!Help file for ArcFS version 0.44
by M.Smith
4th September 1991

Full information on ArcFS is available as part of the 'ArcFSExtra' package.
A utility to convert Spark format archives to new format archives is also
included.

IMPORTANT: The file 'Tlodmod' inside the !ArcFS application directory is a
zero length text file. It is there to prevent infection by the 'CeBit' virus
and does NOT mean that !ArcFS is infected by this virus. All copies of ArcFS
sent out by me are guaranteed virus free. Although I cannot give the same
assurances about copies distributed by P.D. libraries etc., copies of !ArcFS
with this !Help file are innoculated against all viruses known to me. These
are the 'Extend' Virus, the 'Archie' Virus, the 'CeBit' virus and the
'Vigay' virus. If anyone knows of any other virus please send me a copy of
some infected software on a clearly marked disk (address below) and I will
return the disk with the latest version of ArcFS, innoculated against the
virus if this is at all possible.

Please contact me before using ArcFS in P.D. libraries or for any commercial
purpose. Any P.D. library with permission to use previous versions of ArcFS
has automatic permission to use this version.

Many thanks to David Pilling, author of Spark and SparkPlug, for providing
me with the information to enable me to include support for Squashed (PK arc
compatible) and Compress formats. Spark is available directly from him,
currently for 5.99

ArcFS has filing system number 56. My thanks to Acorn for the allocation of
this filing system number and for the allocation of the SWI chunk base
(&437C0).

The version of ArcFSFiler supplied with this version of ArcFS (v0.21) should
work with all versions of Oak's SCSI Hard drive and may also work with all
versions of Ian Copestake Software's IDE Hard drive. I cannot test this
since I don't have either of these hard drives. Any feedback about this
would be most welcome.

Please note that I can no longer offer a registration service. If anyone
finds ArcFS very useful then please buy the full read / write version or
send a donation to one of the addresses below. Future improvements will be
sent to The Micro User / Archimedes World / Syracuse for distribution.
Please also note that I will no longer be sending out improvements
automatically to P.D. libraries. Again, upgrades will be available through
the above magazines.

This version of ArcFS is a read only, P.D. version. A full read/write
version should be available soon from David Pilling.

ArcFS allows the loading and opening of (compressed) files in archives 
almost as easily as files on ADFS or RamFS. It has its own ArcFS filer 
which displays the root directory in a filer window of any archive 
which is double clicked. From then on files and applications may be 
loaded as normal by double clicking them. Directories may be displayed 
also by double clicking them. ArcFS can, of cause, also be used from 
the command line.

You may notice a small increase in the time taken to load files 
compared to loading files from ADFS and also that ArcFS takes a short 
time to Open Spark compatible Archives when they are double clicked.

This version also supports a new archive format. It is much quicker to open
these new format archives than to open Spark compatible archives and the
read / write versions (1.00 and greater) can only write to and create new
format archives.

*****************************************************************************

All comments and suggestions for future improvement are welcome but please
note that I cannot reply to letters without return postage and an addressed
envelope.

The address is:

    Mr. M. Smith
    Pen-y-dre,
    Riverside Ave.,
    Broxbourne,
    Herts.,
    EN10 6RD.

Between Monday 30th September and Friday 13th December 1991 and between
Monday 6th January and Friday 27th March 1992 inc. I can be reached more
quickly at:

    Mr. M. Smith,
    Chepstow Hall of Residence,
    Room L14,
    Brunel University,
    Uxbridge,
    Middlsex,
    UB8 3PH.

Please do not send any post to reach this address after 27th March 1992 as I
will probably not receive it. Please be patient when waiting for replies as
I may not be able to reply immediately.

I would also, of course welcome details of any bugs discovered so that I can
correct them.

 1991 M. Smith
