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Common Archive Formats

This is from A Brief Guide to File Formats by David Lemson, last changed December 2, 1993. Because it was no longer available at the source listed below, I have reprinted this valuable information. There are a few additions of newer archivers. Edited by Bart Bresnik, July 19, 1995.

``The most recent copy of the complete text may be anonymous ftp'd from ftp.cso.uiuc.edu (128.174.5.61) in the directory doc/pcnet. That file is maintained by David Lemson (lemson@uiuc.edu). Please do not strip this note from this list when passing it on.''

ARC (.arc)
This format is most popular on PCs. Compresses and stores multiple files in a single archive.

ARJ (.arj)
ARJ is a newer archive format for DOS. Compresses and stores multiple files in a single archive. The author is Robert K Jung,
robjung@world.std.com.

BinHex (.hqx)
A Macintosh format. Converts a binary Mac file, including data and resource forks, into an archive of only printing ASCII characters. Note that BinHex4.0 will create and decode the ASCII hqx encoding used on Usenet, while BinHex5.0 will decode the ASCII hqx encoding but will create a non-ASCII binary file.

binscii ( )
A favorite Apple2 file transmission format. Similar to uu{en,de}code except it can handle multiple files in a single package.

Compact Pro (.cpt)
A new Macintosh format. Compresses and stores multiple files in a single archive.

compress (.Z)
A Unix format. Compresses a single file in an archive.

Disk Masher (.dms)
This is an Amiga format. Compresses and stores an entire floppy in a single archive.

GZIP (.gz, .z, .tar.z, .tar.gz, .tgz)
The GNU implementation of ZIP. Replaces Unix "compress" for GNU software. The last three file extensions above are for gzip'd tape archives. [This is a common archive format for files stored in a Unix library... you may need it to unarchive those files on your own machine. ed]

PACK (.hpk)
A multi-system archiver. Shareware.

LHarc (.lzh)
This format originated on PCs, and is now popular on Amigas. Compresses and stores multiple files in a single archive. [It's one of the most popular formats today. The files with lh-5 compression need recent dearchivers to restore. ed]

LHWarp (.lzw)
This is an Amiga format. Compresses and stores an entire floppy in a single archive. Better compression than plain Warp.

LU (.lbr)
This is an old format that originated with CP/M. It is virtually non-existent now. Collects multiple files into a single archive with no compression.

LZ (.lha .lzh)
This format is popular on Amigas. Compresses and stores multiple files in a single archive. Will extract .lzh or .lza, and will produce .lza. Is fast when extracting files.

[MSA (.msa)
Magic Shadow Archive for Atari: compresses entire disks to a single archive.

MSX (.msx)
A new format for CP/M machines. Is also able to extract lharc archives.

nupack ( )
A favorite Apple2 archive format.

PackIt (.pit)
An old Macintosh format. Compresses and stores multiple files in a single archive.

PAK (.pak)
An old PC format. Compresses and stores multiple files in a single archive. Also the name of an Amiga format which produces self-extracting archives. Also the name of a new PC format.

shell archive (.shar, .sh)
A Unix format. Stores multiple files in a single archive without compression.

ShrinkIt ( )
A favorite Apple2 archive format.

Squeeze (._Q_)
An old PC (CP/M?) format. Compresses and stores multiple files in a single archive.

StuffIt (.sit)
A Macintosh format. Compresses and stores multiple files in a single archive.

tape archive (.tar)
A Unix format. Stores multiple files in a single archive without compression.

uuencode (.uu, .uue)
A Unix format. Converts a binary file into an archive of only printing ASCII characters suitable for mailing. [Essential for Internet use. ed]

Warp (.wrp)
This is an Amiga format. Compresses and stores an entire floppy in a single archive.

xxencode (.xx, .xxe)
A Unix format. Converts a binary file into an archive of only printing ASCII characters suitable for mailing. Solves many of the problems of uuencode.

ZIP (.zip)
This format is popular on many systems. Compresses and stores multiple files in a single archive. [Fast and efficient - my personal favorite! As this is one of the most popular archivers, it is being updated constantly. ed]

ZOO (.zoo)
This format is popular on USENET. Compresses and stores multipl files in a single archive.

ZOOM (.zom)
This is an Amiga format. Compresses and stores an entire floppy in a single archive. Not in common use due to program speed.


[Thank you, Mr. Lemson, for the original compilation! Please excuse the few changes made here, and, hopefully, update this with more current information than I had.]

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