ARI (compressed archive)
From Just Solve the File Format Problem
ARI is a compressed archive utility for DOS, and associated file format, developed by RAO Inc. It was distributed as freeware, and there was a registered version with more features.
File structure
This information (written for the fileformats.archiveteam.org wiki) pertains to ARI and ERI, and is based on reverse engineering. It may be incorrect, and is likely incomplete. The software has many features whose effect on the format has not been tested.
An ARI or ERI file is a sequence of "member file" segments, each with the following structure:
| Size in bytes | Name | Description and remarks |
|---|---|---|
| path_len | filename_path | Variable size, often absent. The logic for finding the size is unclear. |
| 8 | filename_base | Filename, base part, padded with spaces or NUL bytes |
| 3 | filename_ext | Filename extension, padded |
| 1 | File attributes and other flags. 0x80 bit may be set when filename_path is present. | |
| 2 | timestamp_time | DOS time/date |
| 2 | timestamp_date | |
| 4 | Original file size | |
| 4 | member_size | Total size of this member (header + cdata) |
| 4 | CRC-32, unknown algorithm | |
| member_size−(path_len+28) | cdata | Compressed file data |
Related formats
- ERI (compressed archive) - successor?
Software
- ARI 1.12 (seems very buggy)
- ARI 1.13u: Simtel MSDOS 1996-09 → Simtel-MSDOS-Sep1996-CD2.iso → DISC2/ARCERS/ARI113U.ZIP
- ARI 1.13v
- Another copy: CHIP 1996. október (CD 08) → CHIP_CD08.{BIN,CUE} → sac/pack/ari113v.zip
- ARI 1.14
- ARI 1.14c and 1.13w
- Another copy: DP Tool Club CD ASC #03, 08, 31-34 → CDASC_33_1996_novembre.iso → DOS/TOOLS/ARI114C.ZIP
- ARI 2.14
- ARI 2.15
- ARI 2.2
- Various versions of ARI at old-dos.ru
