| In Russian | IMach | Author | CreateSFX |
E-mail Last modified - Feb 3, 2005
CreateSFX: Mini SFX-archiver
Version 0.3 beta free
ReadMe file
Devoted to my
loving Lino.
Contents
========
1. Introduction
1.1. Requirements
1.2. Technical parameters
1.3. Software license
1.4. Disclaimer
1.5. Third party components
1.6. Technical support
1.7. Contact information
1.8. Acknowledgements
2. Installation
3. Instruction on running the program
3.1. Starting from context menu
3.2. Starting from command line
4. Guidelines for use the program
5. Uninstallation
Appendix 1. Terms
Appendix 2. Known issues
Appendix 3. What's new
1. Introduction
===============
You are welcome! My name is Raul Shakirov. I've created this
program in a couple of days as a gift to sister Fessalonikia from
Novo-Tikhvin women's monastery (Ekaterinburg, www.sestry.ru).
I hope it will help all other peoples who need create most
compact archives and do not have enough time to install and study
complex archivers. Get simplicity!
The program creates self-extracting archives which do not require
for archiver to be unpacked. These archives generally can save
space when packing files and folders containing more then 30 Kbytes
of data, especially for folders with great number of Microsoft
Office documents, where compression ratio may be up to 10x. Files
stored in archive can be protected by password. Archive can be
spanned across several volumes.
The program is based on source code of archiver MsCab 0.63,
written by Mateusz Brzostek (www.mscab.prv.pl).
1.1. Requirements
-----------------
- 100% IBM-compatible computer.
- Graphic display.
- Microsoft Windows 9x/Me/2000/XP/2003.
- 32M of RAM memory (recommended).
- 150K of HDD space for the software.
1.2. Technical parameters
-------------------------
- Minimal size of archive (self-extracting module) 23K
- Maximal size of archive near 2G
- Maximal size of file in archive near 2G
- Number of files and folders in archive not restricted
- Long file and folder names (up to 255 chars) Yes
- UNICODE file and folder names (up to 32767 chars) No
- Storing of folder structure Yes
- Storing of empty folders Yes
- Creation of solid archives Yes
- Creation of multi-volume archives Yes
- Minimal size of volume in multi-volume archive 32K
- Predefined volume sizes 360/720/1200/1440K
- Encryption of files content Yes
- Encryption of file and folder names No
- Password hashing Yes
- Hashing/encryption methods MD5/RC4
- Format of archive MsCab SFX
1.3. Software license
---------------------
The following copyright statement describes authorship of
the software.
(C) Copyright 2005 by Raul N. Shakirov, IMach of RAS (UB).
Author ensures that he has secured all necessary consents
and approvals to use third party intellectual property
rights for this software.
Author confirms that the original code of program does not
contain parts, which are intended for the purposes, others
than central purpose announced in the software documentation.
Permission has been granted to use, copy and distribute this
software without fee, including commercial applications,
provided that this notice is present in user-accessible
supporting documentation.
This does not affect your ownership of the derived work
itself, and the intent is to assure proper credit for the
author of this software, not to interfere with your
productive use of this software. "Derived works" includes
all programs that utilize this software. Credit must be
given in user-accessible documentation.
1.4. Disclaimer
---------------
THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS". NO WARRANTY OF ANY KIND
IS EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED. YOU USE AT YOUR OWN RISK. THE
AUTHOR WILL NOT BE LIABLE FOR DATA LOSS, DAMAGES, LOSS OF
PROFITS OR ANY OTHER KIND OF LOSS WHILE USING OR MISUSING
THIS SOFTWARE.
1.5. Third party components
---------------------------
Author have used the following third party sources and components:
1) Microsoft(R) Visual C++ 6.0 Compiler (Enterprise Edition),
Licensed to Institute of Engineering Science of RAS (UB).
2) Archiver MsCab 0.63 from Mateusz Brzostek
http://www.mscab.prv.pl
Public available source.
1.6. Technical support
----------------------
Updates are available at http://www.imach.uran.ru/creatsfx
Please, send your comments and bug reports to author of
the program.
1.7. Contact information
------------------------
Author: Dr. Raul N. Shakirov,
Institute of Engineering Science, Russian Ac. of Sci. (UB),
34 Komsomolskaya str., Ekaterinburg, 620219, Russia.
Phone: +7 (343) 375-35-80
Email: raul@imach.uran.ru
1.8. Acknowledgements
---------------------
Thanks to Mateusz Brzostek, author of best written C code which
I've ever seen in the world.
2. Installation
===============
Program is distributed as setup program InstallCreateSFX.exe.
To install run InstallCreateSFX.exe and follow instructions of
the setup program. Setup program will write program CreateSFX.exe
to SendTo folder of the current user profile.
NOTE: If previously installed version of CreateSFX.exe is
running, close it with "x" button before installing
the new one.
3. Instruction on running the program
=====================================
Program is designed to provide for maximum simplicity in use,
so you can start it from context menu of Windows Explorer using
several mouse clicks.
3.1. Starting from context menu
-------------------------------
Archive is created as the follows:
1. Point to either folder with files or separate file,
press right mouse button to show context menu.
2. Point to context menu item "SendTo", then
select in pop-up menu item "CreateSFX.exe".
3. Select options of archiver MsCab and press "OK".
Program runs in console window containing progress messages
also can show pop-up confirmation and error messages.
On completion program displays message and creates in the current
folder executable file "folder or file name.exe". The file can be
unpacked on any computer working under either 32-bit Microsoft
Windows operation system or its proper emulator. To unpack, just
start archive, then press button "..." right to filed "Extract to",
select folder to extract files, press OK and again OK
To create multi-volume archive select maximal size of volume in
the archiver options dialogue. Names of volumes will be as the
following:
"folder or file name001.exe" - for the first volume
"folder or file name002.cab" - for the second volume
etc.
To encrypt files stored into archive set option "Encrypt files".
Program asks for password, which will be verified on unpacking.
Note that program encrypt file contents, but not file names.
Other options are auxiliary, learn them in MsCab documentation.
3.2. Starting from command line
-------------------------------
To start program from command line, copy it from folder SendTo
to Windows system folder or to any other folder on program search
path.
CreateSFX file Compress file to SFX archive
CreateSFX folder Compress folder to SFX archive
Also CreateSFX understands command line of MsCab 0.63 (in fact,
CreateSFX contains original MsCab code as an integral part only
fixing some minor inconsistencies in the options dialogue).
4. Guidelines for use the program
=================================
Program is effective for files and folders containing more then
30 Kbytes of non-packed data, especially on folders with great
number of Microsoft Office documents, where compression ratio
may be up to 10x.
To unpack SFX archive you must have computer with either 32-bit
Microsoft Windows operation system ot its proper emulator.
5. Uninstallation
=================
To uninstall the program, do the following:
- If program CreateSFX is running, close it with "x" button.
- Run setup program InstallCreateSFX.exe.
- Press Ctrl-Insert to copy full name of SendTo folder
to Clipboard.
- Press Cancel to close setup program.
- Select Start-Run.
- Press Shift-Insert to paste full name of SendTo folder
from Clipboard.
- Press OK to open SendTo folder.
- Delete file CreateSFX.exe
Appendix 1. Terms
=================
SFX Self-extracting archive
Appendix 2. Known issues
========================
- Windows NT4 do not call CreateSFX.exe for folders.
Appendix 3. What's new
======================
Jan 31, 2005 - Release 0.1 and 0.2 free
- Add support for empty folders.
Feb 28, 2005 - Release 0.3 free
- Archiving options.
- Encryption of files content.
- Creation of multi-volume archives.