ARJ(1)

🌈 arj(1) — Arj Software 🌈

okay bestie, this is the manual page for arj(1) from Arj Software, and it is lowkey giving archive royalty. 💅 No cap, we're gonna get through every single flag together. fr fr. 🫶

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✨ NAME ✨

arj — Archiver for .arj files 🎀

🦋 SYNOPSIS 🦋

arj command [-switch[-|+|option]] archive[.arj] [base directory] [!list name|path name|wildcard name]

💖 DESCRIPTION 💖

arj is a compression and file archiving utility. It was invented by Robert K. Jung. And yes, ARJ stands for Archived by Robert Jung. Iconic naming behavior, honestly. 👑

👑 COMMANDS 👑

okay so the first thing you pass is a command, and each one is a different flavor of archive magic. Here's the whole menu, no skips:

• ac — Add Chapter to chapter archive.
• cc — Convert archive to Chapter archive.
• dc — Delete last Chapter from archive.
• a — Add files to archive.
• b — execute Batch or dos command.
• c — Comment archive files.
• d — Delete files from archive.
• e — Extract files from archive.
• f — Freshen files in archive.
• g — Garble files in archive.
• i — check Integrity of the arj program.
• j — Join archives to archive
• k — remove obsolete bacKup files.
• l — List contents of archive.
• m — Move files to archive.
• n — reName files in archive.
• o — Order files in archive.
• p — Print files to standard output.
• q — recover damaged arj file.
• r — Remove paths from filenames.
• s — Sample files to screen with pause.
• t — Test integrity of archive.
• u — Update files to archive.
• v — Verbosely list contents of archive.
• w — Where are text strings in archive.
• x — eXtract files with full pathname.
• y — copY archive with new options.

🌸 SWITCHES 🌸

These are the short global vibes you can sprinkle on. No cap, they change how arj behaves:

• c — skip time-stamp Check
• e — Exclude paths from names
• f — Freshen existing files
• g — Garble with password
• i — with no progress Indicator
• m — with Method 0, 1, 2, 3, 4
• n — only New files (not exist)
• r — Recurse subdirectories
• u — Update files (new and newer)
• v — enable multiple Volumes
• w — assign Work directory
• x — eXclude selected files
• y — assume Yes on all queries
• hk — enable ARJ-PROTECT damage protection

💅 DETAILED SWITCHES 💅

Okay bestie, this is the part where the manual goes full main character. Every single detailed switch, sub-switch, and tiny option is right here. Do not skip. 💀

• - — Disables switch char
• + — Inhibits ARJ_SW usage
  • +var — set environment variable
• @ — Set 1 token per response file line
• ! — Set list char (!)
• & — Set batch critical error handler
• # — Select files by number
• $ — Add/extract volume label
  • $A — add/extract label to drive A
• a — Allow any file Attribute
  • a1 — any files, directories and UNIX special files
• b — Backup changed files
  • b1 — Backup changed, reset archive bits
  • b2 — only reset archive bits
  • b3 — reset archive bit during restore
  • b4 — do not restore bits, reset arc
  • b5 — do not restore any file attributes
• c — Skip time-stamp Check
• d — Delete added files asks permission before deleting
  • d1 — Delete without permission (same as arj m)
  • d2 — Truncate instead of deleting
• e — Exclude paths from names
  • e1 — Exclude base dir from names
• f — Freshen existing files
  • f1 — Freshen with OLDER files
  • f2 — Freshen with DIFFERENT files
  • f3 — Freshen with CRC mismatched files
• g — Garble with password
  • gstew — garble with password stew
  • g? — prompt for password
• i — Show no progress Indicator
  • i1 — show bar graph Indicator
  • i2 — show percentage and bar graph
  • i3 — total progress percentage
  • i4 — total progress bar graph
  • i5 — total percentage and bar graph
  • i6 — total percentage and file graph
• k — Keep a .bak of arj archive
• l — Create List_name file
  • lnames.list — create names.list
• m — With Method 0, 1, 2, 3, 4
  • m0 — store (no compression)
  • m1 — good compression (default)
  • m2 — less memory and compression
  • m3 — FAST! less compression
  • m4 — FASTEST! least compression
• n — Only New files (not exist)
• o — On or after YYYYMMDDHHMMSS
  • o: — on today
  • o19901225 — on/after 12/25/1990
  • ob: — Before YYYYMMDDHHMMSS
  • ob: — before today
  • ob19901225 — before 12/25/1990
  • od: — no older than N Days
  • od5 — five or less days old
  • oa: — After YYYYMMDDHHMMSS (last access)
  • oa: — on today
  • oa19901225 — after 12/25/1990
  • oab: — Before YYYYMMDDHHMMSS (last access)
  • oab: — before today
  • oab19901225 — before 12/25/1990
  • oc: — After YYYYMMDDHHMMSS (created)
  • oc: — on today
  • oc19901225 — after 12/25/1990
  • ocb: — Before YYYYMMDDHHMMSS
  • ocb: — before today
  • ocb19901225 — before 12/25/1990
• p — Match using full Pathnames
  • p1 — match Pathname with subdirs
• q — Query on each file
• r — Recurse subdirectories
• s — Set archive time-Stamp to newest
  • s1 — save original time-Stamp
  • s2 — set archive time-Stamp
  • s3 — save both original time-Stamps
• t — Set file Type (default 0)
  • t0 — set binary file type
  • t1 — set C text file type
  • t1f — force C text file type
  • t1g — set C text with graphics
• u — Update files (new + newer)
  • u1 — Update files (new + OLDER)
  • u2 — Update files (new + different)
  • u3 — Update files (new + CRC mismatch)
• v — Enable multiple Volumes
  • v360 — build 362000 byte volumes
  • v50K — build 50000 byte volumes
  • va — auto-detect space available
  • vd/tmp/* — delete /tmp/*
  • ve — use alternate volume naming
  • vi — inhibit diskette change test
  • vr50K — reserve 50000 bytes of space on first volume
  • vs — provide command prompt
  • vscmd — execute cmd before each vol
  • vv — beep between volumes
  • vw — keep Whole files in volumes
  • vz — provide command with no echo
  • v360,v720,v1200,v1440 — abbrevs Volume options may be in any order except s and z which must be last
• w — Assign Work directory
  • w/tmp — use /tmp as work directory
• x — eXclude selected files
  • x*.sh — exclude *.sh files
  • x!names — exclude files in names multiple exclusions are allowed
• y — Assume Yes on all queries except diskette volume prompts
  • Use this switch for batch mode
• z — Supply archive comment file _ Convert filenames to lower case
  • zarc.cmt — use arc.cmt for comments
  • z/dev/null — use to strip comments

💅 SHIFTED SWITCHES 💅

okay so these are the shifted switches — the ones that start with a letter instead of a dash. no cap, they're giving secret-menu energy, and every single one is here. let's go 🫶

• h# — Append date string to name
  • h#1 — append time string to name
  • h#2 — append DHHMMSS to name (custom: h#{Y,M,D,N,h,m,s})
  • h#YYYY-MMDD — append YYYY-MMDD
• h$ — Try to use longnames (Win2000)
• h2 — Obsolete synonym for -2 group of options
• ha — Ignore readonly Attribute
• hb — Select by file attribute/type
  • a — archive bit set
  • b — archive bit clear
  • r — readonly
  • s — system
  • h — hidden
  • d — directory
  • n — normal file, not d,h,r,s,c,l
  • c — chapter label
  • l — volume label
  • f — abbrev for n,d,r,s,h
  • u — UNIX special files
  • w — win95 long filenames
  • hb: — select all types
  • hbsh — select hidden, system only
  • hbd — select dirs only
• hc — Execute Command at arj start
  • hcclear — execute clear
• he — Skip test of security Envelope
  • he1 — set error on security Envelope
• hf — Set short filenames only
  • hf1 — set longnames in file comment or extract with w95lname.nnn
  • hf2 — use long filenames in DOS
  • hf3 — set longnames in file comment using shortname wildcards
  • hf4 — set all files archived in Windows as Windows long filenames
• hg — Specify garble module filename
  • hgarjcrypt.so — set arjcrypt.so as name of garble module
  • hg! — specify use of 40 bit encryption
• hi — Detailed display in Index files
• hk — Build data protection record
• hk — Default amount of recovery data
  • hk1 — more recovery data
  • hk9 — maximum amount of recovery data. Disable ARJ-PROTECT when used with the y command
• hl — Return error for Listfile error
• hm — Increase file list capacity
  • hm! — redirect -hm temp file
  • hm! — move temp file to XMS mem
  • hm!/tmp — move temp file to /tmp
• hn — Specify non-existent filespec
  • hn#### — set #### as filespec
• ho — Only extract files with matches
  • ho1 — Only extract files without matches
• hq — Ignore open access error on adds
  • hq1 — ignore open not found error on adds
  • hq2 — ignore access and not found on adds
• hr — Try to ignore archive errors
• hs — Disable file Sharing
• ht — Set Target directory
  • ht/destdir — set target directory to /destdir
• hu — Allow Update of volume archives
• hv — Check for arj version
• hw — Scroll save search filename display
  • hw1 — display only filenames with matches
• hx — Set default archive extensions
  • hx.arj.sdn — set default archive extensions
• hy — set arj32 to use ANSI codepage set arj to extract ANSI codepage archive
  • hy1 — force arj32 to use OEM codepage
  • hy2 — force arj32 to use ANSI codepage
• hz — Create an ARJ-SECURITY envelope
• j# — Store only CRC and not the file
  • j#1 — store only date, size, attributes
  • j#2 — restore file attributes
  • j#3 — restore file dates
  • j#4 — restore file attributes and dates
• j$ — Do not process file DTA and DTC
• ja — Set P command to display ANSI
  • ja1 — inhibit the display of comments
• jb — Set chapter backup processing
  • jb0 — clear chapter archive status
  • jb* — select all chapter backup files
• jc — Exit after Count of files
  • jc5 — exit after 5 files
  • jc nam1 nam2 — exit after 2 files
• jd — Ensure free Disk space
  • e -jd50K — skip file if <50000 free
  • l -jd1000 — set error if <1000 free
• je — Create self-extracting archive
  • je1 — create SFXJR archive
• jf — Store/use Full specified path
  • jf1 — store/use path minus drive
• jg — [OBSOLETE]
  • jg1 — [OBSOLETE]
• jh — Set Huffman buffer size
  • jh65535 — set to 65535 bytes (max)
  • jh2048 — set to 2048 bytes (min)
• ji — Create Index file
  • jiindex.file — create index.file
• jk — Keep temp archive on error
• jl — Display only filespecs
• jm — Set Maximum compression mode
  • jm1 — set faster Maximum compression
• jn — Restart volumes at fileName
  • jn/bin/test — restart at /bin/test
  • jn — get restart information from previously written index file
• jo — Query when updating archive file
  • jo: — extract to unique Output names
  • jo1 — extract to unique Output names keeping file extension
• jp — Pause after each screenful
  • jp50 — pause, set page size to 50
• jq — Set string parameter
  • jqstring — set parameter to string
• jr — Recover broken archive files
  • jr1 — Recover badly broken archive files
• js — Store archives by suffix (default is arj, arc, lzh, pak, rar, zip, zoo, j, and uc2).
  • js.zoo — store only .zoo files
• jt — Test temporary archive by CRC
  • jt1 — Test CRC and file contents
  • jt2 — Test only added file contents
  • jt3 — Test only file date-time and size
• ju — Translate UNIX style paths
• jv — Set Verbose display
  • jv1 — set special verbose list mode
• jw — Set extract output filename
  • jwnew.file — output to new.file
• jx — Start at eXtended position
  • jx10000 — start at position 10000
• jy — Suppress queries assuming Yes
  • a — skip append query
  • c — skip create directory query
  • d — skip delete files query
  • k — skip disk space available query
  • n — skip new filename prompt
  • o — skip overwrite file query
  • r — erase all type-ahead before query
  • s — skip scanned enough text query
  • v — skip proceed to next volume query
  • y — accept single character Y/N/A/Q
  • jycny — skip create, new name queries in single character input mode
• jz — Supply file for file comment
  • jzfile.cmt — use file.cmt for comments
  • jz/dev/null — use to strip file comments
• 2a — Serialize names on extraction
• 2b — [UNIX] restrict to Block devices
  • 2b or 2b. — current device only
  • 2b-/usr — all except where /usr is located
• 2c — [OS/2, NT] handle Crit. EAs only
• 2d — arj/DOS compatibility mode
  • 2d1 — (OBSOLETE) comment compatibility
• 2e — [OS/2, NT] filter Extended attrs
  • 2e.* — pack/unpack system EAs only
  • 2e.ICON? — pack/unpack icons only
  • 2e — disable EAs handling
• 2f — Disable comment serialization across multiple volumes
• 2h — [UNIX] Disable hardlink handling
  • 2h1 — Extract hardlinks as symlinks
• 2k — Skip century display in dates
  • 2k1 — use a non-ambiguous date display format
• 2l — [OS/2, NT] treat .LONGNAME EAs as filenames when possible
• 2o — [UNIX] store/restore file ownership
  • 2o1 — Store numeric UID/GID values
  • 2o2 — Same as -2o but saves group as well
• 2p — Specify process Priority class
  • OS/2, NT: 2p1...2p4
  • Linux, FreeBSD: 2p1...2p41
• 2r — Revert directory Recursion order
• 2s — [UNIX] preserve Symlink properties
• 2x — [OS/2, NT]: eXclude extended attrs
  • 2x.ICON? — ignore icons

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✨ DEFAULTS ✨

okay so these are the defaults, bestie — the factory settings, the starter pack, the no-extra-flags vibe. 💖

• Save path information in archive
• Save long filenames
• Save/restore extended attributes
• Save/restore file date-time created and accessed in Win95 and OS/2
• Save timestamps in the UNIX format under UNIX-like operating systems
• Don't save drive and root in path information
• Display comment ANSI sequences with built-in display handler
• Prompt before overwriting output files
• Use method 1 compression
• Use binary mode
• Use ! as list file symbol
• The ac command is an abbreviation for u -u2 -jb
• The cc command is an abbreviation for y -jb
• The dc command is an abbreviation for d -jb

Under Win32, arj uses OEM codepage by default. The -hy option sets arj to use the ANSI codepage which is the Windows graphical environment default. arj/Win32 self-extracting archives should be built using the -hy option.

To ensure compatibility with previous versions of arj, the -2d parameter has to be specified when archiving under UNIX.

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🌸 USER PROMPT RESPONSES 🌸

when arj asks you stuff, here's what you can say back. bestie, these are the vibes:

• Yes — yes
• No — no
• Quit — abort out of arj
• Always — always assume yes for current type of query
• Skip — always assume no for current type of query
• Global — always assume yes for all queries except diskette volume prompts
• Command — prompt for and execute one system command

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🦋 ENVIRONMENT 🦋

• ARJ_SW = -jyry -jv -i1
• ARJ_SW = /etc/arj.cfg

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💀 EXIT STATUS 💀

these are the numbers arj throws at you when it's done. each one is a whole mood, so read them carefully:

• 0 — Success
• 1 — Warning (specified file to add to archive not found, specified file to list, extract, etc., not found, or answering negatively to "OK to proceed to next volume..." prompt)
• 2 — Fatal error
• 3 — CRC error (header or file CRC error or bad password)
• 4 — ARJ-SECURITY error or attempt to update an ARJ-SECURED archive
• 5 — Disk full or write error
• 6 — Cannot open archive or file
• 7 — Simple user error (bad parameters)
• 8 — Not enough memory
• 9 — Not an arj archive
• 10 — [DOS] XMS memory error (read or write)
• 11 — User control break
• 12 — Too many chapters (over 250)

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🌈 EXAMPLES 🌈

ok bestie this is the part you're actually here for, the copy-paste buffet 💖 every single one of these is verbatim, no cap, don't let anyone tell you I changed a character.

• Add files minus directory structure:

arj a -e archive *

• Add two files to archive:

arj a archive name1 name2

• Add files to archive with verification:

arj a -jt archive *

• Add files with maximum compression:

arj a -jm archive *

• Add several directories of files:

arj a archive ... dir1 dir2 dir3

• Add thousands of files to an archive:

arj a -hm1 -r archive *

• Add a chapter to an archive:

arj ac archive /foo/dir/* -r

• Comment archive header only:

arj c archive -zcmt.fil

• Convert standard archive to chapter:

arj cc archive

• Convert chapter archive to standard:

arj y archive -jb0

• Delete the last chapter from an archive:

arj dc archive *

• Strip archive comment only:

arj c archive -z/dev/null

• Extract files from archive:

arj e archive

• Extract maintaining directory structure:

arj x archive

• Extract new and newer files without query:

arj e archive -u -y

• Extract subdirectory from archive:

arj e archive subdir/* -p1

• Extract files to directory:

arj x archive destdir/ *

• Extract files to directory:

arj x archive * -htdestdir

• Extract files to directory with space:

arj x archive "Some Dir/ "

• Extract files to directory with space:

arj x archive "-htSome Dir"

• Extract a Win95 archive to plain DOS:

arj x archive -hf2

• List files in archive:

arj l archive

• Move files to archive:

arj m archive *.tex

• Move files from archive:

arj e -d archive *.tex

• Recover files from a damaged archive:

arj x archive -jr

• Test integrity of files in archive:

arj t archive

• Test multiple arj archives:

arj t *.arj -hr

• Add files to a multiple volume archive:

arj a -va /floppy/archive *

• Create up to 999 archive volumes:

arj a -va /floppy/archive.001

• Extract from a multiple volume archive:

arj x -v /floppy/archive

• Create a multiple volume self-extractor:

arj a -va -je /floppy/archive *

• Convert archive to self-extractor:

arj y -je1 archive

• Backup dir /foo to dir /floppy:

arj a /floppy/backup /foo -a1 -b2 -r -vvas -w/foo -js -jt -hk

• Restore backup on dir /floppy to dir /foo:

arj x /floppy/backup /foo -vv -y

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🦋 SELF-EXTRACTOR ARCHIVES 🦋

ok so here's the little secret handshake 👀 if the first two characters of an arj comment are "))" in a self-extractor, then the self-extractor will accept the appended line as its command line. like it reads your mind. iconic behaviour honestly.

and then the queen of them all:

")) -o" will force the self-extractor to overwrite existing files. that's it, that's the whole trick 💅

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👑 SEE ALSO 👑

• rearj(1)
• unarj(1)
• arj-register(1)

go read those too, bestie, they're the extended universe 🫶

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🌸 AUTHOR 🌸

This manual page was written by Ola Lundqvist <opal@debian.org> in pod format, then converted by Guillem Jover <guillem@debian.org> to nroff format. shoutout to them, fr fr, they carried this whole thing on their backs 💖

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and that's a wrap on the whole page, bestie!! 🎀 you just read the manual for ARJ version 3.10, dated 2004-10-18 — vintage but still absolutely slaying, no notes, periodt 💅✨ go forth and archive responsibly 🌈🦋