Running PACK With a Listfile

You can start PACK with a single command from the command line. You can type the name of a single file that contains a list of all the files you want to compress.

Include the drive and path if the files are not in the working directory. You can specify file names with any combination of uppercase and lowercase letters. File-name extensions are not required; however, if you specify a file name that has an extension, also type the extension.

The command-line syntax is as follows:

  PACK listfile [packedfile] /L
    [/H:headerpath\
    |/H:headerfile
    |/H:headerpath\ headerfile]
    [/D:headerdate]
    [/T:headertime]
    [/C]

where:

listfile

Specifies the name of the file that contains a list of files that are to be compressed. When naming a list file, do not use global file-name characters.

For information about list files, see Creating a List File.

packedfile
Specifies the name of the file that will contain the compressed data. Files that contain compressed data can be recognized by the @ symbol as the last character in the file name. If you do not specify this parameter, PACK places the compressed data in sourcefile and modifies its name to contain the @ symbol.
/L
Indicates that filename is a list file. A list file is not compressed; it simply contains a listing of the names of the files that are to be compressed.
/H:headerpath\ or /H:headerfile or /H:headerpath\ headerfile
These parameters can be used separately or they can be paired.
• H:headerpath\
  Specifies the destination path (drive letters are not permitted) to be placed in the header of the file that contains the compressed data. Unless this path is overridden with the UNPACK command, it will be the destination path when the file is uncompressed. Headerpath must end with a back slash (\).
  /H:headerfile
  Specifies the name of the file to be placed in the header of the compressed file. This file name will be used as the destination file for the uncompressed data and cannot be overridden.

  If a header file name is not specified, PACK automatically uses sourcefile as the name of the file that is placed in the header of the compressed file.

  /H:headerpath\ headerfile
  Specifies that both a destination path and a destination file name are to be placed in the header of the file that has the compressed data.
  /D:headerdate
  Records the date in the header of the file that has the compressed data, and also in the destination file when it is uncompressed.

  The date must follow the format /D:MM-DD-YYYY. For example: /D:08-20-1991 and /D:12-30-2010.

  /T:headertime
  Records the time in the header of the file that has the compressed data, and also in the destination file when it is uncompressed.

  The time must follow the format /T:HH.MM. For example /T:02.06 and /T:14.54. Hour 00 represents 12 a.m. and hour 12 represents 12 p.m.

  /C
  Specifies that the current path be placed in the header of the file that contains the compressed data. When the UNPACK command is used, this path will be the destination path for the file that contains the uncompressed data.

  You cannot use /C when the headerpath is used.

  Note: The path and file-name information stored in the header of the file that contains the compressed data can be displayed by using the /SHOW option available with UNPACK. For information about the /SHOW option, see the UNPACK command in the online OS/2 Command Reference.

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