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USMC Sniper

.tar files

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I downloaded a file with a .tar extension, and no program can open it. I know tar files can be opened with winzip or winrar normally, but this one doesnt. Are there any programs specifically for this file format? rock.gif

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WinRAR will or should

Otherwise sounds like a Linux thing.

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On linux:

tar -xvf file.tar

On windows:

Have no slightest idea. tounge_o.gif

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In windows 7zip can open tar and also gz and bz2, with which tar archieves are often compressed. In unix operating systems tar can wink_o.gif

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WinZip will also open TAR (Tape Archive) files.

I really don't like the idea of addons etc being distributed in anything but ZIP format. While it is true that some other archivers compress data faster or slightly more efficiently, it does have the disadvantage of requiring a third-party tool to read them. The ability to open ZIP files, on the other hand, is built into the OS.

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I couldn't open .zip files on 98, ME or 2000 until I bought Winzip. What program is built in that can do so?

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WinZip will also open TAR (Tape Archive) files.

I really don't like the idea of addons etc being distributed in anything but ZIP format. While it is true that some other archivers compress data faster or slightly more efficiently, it does have the disadvantage of requiring a third-party tool to read them. The ability to open ZIP files, on the other hand, is built into the OS.

I'm with Frag on this one - sure, you might get slightly higher compression with RAR or such, but unfortunately these file types just do not have the widespread acceptance of a ZIP file.

It's like VHS and Beta video format: technologically speaking, Beta is the superior format, but damned if I want to be hunting around for a copy of Jackass on beta! wink_o.gif

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Other problems arise from using .rar files. By default, the Apache webserver has a mime type defined for Zip files, but not for rar files. As a result, stadards compliant broswers like Mozilla try and download rar files as if they were web pages. This isn't because of a problem with Mozilla, it is because the web server is supposed to tell the web broswer what type of file it is sending.

This can be easily fixed on the webserver side, but people never do it. crazy_o.gif

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I couldn't open .zip files on 98, ME or 2000 until I bought Winzip. What program is built in that can do so?

Windows Plus! 98, Windows ME, Windows 2000, and Windows XP all have the ability to open ZIP files through the Explorer interface.

If that wasn't working on your system, it may be because a) the Compressed Folder Support option wasn't installed during setup, or b) the file association was changed by a third-party program that was later uninstalled.

Incidentally, Java archives (JAR files) are also in ZIP format.

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Other problems arise from using .rar files. By default, the Apache webserver has a mime type defined for Zip files, but not for rar files. As a result, stadards compliant broswers like Mozilla try and download rar files as if they were web pages. This isn't because of a problem with Mozilla, it is because the web server is supposed to tell the web broswer what type of file it is sending.

This can be easily fixed on the webserver side, but people never do it. crazy_o.gif

Like *cough*DKM server*cough* for example. I thought i was the only one complaining about this....

I couldn't open .zip files on 98, ME or 2000 until I bought Winzip. What program is built in that can do so?

Windows Plus! 98, Windows ME, Windows 2000, and Windows XP all have the ability to open ZIP files through the Explorer interface.

If that wasn't working on your system, it may be because a) the Compressed Folder Support option wasn't installed during setup, or b) the file association was changed by a third-party program that was later uninstalled.

Not for me. Can't tell about ME, but i used 98/98SE/2000/XP and 98(SE) and 2000 do not have this feature built in. AFAIK it is a new feature in XP (and maybe in ME).

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Other problems arise from using .rar files. By default, the Apache webserver has a mime type defined for Zip files, but not for rar files. As a result, stadards compliant broswers like Mozilla try and download rar files as if they were web pages. This isn't because of a problem with Mozilla, it is because the web server is supposed to tell the web broswer what type of file it is sending.

This can be easily fixed on the webserver side, but people never do it. crazy_o.gif

Like *cough*DKM server*cough* for example. I thought i was the only one complaining about this....

yes, that's a problem i often have. not only with dkm.

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I use UltimateZip.....someone posted about it ages ago on these forums and I haven't stopped using it since. There is a 2 second delay before you can open a file while some ad pops up, but it opens .tar files no problems, even weirdly archived ones like .tar.gz wow_o.gif Ace, rar, zip etc etc....haven't found anything yet that it won't open.

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I use UltimateZip.....someone posted about it ages ago on these forums and I haven't stopped using it since. There is a 2 second delay before you can open a file while some ad pops up, but it opens .tar files no problems, even weirdly archived ones like .tar.gz wow_o.gif Ace, rar, zip etc etc....haven't found anything yet that it won't open.

Well, 7zip opens all of this (except maybe ace iirc) too and has no ads/popups and no delay either. Someone here in the forum mentioned it and i am using it since then when i use windows.

BTW: .tar.gz is the normal format, tar is just for throwing many files into one (it's long name is "tape archiever" and that is what it was made for), it does no compression. That's what GZip (and lately BZip2) are for. Most of the times you will encounter tar files as either .tar.gz or .tar.bz2...

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Ah lol....wondered why I've never seen a .tar file tounge_o.gif

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BTW: .tar.gz is the normal format, tar is just for throwing many files into one (it's long name is "tape archiever" and that is what it was made for), it does no compression.

A tar file is often called tar ball because of this... biggrin_o.gif

Quote[/b] ]That's what GZip (and lately BZip2) are for. Most of the times you will encounter tar files as either .tar.gz or .tar.bz2...

Right, if you look beyond the horizon of the Windows platform, you will most likely encounter tar.gz archives... wink_o.gif

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