Heads Up For Mac Users

[AlecWest]

Preface note - I am not a Mac user.

A funny thing happened recently. I shepherd the mirror websites for the Star Trek New Voyages and Starship Farragut fanfilm projects. Both sites make media files available in multiple formats, including DVD ISOs of some episodes. For a number of reasons, I chose to make these files available in a self-extracting RAR format with an ".exe" extension.

Recently, I got two complaints from Mac users saying their unRAR utility didn't recognize the files as valid RAR archives. As a PC user, I naturally assumed unRAR utilities would do so. So, I did some checking around.

In my area, I asked a man who does Mac consulting work if self-extracting RAR files with ".exe" extensions could be unpacked on a Mac. He replied, "Of course," but said he had to do it with some sort of command-line function available with his Stuffit Deluxe version ... and he said the method he used wasn't something most novices would be willing to tackle.

I also sent email to the creators of UnRarX asking if it could be done with their software. They said, "Impossible."

In the meantime (snicker), a visitor to my site who uses a Mac told me he did it all the time. His method:

1) Download the self-extracting RAR file with an ".exe" extension.

2) Rename the file's extension from ".exe" to ".rar".

3) Open it with UnRarX.

Apparently, when the file is renamed, UnRarX ignores any ".exe" conventions it encounters and recognizes the file as a valid RAR archive.

So, I emailed the consultant who was surprised ... and I emailed UnRarX. UnRarX has yet to respond (grin). But I found it interesting that a professional consultant didn't know the easier solution ... and that the software author was unaware of what his software could do. Go figure...

P.S. The site URLS, in case you're curious, are:

http://stnv.net (Star Trek New Voyages)

http://farragut.trekfactor.com (Starship Farragut)

Regards,
J. Alec West

[Ai Haibara]

Well, most 'executable' archives usually are just the original zip/rar/etc. archives with a 'stub' EXE glued to the beginning of the file that'll decompress it when run. I've seen that 'trick' done numerous times over the years, and I generally haven't seen any program have problems with recognizing the original archive (after the EXE). You'd think some programs would choke on the 'garbage' before the archive header.

[AlecWest]

It puzzled me, too. At one time, I used a G4 with OS 9.2 and just assumed that Macs could "get around" any obstacles like that. Apparently not. The same visitor who told me his UnRarX method said that doing the same thing with the GUI of Stuffit Expander 11 generated this error:



But UnRarX opened it like a champ. He probably could have done it with Stuffit, too, if he used the command-line functions the consultant spoke about.

Oh well ...

Regards,
J. Alec West

[Ai Haibara]

(Oops. When I said 'some programs' above, I actually meant to say 'more' rather than 'some.' )

I know they've written at least one 'mainstream' archiver (can't remember which, it's been some time) to recognize archives like that, and treat it like a normal archive file, for the sake of convenience and other factors (and when you're on another platform and can't run DOS/Windows executables, anyway... ) Most archivers (ZIP/RAR/etc.) probably handle executable archives that way, now. I've also seen archiver shells do it, even if the archivers don't necessarily support it.

I always thought Stuffit was a bit rigid in its archive handling, though. I've seen it go off in a corner and sulk over slight 'problems.'

[lordsmurf]

Stuff-It really sucks compared to WinZip or WinRar. I can't stand it.

[ffooky]

Stuff-It really sucks compared to WinZip or WinRar. I can't stand it.

See, Smurfy can talk sense. Apart from the evil bastid SITX format, The Unarchiver and things like UnRarX, MacHacha or Ajoiner can handle everything without hitch.

[AlecWest]

Stuff-It really sucks compared to WinZip or WinRar. I can't stand it.

See, Smurfy can talk sense. Apart from the evil bastid SITX format, The Unarchiver and things like UnRarX, MacHacha or Ajoiner can handle everything without hitch.

Still, there are two unsolved mysteries. Why didn't that guy who does Mac consulting for a living know this ... and even worse, why did the creator of UnRarX say it was impossible to handle self-extracting RAR files with an ".exe" extension when it could? I can almost understand the consultant ... since he's used to doing things the hard way and gets paid by people who think the hard way is the only way and, hence, hire consultants to do it for them ($$$). But for the creator of UnRarX to not know his own product's potential??? Odd, to say the least.

Regards,
J. Alec West

[Ai Haibara]

Hard to say. The creator of UnRarX could've even just imported code from the public/free unrar code without being aware of any ability to handle EXE archives.

I've seen consultants and other higher-industry people who otherwise know what they're doing not have as much of a clue what to do with an archive beyond feed it to an archiver and hope it extracts, before, so that's not surprising.

[SERBIAN]

Still, there are two unsolved mysteries. Why didn't that guy who does Mac consulting for a living know this

Probably because RAR archives are not that common in Mac world...I think we are using RAR only when we are forced to and most general Mac users dont use RAR at all..In old OS days .sit and .img were a 2 main things..In OSX days .dmg of course, and .zip, .bzip2, .gzip and .tar...UNIX flavors as you can see...StuffIt app becomes a monster which makes more damage than joy...Shame..It was a great compressor...So, dont be too hard on your buddy for lack of knowledge regarding .rar..

As for developer of UnRARX, well, I agree with you...It is a bit strange not to know the full potential of the app you are developing...

[terryj]

all mac bashing aside in this thread, and Smurfy's off the cuff comment
( very non helpful but very Smurfy like ), I can't speak on the developer
or UnRARX, but as for the average Mac User, most aren't savvy enough
to try the simplest thing, when for years it's been drilled in their heads
that .exe files aren't going to work on their platform.

Mac users have a had a long row to carry about the non-compatability
of .exe files for the platform, and that three letter file extension
continues to carry that stigma to every new mac user.

Think of it this way:
If you've been told over and over, by other long time users and fellow
users at your job and circle of friends that something will not work,
EVER, and you encounter this thing that is supposedly bad for you,
would you attempt to use it or trash it, because others have drilled in
you that it's bad?

with that in mind, why name the file "filename.rar.exe" anyhow?
Why not just "filename.rar"? does it have to be named this
for the PC to even recognize it is a valid document?
I thought if the document type was assigned in windows to an app,
just like on a mac, it will hand it off to open in the app natively?

[Ai Haibara]

with that in mind, why name the file "filename.rar.exe" anyhow?
Why not just "filename.rar"? does it have to be named this
for the PC to even recognize it is a valid document?
I thought if the document type was assigned in windows to an app,
just like on a mac, it will hand it off to open in the app natively?

Hm? The files in question weren't named (filename).rar.exe - they're named (filename).exe. Most self-extracting archives for DOS/Windows are like that, and you can't tell if they're actually ZIP, RAR or whatever just by reading the filename unless someone has named it .rar.exe. What the 'trick' is, is simply changing the extension from .exe to .rar (or .zip, or whatever the archive really is), and letting (most) programs read it like a regular archive.

Windows and DOS generally look at the file extension, offhand, to know what to do with a file. If it's .exe, it's executable. If it's .rar (and some program's claimed that extension), it'll open with whatever handles RARs.

[Kryton]

Mac OSX users associate .exe files with application files. These won't open natively on Mac OSX for obvious reasons. You wouldn't expect a mac application to open in Windows either.

That is possibly why the developer of UnRarX gave that response without thinking it through too much.

If the files are not applications then they should open correctly provided an app is available that can handle the file format.