Saturday, August 12, 2006

To Users of Stuffit or Mac (or anybody else) Who've had Problems Opening my Files

'Anonymous' under the Mondo Candido post raised an interesting idea in a comment he left. He suggested that maybe the reason certain Stuffit or Mac users have problems opening my files is that since I use WinRAR, maybe I shouldn't compress to a zip file and only use RAR files. Maybe that is the reason. (Though I think 'Anonymous' was under the false impression that I used RAR compression, but changed the extension on the files to 'zip', but his suggestion to just use RAR files might work. WinRAR also does ZIP compression as well as RAR compression.)

Though you'd think zip compression should be simpler and more compatible across different compression utilities, maybe certain versions of Stuffit have trouble opening WinRAR zip-compressed files? If this is the reason, then it's pretty ironic because the whole reason I used zip files was to make it easier for people who didn't have the capability of opening RAR files. For the full explanation of why I made the switch to zip files, you can go here.

So I wanted to try a test. I took the same file of 'The June Allyson Show' theme and made one zip and one rar. For anybody who's had problems opening my files, could you do me a favor and download these 2 small files, and try opening both to see if you have problems with either one. Another comment also mentioned that they could get it to work with UnZip, but the resulting files were filled with pops and distortions. So if you could also listen to the files and see if they're okay, I'd appreciate it!


I've used Sendspace to make it easier on people (hopefully that doesn't backfire on me as well):

Test File - zip (method I use now)

Update: please use the old password for the zip file: pw = you_dont_have_to_visit
and the newer password for the rar file. Consider this as part of the whole, 'I'm an idiot' thing I mentioned in one of my earlier posts. I just used the old zip file and forgot that it was set to the old password. My profound apologies, especially to 'moof' and 'macuser', who were kind enough to go through the trouble of helping me by testing the file only to be fouled up by my stupidity. If they (and anyone else) could try it again, I'd be very grateful. If the zip file still has trouble on Mac's or Stuffit, then I'll know the problem is with zip's and not rar's, and I can go back to posting stuff. Thanks for any help!

Test File - rar

pw = youdonthavetovisit

around 2 MB


Please let me know the results by leaving a comment under this post. Since most of the people who've left comments about having problems have been 'Anonymous' and left them under different posts, I can't tell if this is a widespread problem with people who use Mac or just the same 1 or 2 people, so any comment is welcome.

Since I've never seen this kind of complaint on anybody else's blogs, I have to assume the problem is with my files. And since the majority of people use RAR files, I'll probably switch back to using those. I guess people who have problems opening THEM don't complain since they figure the problem is with their own inability to open RAR files and not the blogger's responsibility to provide them with ZIP files. Well, I'm glad people let me know otherwise I would never know. I don't want a whole segment of Mac or Stuffit users to have these kinds of problems with my files.

I didn't want to post anything new until I get this straightened out, so for anybody who isn't having problems, my apologies to them too.

Comments:
Downloaded the file with Safari.
Double clicked to select the password and copy the text.
- dropped zip file on StuffIt expander, pasted password, "passwords do not match" alert
- dropped rar file on Stuffit Expander, pasted (same) password, file decompressed.
- dropped to a shell window and tried the unzip command, pasted password when requested, message returned "password incorrect-reenter"
- still in the shell, tried again, and typed the password, same result.
- moved the file over to a RedHat (7.2?) box and tried there...same error!
-tried the file on the RedHat box form Windows XP and...the password is incorrect!

OS 10.4.7 (/usr/bin/unzip 5.51 comes with OS X); StuffIt Expander 10.0.1
RedHat: unzip 5.42

StuffIt Expander may be using the built in unzip tool rather than it's own code

Finally, I fired up IE on XP, and downloaded the .zip file again. Both the XP "right click/extract all" and WinRAR still complain.

Nothing seems to work on that file -- for me at least.

Lots of problems, no answers. Is anyone able to open that zip?
 
Same as moof : Zip file didn't work/ Rar file did using UnRarX
 
I'll try having a look when I get home, but one thing I'd wonder is how much of the problem is Stuffit-related.

I purchased Stuffit expander for PC online and used it exclusively for a couple of years and always had troubles with it before finally giving it up and purchasing a copy of WinRar, with which I've never had a problem whatsoever.

Stuffit hasn't come out with an update or upgrade for PC in years, and I'm wondering if they are in fact still in business beyond simply selling what they've already developed.

The main problem I seem to recall having with them was with password-protected files: simply clicking on them gave an error message, rather than a prompt to enter a password.

I forgot what my workaround for that was, but it was extremely inconvenient, and annoying in that a fix for this was never developed as far as I could see, and the fact that the version has been stuck at 9.0 for years is also infuriating.
 
I use a Mac to and don"t have any problem at all.
Be sure to copy and paste the password and nothing else.I don't use the double click for selecting the pw.
 
Hi Moof & Macuser!

The old zip file had the older password = you_dont_have_to_visit. Read my apology in the update I added to the post. I am so sorry!

======================
Hi anonymous (1)!

Thanks so much for the insight. I keep hearing from some people that Stuffit has problems, so I really appreciate that you've confirmed my suspicions that at least part of the problem may be with Stuffit.

=========================

Hi anonymous (2)!

Thanks for letting me know! I hear from some Mac users that they don't have a problem, so I'm not sure what to make of it.
 
Both zip AND rar opened with the old StuffIt for
MacOs 9 with both passwords and no probs...
But then again, they were single files and not full archives...
 
I'll check on this first thing Sunday Night when I get to work. I work on an old G4 running OSX there and have never had a problem unstuffing ZIP or RAR files using the free version of StuffIt.

I think the Password Copy Method may be the problem for those who are experiencing it. The MAC OS allows for spaces to exist at the begining or end of lines of text. I still wonder why Apple hasn't addressed this problem, as it has been a pain in the rear for Cross-Platformers for two decades now.
 
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