requirements ************ There are no specific requirements to run that CAB-Extractor 1.0. It is designed to run under Windows 3.1/3.11 as well as under Windows 95 as a 16-bit application. I don't know whether it is compatible to Windows 3.0 and earlier. As I think, it should work properly in a network environment, but I cannot guarantee as I do not use a network myself. As CAB-Extractor 1.0 is developed under Visual Basic 3.0, you need to have the runtime DLL VBRUN300.DLL in your Windows' system directory or anywhere else in your system's path. An actual copy of this DLL is included when you are receiving a registered copy on disk. Otherwise you might download it from many servers in CompuServe or Internet or receive it from somewhere else. I do not have all Windows 95 beta releases, but it seems that this DLL is shipped with some of them and to be found mostly in the last cabinet... Files & Installation ******************** The evaluation package of CAB-Extractor 1.0 --EXCBE.ZIP-- contains following files: EXCAB_EV.EXE - The executable file for evaluation--needs VBRUN300.DLL ! EXTRACT.PIF - PIF file for running EXTRACT.EXE with CAB-Extractor 1.0 CABEXTR.PIF - PIF file internally used for running a DOS-Batch process README.DOC - Word f. Windows file with CAB-Extractor 1.0's documentation README.TXT - ANSI text file with CAB-Extractor 1.0's documentation You might copy EXCAB_EV.EXE to any directory you prefer and run it from there. But it is recommended to place it somewhere in the system's path for easiest access. The PIF files have to be in the system's path. What's About Using CAB-Extractor 1.0 ? ************************************** When using CAB-Extractor 1.0 you should know about what you are doing. It is not an acceptable replacement for the regular use of an original setup utility. For that, I can NOT assume responsibility for any damage or loss caused by the use of CAB-Extractor or by the use of files extracted with it ! But CAB-Extractor 1.0 might help to restore one or several files, which unfortunately had been overwritten or destroyed by some improper acting setup procedure, for example. And it might spend you an enjoyable full inspection of the shipped contents of an application or an operating system--Windows 95 betas e.g... How to do ********* Reading Cabinet Files' Directory--Creating Cabinet List Files ------------------------------------------------------------- First select the *File Type* you want to operate on. You might want to read out a cabinet's directory and start an extraction immediately, or create a cabinet file list before extracting files--then select . Or you might want to extract files from a cabinet using cabinet list files--then select . Next to having selected , you have to select a source drive and directory where the cabinet files you want to extract from are located. Then select a cabinet file in the *CAB Files* LIST. If you want to operate all chained cabinet files following the selected cabinet file, then check *Incl. Chaind CABs*. Chained cabinet files mostly appear with an incremental numbering. You do not need to start with the first cabinet of a chain, but there is no explicit way to specify a last cabinet of a chain to be read. If you want to create your own cabinet list files, select a *List Files Drive* and a *List Files Directory*. If you do NOT want to create a cabinet list file check *Temporary* --after extracting the directory of the cabinet file(s) you can extract specified files once. To start extracting the directory press the *Read CAB Directory* BUTTON or doubleclick the selected cabinet file in the *CAB Files* LIST. As CAB-Extractor 1.0 uses the original EXTRACT.EXE, that is usually shipped together with cabinet files, you might want to watch it working--for that check *Show DOS-Window* before starting reading the directory. Someways unsightly is, that CAB-Extractor Version 1.0 does not know about errors occuring in the DOS-Window where EXTRACT.EXE is running. And even it does not know how to shut it down when an error occured. A known error is occuring sometimes when you might try to read chained directories from some single cabinet files--the MINI.CAB of some beta builds of Windows 95 is such a cabinet file ! For that you should not try to chain single cabinet files, or run a hidden directory extraction on them. Otherwise the only way to shut down a faulty extraction is to clear it by the CTRL-ALT-DEL mechanism under Windows 95. You will need special tools under Windows 3.x. Extracting Specified Files from Cabinet(s) ------------------------------------------ You can extract files from a cabinet or several chained cabinets immediately after reading the cabinets' directory. If you want to use a stored cabinet file list, select in *FileType* and select a respective *List Files Drive* and a *List Files Directory*. List files containing the directory only of a single cabinet file are having a .CFF-extension. List files containing the directories of chained cabinets are having a .CAF-extension and are named the same as the first cabinet file of the chain stored in it. There are known two standard modes of selecting multiple items in a Windows listbox. Both modes are available in the *x File(s) in Cabinet* LIST. Try them out: After clicking the RIGHT MOSUE BUTTON in that list you may switch between these modes. Any time you select a file, the cabinet where this file is located, is hilighted too. As you might have seen yet, clicking the RIGHT MOSUE BUTTON in the *x File(s) in Cabinet* LIST offers three full range selection features: *Select All*, *Deselect All* and *Reverse Selection*. The shortcut menu also shows the according shortcut keys. The number of selected files is displayed immediately, even too when selecting or deselecting a single item. Vice versa a selection of a cabinet in the *x Cabinet(s)* LIST results in selecting all files that are contained in that cabinet. Before starting a file extraction you should better select a different destination via *Extract to Drive* and *Extract to Directory*--the default destination is your Windows directory ! Two things have to be mentioned at that point: CAB-Extractor Version 1.0 DOES NOT TAKE CARE OF EXISTING FILES TO BE OVERWRITTEN by the new extracted file(s) ! And, it does not take care whether there is enough disk space where to extract files to. Further versions might solve that. Now you may start the extraction by pressing the *Extract File(s)* BUTTON or by doubleclicking any selected file in the *x File(s) in Cabinet* LIST. Like while reading the cabinet files directories you may watch the extraction process in its DOS-Window--check *Show DOS-Window* beneath the *Extract File(s)* BUTTON. Additional Features ------------------- An additional useful feature is invoked by a RIGHT MOUSE BUTTON shortcut at each of the directories. Under Windows 95 an instance of the Explorer is opened for directory/file operations on that directory. Under Windows 3.x a simple file list dialog is shown containing the files of that directory, but having no further functionality yet in Version 1.0. CAB-Extractor Version 1.0 stores some information for initialization only in its own EXCAB.INI file located in your Windows' directory. Under Windows 95 it does not affect the registry for the purpose of compatibility to Windows 3.1and earlier. All three directories (*CAB Files ~*, *List Files ~* and *Extract to ~*) are remembered and selected at the next startup of CAB-Extractor 1.0. It is also keeping the settings of last used *File Type*, of the file list selection mode, and of the several checkboxes. Shareware Notifications *********************** Registering and contacting the Author ------------------------------------- You are allowed to evaluate the included evaluation copy of CAB-Extractor 1.0 for a period of 21 days, beginning with the first use of it. After that period you have to register (see below) or to remove the executable file from your harddisk resp. any disk else. You only may store the packed ZIP file or copy this for somebody else who wants to evaluate CAB-Extractor 1.0--what I would like you to do so. I hope you will contact me to register CAB-Extractor 1.0... see the section about registering your software down below. You can register or contact me by mail by writing to me at: Harald Genauck Siegburger Strasse 114 D-40591 Duesseldorf Germany My CompuServe address is 74454,3265 [c/o A. Dudek] -- Internet e-mail could be sent via CompuServe. I ask that in contacting me you appreciate that I am a "stand-alone" author with limited resources. I am not able to give any support--as I think that the tool is easy to understand and easy to use and there is no need for any further support. But I would like to receive any useful comments and ideas to extend the tool's functionality. Registration ------------ If you like the CAB-Extractor 1.0 tool and find it useful, you are requested to support it by sending me DM 25.00, öS 175.00, sFr. 22.00, or US$ 20.00. This will entitle you to a free copy of the latest version of this tool including a Windows online help file, to notification of updates, and to information about further useful tools written by me. And, for German, Austrian and--at your choice Swiss--registrators, the help file and the documentation will be in German. A registered copy of CAB-Extractor will not force you to press a specified button while startup any longer. More to the point, though, it will make you feel good. I have not infested CAB-Extractor with excessive beg notices, crippled it anyways or had it verbally insult you after 21 days. I trust you to support this software if you like it. I would ask you to pay me by cheque. I do accept Eurocheques. Otherwise, please make sure that it is a cheque drawn on an international bank, and that it will be negotiable in Germany--if you are outside of Germany. In that case it must have the address of a German bank to clear it printed on the cheque. If there is no bank clearance number along the bottom of the cheque, it will not clear. Payments can be done in DM, öS, sFr. or US$. When ordering from outside Europe, please add DM/sFr./US$ 5.00 resp. öS. 35.00 for shipping and handling. Your copy will be shipped on a 3.5" disk. If a CompuServe ID or an Internet e-mail address is included with your registration, I would like to post your registered copy via e-mail. If you don't want me to do so, please leave the e-mail address or tell me to ship it on disk. If you have a Fax number, a CompuServe ID or an Internet mail address, please include it with your registration. I am hoping to be able to handle notification of future updates of this software and further informations by one of these ways where I can. This is both considerably faster and a lot cheaper than mail. Shareware Distributors ---------------------- If you obtain current copies of this shareware, you have my permission to distribute it under the following terms. No written permission from me is required if you abide by these terms. * That nothing be added to, deleted from or changed in the archive file which contains this package. This includes adding ZIP file comments or to it. * That my shareware is not included in or bundled with other hardware or software without my written permission. * That no printed documentation regarding my shareware is included with the package without my written permission. * That hard copy explaining that this package is shareware is included with the disks. Legal dogma *********** As mentioned, the author assumes responsibility for any damage or loss caused by the use of this tool, however it comes down. If you register CAB-Extractor 1.0, I will assume that you are doing so having tested the evaluation copy and ascertained that its suitable for your hardware and requirements. I cannot provide refunds for shareware registration if you subsequently change your mind. Should you encounter bugs in your registered copy of Cab-Extractor 1.0 your remedy is to send a notification to me and allow me to fix them and ship a bugfixed copy to you. Registered trademarks used herein are registered to whoever it is that owns them. This notification is given in lieu of any specific list of trademarks and their owners, which would not be as inclusive and would probably take a lot longer to type.