Newsgroups: comp.virus
Subject: Brief guide to files formats, last changed 11 February 1992

Brief guide to files formats, last changed 11 February 1992

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ARC (.arc)
    This format is most popular on PCs.  Compresses and stores multiple
    files in a single archive.
    PC     - arc 6.02, pk361
    Mac    - ArcMac 1.3c
    Unix   - arc 5.21
    VM/CMS - arcutil
    Amiga  - Arc 0.23, PKAX
    VMS    - arcvms
    Apple2 - dearc
    Atari  - arc 5.21b, pkunarc
    OS/2   - arc2

ARJ (.arj)
    ARJ is a new archive format for DOS.  Compresses and stores multiple
    files in a single archive.  The author is Robert K Jung,
    robjung@world.std.com.
    PC     - arj 2.30 (arj230.exe)
    Unix   - unarj 2.30

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.
    PC     - xbin 2.3
    Mac    - BinHex4.0, BinHex5.0
    Unix   - mcvert
    VM/CMS - binhex

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

Compactor (.cpt)
    A new Macintosh format.  Compresses and stores multiple files in
    a single archive.
    Mac    - Compactor1.21

compress (.Z)
    A Unix format.  Compresses a single file in an archive.
    PC     - u16, comprs16, comp430d
    Mac    - MacCompress3.2A
    Unix   - compress
    VM/CMS - compress
    Amiga  - compress
    VMS    - lzcomp
    Apple2 - compress
    Atari  - compress

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

LHarc (.lzh)
    This format originated on PCs, and is now popular on Amigas.  Compresses
    and stores multiple files in a single archive.
    PC     - lha 2.13 (lha213.exe)
    Mac    - MacLHarc 0.41
    Unix   - lharc10
    Amiga  - LHarc 1.21
    Atari  - lharc113

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

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.
    PC     - lue220
    Mac    - ArcMac 1.3c
    Unix   - lar
    VM/CMS - arcutil
    VMS    - vmssweep

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

nupack ( )
    A favorite Apple2 archive format.
    Apple2 - nupack

PackIt (.pit)
    An old Macintosh format.  Compresses and stores multiple files in a
    single archive.
    PC     - UnPackIt 1.0
    Mac    - PackIt3.1.3
    Unix   - unpit

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.
    PC     - PAK 2.51
    Unix   - arc 5.21
    Amiga  - PAK 1.0

shell archive (.shar, .sh)
    A Unix format.  Stores multiple files in a single archive without
    compression.
    PC     - unshar
    Mac    - UnShar2.0
    Unix   - sh, unshar
    Amiga  - UnShar
    Apple2 - unshar
    Atari  - shar

ShrinkIt ( )
    A favorite Apple2 archive format.
    Apple2 - ShrinkIt

Squeeze (._Q_)
    An old PC (CP/M?) format.  Compresses and stores multiple files in a
    single archive.
    PC     - sqpc131
    VM/CMS - arcutil
    Amiga  - Sq.Usq
    VMS    - vmsusq
    Atari  - ezsqueeze

StuffIt (.sit)
    A Macintosh format.  Compresses and stores multiple files in a
    single archive.
    PC     - mactopc, UnStuffit 1.0
    Mac    - StuffIt 1.6
    Unix   - unsit
    Amiga  - unsit

tape archive (.tar)
    A Unix format.  Stores multiple files in a single archive without
    compression.
    PC     - tar, tarread, pax, pdtar
    Mac    - UnTar2.0
    Unix   - tar, GNU tar
    Amiga  - TarSplit, pax
    VMS    - vmstar
    Atari  - sttar

uuencode (.uu, .uue)
    A Unix format.  Converts a binary file into an archive of only
    printing ASCII characters suitable for mailing.
    PC     - uuxref20
    Mac    - UMCP-Tools1.0
    Unix   - uuencode, uudecode
    VM/CMS - arcutil
    Amiga  - uuencode, uudecode
    VMS    - uudecode2.
    Apple2 - uu.en.decode

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

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.
    PC     - uuxref20
    Unix   - xxencode, xxdecode
    VM/CMS - xxencode

ZIP (.zip)
    This format is most popular on many systems.  Compresses and stores
    multiple files in a single archive.
    PC     - PKZIP/PKUNZIP 1.10, pkz110, unzip 4.10, zip 1.0
    Mac    - UnZip1.02c
    Unix   - unzip 4.10, zip 1.0
    VM/CMS - arcutil 2.0 (uncompress only)
    Amiga  - PKAZip 1.01, unzip 4.10
    Atari  - STZip 0.9 beta
    VMS    - unzip 4.10, zip 1.0
    OS/2   - PKZIP/PKUNZIP 1.02, pkz102-2.exe, unzip 4.10, zip 1.0

ZOO (.zoo)
    This format is popular on USENET.  Compresses and stores multiple
    files in a single archive.
    PC     - zoo 2.10
    Mac    - MacBooz2.1
    Unix   - zoo 2.10
    VM/CMS - zoo
    Amiga  - zoo 2.10
    VMS    - zoo 2.10
    Atari  - zoo 2.10
    OS/2   - zoo 2.10

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.
    Amiga  - zoom

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