[bug] Problem with RAR SFX with themed icon is not fixed

[Flint]

I tried to find threads where this problem was first reported, but didn't found any. Maybe, I tried incorrect keywords...

Well, the problem was that when one creates a RAR SFX archive with WinRAR 3.5x while he has some non-standard WinRAR theme installed, the created EXE archive is not recognised by TC as an archive.

In version history there is an item that this bug was fixed. But now with one archive I occasionally found that it was really not. Just for the experiment I've created a new simple SFX with WinRAR 3.51 (theme WinRAR Crystal Clear installer): TC 6.54 opens this archive by Ctrl+PgDn, but does not show anything inside it. (TC 6.53 did not open it at all.)

I've uploaded this example SFX here:
http://rapidshare.de/files/12448975/TCUNINST.exe.html (221101 Bytes)

It's a pity that it was found only after 6.54 release, but it's not critical I think, and it can wait till v7.

[Sheepdog]

I can confirm, that TC opens the file but displays nothing in it, while the extraction gives a file tcunist.wul with 1056 byte. (although it is a bit difficult to extract because in the german windows the buttons ar all captured "???????".)

sheepdog

[Flint]

Sheepdog
Oh, sorry, I forgot that I use Russian WinRAR version... One may just enter the path and press Enter: by default the Extract button is selected (the other buttons are: Browse near the editbox with the path, and Cancel in the right bottom corner).

[ghisler(Author)]

You are right, I didn't test with a file with a theme THAT large. Unfortunately your report comes just 3 days too late, so you will have to wait for TC 7, sorry. Currently it supports only archives with an unpacking header up to 128k.

[Flint]

ghisler(Author)
I see.
But the history file tells that:

29.07.05 Added: On Ctrl+PageDown, TC now searches the first 512 kbytes for a valid archive header. Reason: The RAR unpacker will support themes which can contain a big uncompressed background bitmap in the unpacker...

A bug in the history file?

[Xtrician]

2Flint

I think the quote you copy from the version history its not excetly mean to your bug, its mean to another bug in WinRAR.

But as Christian said, that bug are confirmed and will fixed in TC v7.

[ghisler(Author)]

Indeed TC searches the first 512k and the file is detected correctly (it opens), but the offset is calculated incorrectly and therefore no files are found. This happens because I didn't have any such file for testing.

[Flint]

ghisler(Author)
In my first post I gave such a file:
http://rapidshare.de/files/12448975/TCUNINST.exe.html (221101 Bytes)
Hope, it will help you in fixing this bug.

[ghisler(Author)]

Yes, I already got it, thanks! Btw, I cannot understand why someone would compress something with a good packer like RAR, and then use a totally bloated header. I already suggested to Eugene Roshal (RAR author) to use at least PNG or GIF compression, but couldn't convince him...

[Flint]

ghisler(Author)
Yes, this is a really interesting question. But I can imagine such a situation.
For example, when a user does not need to keep archive size as little as possible. So, he just creates an archive as usual, without noticing that his WinRAR is using some theme.

Added:
Of course, using some compression for images in these SFX files would only make things better. I hope, Eugene will implement that in one of the next versions of WinRAR...

[ghisler(Author)]

Let's hope that. GIF compression would be ideal here. It takes only a few lines of code to decompress, and the patent has expired too...

[j7n]

RAR can no longer impress with best compression when compared to 7-Zip LZMA with large dictionary. So why not turn to nice true color interface? :P Some time ago WinRar was bundled with SFX programs which would call Internet Explorer to display license, requiring unnecessary memory and startup time. I see the tendecy continues.

[Sir_SiLvA]

7z sucks as it needs ages to pack and to much memory for that.
Besides that it allways depends on WHAT you pack to decide wich packer has the best compression