EXEPACKG

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EXEPACKG.PRG, RENPACK.PRG and UNPACKG.PRG
=========================================

(c) 1991 Dimitri Koveos		( dimitri@cix.compulink.co.uk)
	246, Tilehurst Rd,
	Reading RG3 2NE
	Berks. UK
	
These three programs are SHAREWARE and, therefore, a modest contribution
of Å“5 is expected as a registration fee if you decide to use them for
more than 30 days. They have been tested thoroughly by me and are assumed
to be reasonably bug-free (I have used EXEPACK on commercial programs
I have been responsible for). Feel free to share them with anybody who
would have them!

Like all shareware, commercial uses are expressly excluded. I would
negotiate a licencing fee with any interested parties.

Needless to say there is no guarantee what-so-ever nor am I going to
accept any responsibility for any disasters incurred through using
these programs (eg head crashes including those of your hard disk)
although none have happened to me (Honest!).


EXEPACKG.PRG:

EXEPACKG is a small GEM utility which allows you to compress
executable files into an executable form. The compression
algorithm used is a Lempel-Ziv variant which can achieve up to
50 % reduction (or more) on most large files (Hyperpaint, Hyperdraw,
LDW-Power, Timeworks DTP, First Word Plus, the single-file
Carrier Command etc). 

It was written in Hisoft's Lattice C V5 which after some teething
problems seems to have settled down to being the top development
system for the ST (and I haven't had ANY updates yet...).

The run-time module which forms part of the compressed file was
written in Hisoft's GENST2 68000 Assembler (Andy Pennel's) and runs
VERY fast.
(I haven't tried running EXEPACKG on a 520 ST but it should work).


RENPACK.PRG:

As EXEPACKG does not want to destroy the original, a different filename
must be given as the destination. However, if you then just rename
the compressed file to something else, you'll find that the program
no longer runs! (The reason for this is that the original filename
is stored in the file header).

The answer to this problem is provided in the form of RENPACK.PRG,
a simple GEM-based Rename utility which patches the new name back
into the compressed file. You can also rename ordinary files safely as
only EXEPACKG-ed files are patched.


UNPACKG.PRG

Well, this is obvious! Provided a program has been compressed using
EXEPACKG.PRG, UNPACKG.PRG will produce a file which is the original,
uncompressed form of the program.

Reading, UK	15-October-1991


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