THD ProScan Version 10m Beta
----------------------------
THD ProScan is still free, but please read "DONATE.PLS" as you may be
able to help me out in a way other than sending cash donations.
This version of THD ProScan is a "BETA" or "pre-release" of version
10.0. It by no means contains the same features as the finished version 10
is intended to. More accurately, it is a version 9.5 (version 9 with some of
the changes intended for version 10 although it will identify itself as
being among the "10" series, since all beta's after an official release will
always announce themselves as the next version, or a subset thereof).
In fact one of the reasons for releasing this beta(pre-release) is the
belief that the next release is going to be considerably longer in coming
than have past releases (it has already taken longer than most previous
releases). Hopefully this will tide those impatient people <G> over until I
can complete version 10.0..
Most of the work put into this beta has been "behind the scenes", and
very few "user noticeable" features have been added. The purpose to this
point has been to improve the code internally and to fix a very few sore
points. Not all points have been addressed, but functionally (if it works
<G>) this version should exceed the reliability of version 9.1.
IMPORTANT
---------
Please keep in mind that this is BETA software, which means that it is
NOT FULLY TESTED. As with any release, I accept no responsibility for the
actions of the program. Use of this or any product from PainSoft (past
present or future) is done solely at your own risk.
It is being released as an interim solution to a few minor (or
potential) problems. As beta software, it is relatively untested (it has
undergone the typical alpha and stage 1 beta testing without any reported
problems). However, be warned that since it has not been fully tested, it
may or may not react as specified or expected.
Also note that the configuration format used by this beta has been
significantly changed (internally) and may or may not be recognized by the
official release. For these reasons it would be a good idea to keep your
fully configured THDPRO.EXE from version 9.1 in a safe place until such time
as the official release of version 10.0. (version 10.0 will recognize any
"official" release's configuration from version 6.0 onward)
Some of the things changed and/or repaired in this beta include...
Changes to the search routines will hopefully fix the incompatibility
with the OS/2 Service Pack. Testing on a few sites, indicates that problem
has been solved.
Version 9.1 sometimes did not add a file comment to the finished
archive when conversion was completed.
Users of RemoteAccess could not use THDPRO.EXE from RAMGR due to an
incorrect filemode which caused THD to be denied access to necessary files.
This same scenario caused problems on occasion when attempting to update
the FDB in regards to description and/or filename after a conversion.
************************************************************
** It is important that SHARE (or equivalent environment) **
** be loaded when manipulating the FDB since RAMGR does **
** leave the FDB files open upon exit to dos. **
************************************************************
THDPRO.EXE no longer attempts to send output to the comport if carrier
is lost. On some systems this seemed to cause problems.
Rejection of files based on "DATE" was not functioning correctly (any
file later than the year 0019 was considered valid).
A new addition to the THDOPT env variable switches. Use of THDOPT=SC2
will change the commandline sent by THD ProScan to SCAN.EXE for
compatibility with SCANV200. I STRONGLY recommend that you do not use the
BETA version of scan for normal virus detection. This switch is for FUTURE
use and not for use with the SCAN beta. (SC2 may be used in conjunction with
any of the other THDOPT switches as outlined in the THDPRO91 docs.)
Note that the switches used by this beta in "SCAN 2 compatible mode"
comply ONLY with the version distributed by McAfee as "SCNR200A.ZIP". If
McAfee changes their command line structure from that beta, THD may likely
not remain compatible with future versions. In this event, contact David
Muir at 1:259/423.0 fido_net for a "possible" solution. (No solution is
"promised", but it is likely that unless a new release is scheduled soon
after such notice, that a small utility will be created to change the
configuration internal to THDPRO.EXE for compatibility with the new
switches.)
The planned "add-on" configuration in version 9.1 turned out to be
incorrectly coded which resulted in it's inability to pass the needed
information to the subprocess (not yet coded).
Finished archive dates have been a real stickler. There are many
different views as to what the finished file date "should" be. In an effort
to expand on the two choices previously offered, this beta adds two more.
These two options will only be applied to valid archives and not to GIF/TD0
or other non archives. (Non archives will be left with their date at time of
upload.)
NEWEST "DATE" Option
--------------------
A new option to date the finished archive to the date of the newest
file found inside of that archive has been added. It is recommend that this
option be used if you wish the original file date and have a reasonable
chance of having removed all BBS ads which might have been added to the
archive. This date is calculated AFTER files are removed by THDPRO.EXE, so
if all ads are removed, this will give a fairly accurate representation of
the original file date.
BEST GUESS "DATE" option...
---------------------------
This option, like the one above is intended to give an approximation of
the original file date. This option should be used when BBS ads are not
removed as a standard practice, as this will rarely give the newest date but
will give a good approximation where there is a chance that files have been
added after the original archive creation.
It is a "best guess" at when the archive was "likely" originally
created. Since there is no way to determine this "accurately", this option
attempts a guess. The guess is based on an average date of the newest 5 (or
fewer) files in the archive's main directory.
If you choose to use the "best guess" method, then the following will
apply.
- If no files are found in the "main" directory, the archive date will be
set to match the timestamp it had at the time of upload.
- If only a single file is found, that file's date will be used.
- Where more than one file is located, the finished archive date will match
the file who's date is closest to the average date calculated.
- Dates of files in subdirectories will not be used for this calculation.
While I can never guarantee the original file date will be duplicated, this
method will likely come close (or at least give a reasonable estimate). But
it is only a guess.
Neither of these date options will currently update RA's FDB UNLESS other
changes are made by THD in regards to the FDB. This will "likely" change in
future to be done regardless of other needs to update the FDB.
Added 3 user definable conversion levels...
-------------------------------------------
Three new conversion levels have been introduced. These "new"
conversion levels are user definable based on a number of criteria (they
are levels 4, 5, and 6 respectively). The following are the criteria on
which conversion may be based, and any of these conditions may be true or
false as selected by the THD user (all imbedded selections will default to
false if conversion of imbedded archives is bypassed).
Convert Imbedded archives
Convert Self extracting archives (main archive)
Convert Self extracting archives (imbedded archive)
Convert files with incorrect names (main)
Convert files with incorrect names (imbedded)
Convert AV protected (Arj Secured) files (main)
Convert AV protected (Arj Secured) files (imbedded)
Convert archives of same type (both)
Please note that if you choose to not convert archives of same type via
this final option, then a "ZIP" will not be converted or expanded for
conversion (if zip is the type to be converted to). As a result, if that
file contains ARJ or other archives types internally, they will not be
converted either.
An "incorrect" name (for the purposes of conversion) is any extension
other than "EXE" (for SFX archives) or the proper archive extension for the
given type. (Compressed mail packets would fall into this category.)
Default command line options..
------------------------------
THDINSTL now offers the option of setting some "default" switches.
You may default THD ProScan to...
CONVERT ONLY (/CO)
KEEP ORIGINAL (/KO)
Skip the modification of descriptions (/NODESC)
Choose a default archive type/level for conversion. (TO???#)
in effect... If one configured THDINSTL with defaults of
CONVERT ONLY
KEEP ORIGINAL
TOZIP0
then the result of running
THDPRO.EXE C:\TEST\TESTFILE.ZIP 2
would be identical to running
THDPRO.EXE C:\TEST\TESTFILE.ZIP /CO /KO TOZIP0 2
These defaults will "ALL" be ignored if anything except a file
path\name and a valid comport are sent on the command line.
Major overhaul of LHA Handling...
---------------------------------
And finally a major overhaul to the way LHA files are handled. This
version will attempt to discern if the file is expandable on a dos based
system (and if not simply CRC test it). It will also diagnose any attempt of
an LHA file to make use of the root directory.
If a file so attempts, THDPRO.EXE will create a "clone" of the file
which does not make such attempts and test the clone instead (all files are
kept intact, just path usage is modified). During conversion mode, the
"clone" will be used as the basis for the conversion. (it will produce the
same converted file since the other archivers abhor the use of the root
directory).
Any file which THD cannot successfully diagnose will be assumed to be
valid and testing will continue as usual (since there are a number of
variables which could affect the file without affecting the ability to
properly extract the internal files). A note will be made in the log in
these instances.
THDTERM 5.A
-----------
Also included in this archive is a new THDTERM (it too is a beta). This
version goes out of it's way to not test volume labels (version 4 could do
this on some OS/2 systems). As well it now avoids the duplicate testing
which was documented as "normal" with Version 4.0. Other than that it
remains basically unchanged.
This beta of THDTERM has one KNOWN problem.
-------------------------------------------
THDTERM 5.A will have difficulties when files are converted as the
default action of THDPRO.EXE. It will be unable to find the original
file (since it has been converted) and may report errors that are non-
existent. Thereafter reporting "no problem" since THDPRO will exit with
an errorlevel of "0". The problem lies in that THDTERM will "report"
an error and not move the "converted" file to the correct location.
This beta version contains no official documentation. Nor does it
contain any of the files normally distributed/associated with THD ProScan's
official releases. Persons desiring the files normally associated with THD
ProScan, should look for THDPRO91.ZIP which was the last official release of
the program.
Generally, users of RemoteAccess should find this beta to run smoother
than version 9.1. and it "should" run just a tiny bit faster (although on
any given system, the difference would likely be unnoticeable). Note that
due to the new diagnostic phase for LHA files, that it will in fact take
longer to process these files than previous versions, but will do so in a
more secure manner and help to avoid some types of failures eminent with
the older versions.
A great number of internal changes have been made which for the most
part will be invisible to the usership. The operation should appear as it
always has (with the exception of the LHA diagnostic/cloning process when
needed).
*******************************************************
* Any number of other fixes/changes may have been *
* implemented in this beta which are not listed here. *
*******************************************************
Sysops offering this archive for download are asked to please keep
THDPRO91.* available so that users do have access to the last official
release.
Likewise, those offering THD ProScan by FREQ are asked to allow this
archive by the magic name of THDBETA while leaving the official release with
the magic name of THDPRO. Your co-operation in this respect would be greatly
appreciated.
Please keep in mind that this is not the "coming" THD ProScan Version
10.0.. That version is still in the works (this is a partially completed
version 10). As a result many of the suggestions on my three page list have
not yet been implemented. Basically, this means that the expected version 10
will likely contain a few new/useful toys that this and previous versions
have not. This also means that it's not too late to have your suggestions
incorporated into the next version.
Suggestions and or comments should be sent to David Muir at 1:259/423
(fido). Also note that some suggestions may not be implemented for any
number of reasons. But all suggestions are welcome (and encouraged).
If you experience difficulty with this version, I would also like to
hear about it, so that I may endeavour to repair those problems in the
official release.
Thank you.
My thanks to the beta testers of this version of THD ProScan.
Mark Kerr 2:443/59
John Barton 2:257/168
Andrew McKay unlisted
Erik Coolen 2:281/909
Kosta Berjitsky 3:712/539
Don Johnson 1:104/531
Bernie Schau 1:138/155
Vicki Fletcher 1:138/255
Mike Smith &
Rita Smith 1:208/409
Tim Strike 1:259/423
Eugene Chin 1:259/322
Neil Dempster 1:250/346
Scott Ferguson 1:300/603
Gary Hammer 1:355/24
PainSoft
David Muir... Author THD ProScan.