LZW is a great compression/packaging utility written by Randy Medd when he was with Telamon. Although protected by a Unisys patent earlier, the patent expired in 2003, and Randy put the program into the public domain.

LZW provides a convenient method of packaging MPE files while retaining their file characteristics. Files compressed with LZW are about 1/2 the size of MOVER files. (If you'd like to see an example of how to use LZW to upload/unpack a file in LZW format, click here.)

You can get a version of LZW here:

• lzw.wrq, WRQ labels-format NMPRG.

• lzw.std.raw, raw STORE-to-disk file containing NMPRG file;
• lzw.std.wrq, WRQ labels-format STORE-to-disk file containing NMPRG file;

• lzw.raw, raw binary file of NMPRG (see notes below).

• lzwcm.raw, raw binary file of CM PROG (see notes below).

For WRQ Reflection users, we recommend using uploading lzw.wrq, a WRQ labels-format NMPRG.

(Assuming you've downloaded the "raw" MPE/iX (or MPE V) version of LZW to a PC/workstation/whatever to a local file called "LZW.RAW" (or LZWCM.RAW).)

Use one of the following two methods to upload the file to your HP 3000:

• FTP
  Start an FTP session (perhaps: click on <START>, select <RUN>, and then enter "FTP", connect to your HP 3000 and logon).

  Use the following FTP put command:

     binary
     put LZW.RAW LZW.PUB;rec=128,1,f,binary;code=NMPRG
  

  or, on MPE V:

     binary
     put LZWCM.RAW LZW.PUB;rec=128,1,f,binary;code=PROG
  

• WRQ Reflection Terminal Emulator

  Connect to your HP 3000 and logon.

  Issue the following MPE command:

        :file lzw.pub;rec=128,1,f,binary;code=NMPRG
  

  or, on MPE V:

        :file lzw.pub;rec=128,1,f,binary;code=PROG
  

  Upload the LZW.RAW file with the following commands:

        <ALT Y>     (i.e., enter Reflection Command Line mode)
        s lzw.raw to *lzw.pub binary rec=256
  

  or, on MPE V:

        <ALT Y>     (i.e., enter Reflection Command Line mode)
        s lzwcm.raw to *lzw.pub binary rec=256
  

  NOTE! the "rec=256" is important! Without it, Reflection and/or PCLINK may not upload the file correctly!

We have dropped the use of MOVER!

The program comes in something like two thousand versions, all of which have the same version number! (Ok, maybe not *that* many...but about six have been seen!) This causes many, many headaches for us, so we've decided to switch to exclusively use LZW. For a comparison of archiving utilities, check: /papers/posix/archiving.html.

MOVER is a file packaging / unpackaging utility from HP, and is distributed via the TELESUP account. It is generally found as MOVER.PRVXL.TELESUP.

NOTE! MOVER is available only as a Native Mode program, no Compatibility Mode (PROG) version exists for Classic HP3000s!

NOTE! before installing a MOVER package, be *SURE* that you first create the necessary groups and accounts! Otherwise, MOVER will create HFS directories for them instead of accounts & groups...and things will generally not work for you. To determine what accounts & groups you need to create, use the MOVER "-t" command to list the contents of the MOVER truck.