Confusion about command lines

[ANDREA]

Good News:
The latest gzip (1.35) may be trivially installed for Win32 with a setup installer. I tested STDIN/STDOUT redirection and pipe mode under Windos with this native Windows gzip version. Result : Perfect!
That solves the case and gzip can be used universally for all 4 platforms.
Bye Fridger

Hello Fridger, sorry for trouble, but I have the following situation:
I have both the 1,237,539 KB file, and gZip.
I installed gZip.
Launched the srtm_ramp2.world.86400x43200.bin.gz file
but this opened my WinRar and now I have the 7srtm_ramp2.world.86400x43200.bin file, 290,000 KB.
I tried to open gzip.exe but for some reason I don't understand, the Dos window opens and closes immediately (but after a test I see that this happens always, so it's a problem of settings).
Something wrong here, I suppose.
So please, can you inform me on the procedure to use gZip?
What do you mean with

I tested STDIN/STDOUT redirection and pipe mode under Windos

Help, please.
Beg your pardon, but I never used DOS (my fault).
Bye

Andrea

[cartrite]

Andrea Wrote:

but this opened my WinRar and now I have the 7srtm_ramp2.world.86400x43200.bin file, 290,000 KB.

290,000 kb ? Isn't that 290 mb? That is a little small. When I decompressed that file I think it was in the 7 gb range.

And after I ran it thru nm16, the gimp required a pixel cache of around 30+ GB to open the ppm file.

[ANDREA]

Andrea Wrote:

but this opened my WinRar and now I have the 7srtm_ramp2.world.86400x43200.bin file, 290,000 KB.

290,000 kb ? Isn't that 290 mb? That is a little small. When I decompressed that file I think it was in the 7 gb range.

Sorry, the 7 remained in my pen.
Obviously its 7,290,000 KB
Bye

Andrea

[t00fri]

So please, can you inform me on the procedure to use gZip?
What do you mean with

I tested STDIN/STDOUT redirection and pipe mode under Windos

Help, please.
Beg your pardon, but I never used DOS (my fault).
Bye

Andrea

Andrea,

I suppose your default association of the .gz file ending is with WinRar. I.e. if you click under Windows on the gz-packed elevation map, WinRar will always be started. That's also fine like this.

gzip is a pure /command-line/ utility. So open a Windows (DOS) console in some arbitrary directory and first type just 'gzip' without any arguments. Then you should get some help text output for gzip in the console. If you get the help, then gzip was properly installed.

Next you do a gz-compression test. First list the files in the respective directory by typing at the console prompt: 'dir'. Choose a not so important file (no matter which one). For definiteness I'll use the file name README.1st. Any other filename will do as well, of course. We compress it with gzip by typing in the console

Code: Select all

gzip README.1st


As a control, type once more 'dir' and look for the compressed file README.1st.gz. Next you unpack it again by typing

Code: Select all

gzip -d README.1st.gz


That restores the file README.1st in your directory.
If that worked you are perfectly ready for action!

The next exercise is to use STDIN/STDOUT redirection instead of a filename argument to gzip as above. As the names say, STDIN/STDOUT are so called generic input and output "filehandles", respectively. These you may redirect with the '<' and '>' operators to actual filenames as follows

Code: Select all

gzip -c < README.1st > out.gz


Aha, note the option -c is to tell gzip that gzip is to work now with generic STDIN and STDOUT input/output rather than specific filenames as commandline arguments. The command above says to use README.1st as input file, gz-compress it and output the result into a file named out.gz.

You will ask for sure : why all this? Specific filenames are even simpler in syntax...

Well the great benefit comes next, namely the 'pipe' feature that ALL platforms (UNIX/LINUX Windows and MAC-OSX) support and the GUI - (click) users tend to ignore...

Programs supporting STDIN/STDOUT operation can be piped together like "pipe fittings" in the sense that the output of program1 becomes the input of program2 etc, without ever using specific filenames. Typically you then can chain long sequences of programs together by writing

Code: Select all

program1 < <input.file> | program2 | program3 | program4  > <output.file>


Here <input.file> and <output.file> have of course to be replaced by concrete names of files.

I hope this helps...

Cheers,
Fridger

[danielj]

It is a DOS program.It don??t work with me.I click in gzip.exe and a black screen open and the program is nowhere in the Programs Folder.Altough is a Win32 INSTALLATION,it works like a DOS program.
Then I tried the first link and no executable appeared,only pdf and hlp files.
Anyway,the Arctic Server is offline...

Good News:

The latest gzip (1.35) may be trivially installed for Win32 with a setup installer. Download from the official GnuWin32 Sourceforge site:

http://gnuwin32.sourceforge.net/packages/gzip.htm

and gzip homepage

http://www.gzip.org/

I tested STDIN/STDOUT redirection and pipe mode under Windos with this native Windows gzip version. Result : Perfect!

That solves the case and gzip can be used universally for all 4 platforms.

Bye Fridger

[rra]

Maybe you should also say where to start the program:


for windowsXP that is:

go to START,select run, type in cmd .
That should bring you into the good old DOS.
Then normally DOS doesn't know where to find the gzip program so
you either have to move to the directory where gzip is installed ,
or (better) run gzip with its full path-name.
For the default installation that would be something like:

"c:\program files\GNUWin32\bin\gzip.exe -c file_in file_out"

remember to include the quotes, otherwise DOS stumbles over the space between program and files. Also the file__in and file_out should contain the full path ofcourse.

Ren?©

[danielj]

sO,FORGET it.I don??t know how to operate in DOS.I have 7zip and Winrar and this would be enough.But this is a compression program,anyway.Where can I find a normal map generator?And why NASA Arctic server is offline?

Maybe you should also say where to start the program:


for windowsXP that is:

go to START,select run, type in cmd .
That should bring you into the good old DOS.
Then normally DOS doesn't know where to find the gzip program so
you either have to move to the directory where gzip is installed ,
or (better) run gzip with its full path-name.
For the default installation that would be something like:

"c:\program files\GNUWin32\bin\gzip.exe -c file_in file_out"

remember to include the quotes, otherwise DOS stumbles over the space between program and files. Also the file__in and file_out should contain the full path ofcourse.

Ren?©

[ANDREA]

...And why NASA Arctic server is offline?

Danielj, now it's working again, just checked.
Bye

Andrea

[cartrite]

I installed gzip using the link provided by Fridger and did the test he posted above and it did not work. By running the setup for gzip it was not installed correctly. If others have this problem it can be fixed by right clicking on My Computer and chose Properties / Advanced / Environment Variables and edit Path (bottom window) to include

Code: Select all

;C:\Program Files\GnuWin32\bin

I put it at the end of the line and after this as done gzip worked correctly.
cartrite

[ANDREA]

So please, can you inform me on the procedure to use gZip? ... Andrea

I hope this helps... Cheers, Fridger

Fridger, a very detailed explanation, I think that I'll be able to obtain the final result in this way.
Going to try it tomorrow, this evening is for a bear party (yes, in Italy we love bear, not only wine!)
Thanks a lot, very appreciated.
Bye

Andrea

[t00fri]

It is a DOS program.It don??t work with me.I click in gzip.exe and a black screen open and the program is nowhere in the Programs Folder.Altough is a Win32 INSTALLATION,it works like a DOS program.
Then I tried the first link and no executable appeared,only pdf and hlp files.
Anyway,the Arctic Server is offline...

Daniel,

I certainly won't bother trying to teach YOU anything. You constantly do things different from what I TOLD YOU.

Where did I say you should click on gzip.exe!?

That simply costs too much time. So please go elsewhere and bother other people with all the things that don't work for you.

[ANDREA]

Maybe you should also say where to start the program:
for windowsXP that is:
go to START,select run, type in cmd . .........Ren?©

And thanks a lot to you too, Ren??, I was missing the first step.
Bye

Andrea

[rra]

ANDREA , I sincerely hope you mean "beer" in stead of "bear"


Ren?©

[t00fri]

So please, can you inform me on the procedure to use gZip? ... Andrea

I hope this helps... Cheers, Fridger

Fridger, a very detailed explanation, I think that I'll be able to obtain the final result in this way.
Going to try it tomorrow, this evening is for a bear party (yes, in Italy we love bear, not only wine!)
Thanks a lot, very appreciated.
Bye

Andrea

Wish you lots of fun, Andrea!

What do you prefer: Brown or White "Bear" ?



Cheers,
Fridger

[ANDREA]

I installed gzip using the link provided by Fridger and did the test he posted above and it did not work. By running the setup for gzip it was not installed correctly. If others have this problem it can be fixed by right clicking on My Computer and chose Properties / Advanced / Environment Variables and edit Path (bottom window) to include

Code: Select all

;C:\Program Files\GnuWin32\bin

I put it at the end of the line and after this as done gzip worked correctly.
cartrite

Wow, this is my third "Thanks a lot" in a very short while.
Is it possible to post cumulative thanks?
I'm joking, obviously, thank you cartrite.
I'm sure that with all your information I'll obtain the file I need.
Bye

Andrea

[t00fri]

I installed gzip using the link provided by Fridger and did the test he posted above and it did not work. By running the setup for gzip it was not installed correctly. If others have this problem it can be fixed by right clicking on My Computer and chose Properties / Advanced / Environment Variables and edit Path (bottom window) to include

Code: Select all

;C:\Program Files\GnuWin32\bin

I put it at the end of the line and after this as done gzip worked correctly.
cartrite

Wow, this is my third "Thanks a lot" in a very short while.
Is it possible to post cumulative thanks?
I'm joking, obviously, thank you cartrite.
I'm sure that with all your information I'll obtain the file I need.
Bye

Andrea

Yes that's good that Cartrite checked that. In my case it was not necessary to add the gzip path to the executable PATH. Probably since I had done that during some previous installation already.

Bye Fridger

[ANDREA]

Wish you lots of fun, Andrea!
What do you prefer: Brown or White "Bear" ?
Cheers, Fridger

Well, shame and cinder on my head.
But I have a valid excuse: I just finished to drink a couple beers (!), just to be sure my friends will appreciate them.
BTW, thank you for the wish, I hope we'll have it!
Bye (hic!!!)

Andrea

[Chuft-Captain]

Then normally DOS doesn't know where to find the gzip program so you either have to move to the directory where gzip is installed ,
or (better) run gzip with its full path-name.
For the default installation that would be something like:

"c:\program files\GNUWin32\bin\gzip.exe -c file_in file_out"

remember to include the quotes, otherwise DOS stumbles over the space between program and files. Also the file__in and file_out should contain the full path ofcourse.

Ren?©

For lazy (WINDOZE only) GUI users, who don't mind a bit of Registry editing, here's a useful little enhancement for your registry...

Create the following KEYS:


then..



You'll now be able to Right-Click -> "CMD Prompt here" on any directory/folder in Windows Explorer to open a CMD console already positioned in that directory.

Enjoy.

[Malenfant]

Or you could just not mess about with the registry (which is risky if you don't know what you're doing,so I really don't recommend it) and download and install the "Open Command Window Here" Powertoy for Windows XP from the microsoft website, which sets this up automatically:

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/down ... rtoys.mspx
(it's in the list on the right of the screen)

This was available for earlier versions of windows too, so if you can find the powertoys for whatever version you use it should be there.

[t00fri]

Maybe you should also say where to start the program:


for windowsXP that is:

go to START,select run, type in cmd .
That should bring you into the good old DOS.
Then normally DOS doesn't know where to find the gzip program so
you either have to move to the directory where gzip is installed ,
or (better) run gzip with its full path-name.
For the default installation that would be something like:

"c:\program files\GNUWin32\bin\gzip.exe -c file_in file_out"

remember to include the quotes, otherwise DOS stumbles over the space between program and files. Also the file__in and file_out should contain the full path ofcourse.

Ren?©

Thanks, Rene,

but the correct and simpler solution is cartrite's. I would have mentioned to add the gzip path to the PATH environment variable, but thought that the installation would do that automatically...

Also, I was surprised that experienced windows users would not know how to call the Windows console!? You dont have to do things via RUN etc.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++
The Windows console program is in the STANDARD Windows location, namely C:\WINDOWS\System32\cmd.exe

One conveniently pulls an icon for it onto the Desktop and then can use it for ALL future commandline tasks with a click.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++

Wow. I feel kind of funny/embarrassed, spelling out these VERY basic things for "experts " of an operating system (Windows) that I personally use rarely

Cheers,
Fridger