Trying to archive an lha file inside a new lha file

[Foebane]

Can lha archives be nested inside each other? I've been trying to add an lha archive and a script file to a new lha archive that contains both, but DOpus doesn't want to comply, it just takes me straight to the help screen after I've selected both and clicked on LHA and entered a name. How can I force it do this?

The reason I want to do this is to preserve Amiga "protect" bits, because as far as I know, only lha archives do this.

Thanks in advance.

EDIT: Never mind, found an alternative solution. Admins, please delete this post.

[daxb]

And what is your solution?

To answer the topic question. Yes it can. Simple by add an file (can be an LHA archive of course) to an LHA archive. The command is "a". E.g.:

LHA a ram:lha_archive.lha work:some_file_to_add

[DamienD]

I just don't get why anyone would want to add an .LHA file inside an .LHA file though?

[BippyM]

You know what annoys me...

dms -> Lha -> lzx

Rar -> zip

[Foebane]

Originally Posted by daxb

And what is your solution?

I found a solution soon after, with ZIP files on the Windows side.

Basically, I take an LHA file containing a multi-file demo, and a .script file which is a method of running the demo automatically without having to seek the exe or whatever else is needed to run it, and put them inside a non-compressing ZIP (for compatibility with WinUAE), and I can then run the whole demo from another script.

It sounds convoluted, I know, but it works, and I will provide an example one day.

[Hewitson]

It doesn't sound convoluted, it sounds absolutely insane

[Foebane]

This is how I'm able to run demos with a double-click as of now:

1. First of all, I set up the following script and attach it to an icon with C:IconX as the default tool:

cd rdh0:
s:spat run #?.exe
s:spat execute #?.script

2. I then sort the demos between two types of archives on the Windows side:

7-Zip (Normal compression) for single files ending in .exe, always, or
Zip (Stored, no compression) to hold original downloaded demo archives (lha, lzx or zip) along with a script which will run the demo straight from the archive, like the following for "Switchback" by Rebels:

- Archive is downloaded from Pouet.net
- Archive is renamed to unique Pouet.net number with "@" prefix, so archive name is now "@2744.lha"
- Script "@2744.script" contains the code to run the demo and anything else, for example:

cd @2744.lha.dir
assign rebels: ""
sb.exe

3. Once the new archive containing original archive and script file is created, it's just a case of dragging and dropping into WinUAE and Workbench, and double-clicking on the script detailed in 1. to run the demo.

Not simple, and it does require some work to convert the collection, but it does make it easy for a complete Amiga novice to run my Amiga demo collection!