Compatibility Issues With Windows Files

Compatibility Issues With Windows Files

[RiverWind]

Hey There,

When attempting to extract "rar" files in either Linux or Unix, the
file naming protocol seems to be a very crucial issue. To wit,
should a file be fraught with open spaces, many Unix and Linux
utilities will not work, because it seems that MS-Windows allows
for blank spaces within file names, whereas Dos, Linux and Unix do
not. This would seem to be the case from my personal point of view
based upon recent experience.

I am attempting to extract a large number of rar files using
"unrar-free" with no success. I understand that it might be
necessary to rename each and every file and put some sort of filler
in each blank space, such as a question mark or some other type of
punctuation. I am not sure if this is the case or not.

Ultimately this whole matter is nothing more than a product of the
ever-present conflict/ difference between MS_Windows and other
systems that lead to all manner of compatibility issues. Linux, DOS
and Unix users are for ever trying to find work-around solutions to
these compatibility problems. So, how would you Linux users go
about processing "rar" files that were produced in Windows using
Linux software? Would you try to do some sort of "unrar" or would
you try to convert them over to some version of zip format? If so,
would you try some variant of gzip?

cheerio,
Riv

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Re: Compatibility Issues With Windows Files

[Hart Larry]

Well Riv, first of all, you can put quotes around file names with spaces. 
Next-and-I do not really understand this, but I have heard you can use 4loop to 
use wild cards, or a complete list of .rar files.  However, if there are more 
than 1 .rar file in any of your items, you want to just extract all the 
part1.rar or part01.rar if more than 9.
I thought I remember in DOS where you could use a wild card easily in the 
process?
Hart

Re: Compatibility Issues With Windows Files

[Geoff Shang]

Hi,

Honestly, I don't know why people make such a song and dance about spaces 
in filenames.  I use them all the time and it doesn't bother me.

First, you can put filenames in quotes.

Second, you can escape the space (e.g. my\  file.txt)

Third, tab completion is your friend.  Once you get used to using it, it 
will usually sort out a lot of the space stuff for you.

Oh and if anyone knows how to get Lynx to stop replacing spaces with 
dashes when saving a file, I'd be very glad to hear it.

Geoff.