Here is the latest version of Pack-Ice (2.40).

There have only been little changes:
- The files that are packed executable are now 6 bytes smaller. Wow.
  Isn't that great. This might save up to 1 kB on your disk. If the
  file was 1030 bytes before and now it is 1024, then you gained 1kB
  of disk space...
- The program is compatible to more programs. Try the programs that
  never worked when they were packed with any packer. It might work
  now. (No promises made...)
- You can tell the program what to do with use of the command line.
  If you have the new TT or whatever Tos, then you can drag all
  executable files on Pack-Ice and they will be packed. I can't try
  this myself, because I have a smelly old 1040 with old TOS.
  Hey! My ST is not THAT bad. It is one of the few limited machines
  on which Nick of TCB has coded. I even have a document to prove
  that! Now, isn't that a tremendous gain of value? OK, yes. Still
  the above mentioned feature does not work on my ST.
  Anyway, you can install a certain extension to be packed by the
  packer. You can find out how this is done if you look through your
  Atari ST owners manual where you can also find out how to format 
  disks and to copy disks only after you formatted them and the like.
- Chaos Inc. (and all others how need such a thing) can now type a 
  command line that has a "$" in the beginning, followed by those 
  characters that are equivalent to the keypresses made when using
  the packer.
  Example "$1yFUCK_YOU.PI1" will pack the file FUCK_YOU.PI1 as picture
  file.
- You can also select the path using the text input!!! You don't need
  to use the alert boxes. This will also work with correct paths.
  I finally had the guts to program this kind of shit.
- This is the first new Pack-Ice version after a break of about 
  half a year. But now, I got some motivation from other people who 
  (I couldn't believe it) ARE still interested in new versions.... 
  So, here is the first one. 
  I didn't take much time to do this one, but wait what comes next.
  I probably would have done another version if not that beta test
  version had spread out without me wanting it. But after everybody
  had it, I didn't feel too much like making a newer version.
  Anyway, it did not happen on purpose, so there is nobody to blame.

Superior are (in alphabetical order): Axe, Jabba, Jinx, Wanderer.
Delight or FOF no longer exist since we founded that new group.

Enough for this read_me file. 

This text will restart from the beginning now.

WRAP.....




                      ~-~-~-~-~-~ Axe/Superior ~-~-~-~-~-~

 Note of the "ST NEWS" editorial staff:

 The  presence of this packer was not SPECIFICALLY  mentioned  in 
the article about packing algorithms, but here it is anyway. This 
is  a  world exclusive thing,  actually,  as this is  the  latest 
version of the packer that's BEST.
 The sources are probably only useful to coders.
 You  can usually pack executable files without  a  problem,  but 
make a backup in case you're not sure 'cause the orginal file  is 
overwitten by the packed one.
 If  you decide to pack DATA files or PICTURES that are  supposed 
to be loaded by a specific program,  this specific program has to 
take  care  of  all the depacking - it won't  work  if  you  will 
compress a game data file, for example, without the game actually 
de-compressing the datafile itself.
 This  means  that the sources are of interest most to  your  own 
programs that use packed stuff.
 If  you're  not a coder,  just use it to  pack  your  executable 
files. It should save a lot of space.

 All documents on this "ST NEWS" disk were compressed by Pack Ice 
(version  2.34).  1032  Kb  of text were compressed  to  550  Kb, 
assuring that this "ST NEWS" features more than any issue before!

 Have fun packing. Bye.

 Oh yeah.

 "ST NEWS" is the hottest ST disk mag.  In case this packer  gets 
spread  separately  from  the  rest of the  "ST  NEWS"  issue  it 
belonged to, you might want to get all of it. This can be done by 
sending a disk plus 3 International Reply Coupons (add 2 IRC's if 
you  live outside Europe) to the address below.  Add a note  that 
you want "ST NEWS" Volume 6 Issue 2.
 The address:  ST NEWS,  Richard Karsmakers, Looplantsoen 50, NL-
3523 GV, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
 Disks sent without IRC's will be accepted as friendly  donations 
and will not be returned!
