Compressed Files

The files available for download on BBSÕs and online services are almost always in a compressed format.  There are several ÒarchiveÓ programs that will compress one or more files into an Òarchive file.Ó  In addition to reducing the time to transfer the file, it provides a means to make a package of several related files, so that anyone who downloads a package will get any necessary files.  For example, the Telefinder archive file that I use contains the program, this documentation file, and several other useful files.  Packaging them together in one archive file will make sure that a downloader will get all the files.

Here are the file extensions for the common archive formats.  A file extension (which is more common with non-Mac operating systems) appears at the end of the file name and provides some indication of the type of file.  I prefer .sit, .sea or .image files to other types but will accept any listed here with the exception of .tar or .Z files.  I will erase those files, they are too much trouble.

.cpt	Compactor format -- use Compact Pro or Extractor
.hqx	BinHex format -- use BinHex 4.0, BinHex DA, any of the StuffIt programs, Compact Pro, or mcvert (for Unix).
.sit	StuffIt format -- use any of the StuffIt programs.
.sea 	Self Extracting Archive.  Double-clicking on this should give you the uncompressed file.
.pit 	PackIt format, not used much any more -- use PackIt or any of the StuffIt programs.
.image	DiskCopy images of a floppy disk.  This is the format used for the System software on many services.  Use the DiskCopy application to translate these back onto disks.  You can also use Drop Disk to mount these images. Shrinkwrap will also make and mount images.
.Z	Unix 'compress' files.  Uncompress with the Unix command 'uncompress' or on the Mac with MacCompress (available from sumex).
.tar	Unix tar (tape archive) file.
.dd	DiskDoubler format.  Use DiskDoubler or DDExpand.