 
 
                 Convert .LZH to .SFX files
               ------------------------------
 
                Easy Part by: Russell Prater
                  Donated to Public Domain
 
                 Hard Part by: Chris Smeets
                         Shareware
 
 
The .LZH format which is used on MS-DOS is created with LHARCHIVE.
Chris Smeets has made it possible to create .LZH files on the C 128
using his Shareware program CS-DOS. Included in CS-DOS is a self
extracting header which makes an .LZH file into an .SFX file.
 
This header, which I have included as SFX.ML can be easily attached
to any .LZH file which is not longer than about 185 Commodore disk
blocks long and the resulting .SFX file will disolve on either the
C64 or the C128.
 
To simplify the process of attaching the SFX.ML header to .LZH files,
I have created this small package containing "base" and a small Basic
program which does all of the work for you. It runs in either C64 or
C128 mode.
 
 
Things to watch to avoid errors in creating the .SFX:
----------------------------------------------------- 
 
1) The length of the .LZH file. Must be 185 C= disk blocks or less.
 
2) The file SFX.ML and the .LZH file must be on the work disk.
 
3) A temporary file named ZZZ will be created on the disk. Make sure
there is no file of that name present before you begin.
 
4) There must be at least as many blocks free on the disk as the
total blocks used by SFX.ML and the .LZH file. We will be makeing a
copy which combines the two files.
 
 
Things to be aware of if the .LZH was created on an MS-DOS machine:             
-------------------------------------------------------------------
 
1) Some files may show a checksum error when disolved. If they are
text files, don't worry about it.
 
2) All files will be PRG type. Since MS-DOS doesn't have our file
types, the .LZH doesn't carry file type information. .LZH files and
.SFX files created with CS-DOS do have the type information. I've
included my FILE TYPE CHANGE program in this ARC to allow 128 users
to convert the files to the type you want. C64 users will have to
find a file type changer somewhere else.

(Note: I substituted a newer version of Russell's 128 file type
       changer and included the 64 version in this archive. M.S.)
 
3) .LZH text files can become HUGE when disolved. The .LZH file I
used to test this program was 92 C= disk blocks long. With the
.SFX header added it bacame 106 C= blocks long. It disolved to
532 DISK BLOCKS. So don't be surprised if a 185 block long file
over-fills a 1541 formatted disk. There is nothing I can think of
to do about that.
 
If you find this program useful, please download a copy of CS-DOS
somewhere and don't forget to send Chris his Shareware fee. The
CS-DOS package is well worth the fee if you can figure out how to
use it.
 
For my part, I did it for fun and to help other Commodore users
who have trouble understanding the DOCS for CS-DOS as I do!
 
