To convert a folder into a self-extracting archive:
# creates an archive file
rsea <src_folder> > <target_archive_file>
# outputs the archive to STDOUT
rsea <src_folder>To extract the archive:
ruby <archive_file> <optional_dest_folder># Create the archive
> rsea ./test > myarchive.sar.rb
# Extract the archive into a tmp folder
> ruby myarchive.sar.rb ./tmpWhat is the point of this? Doesn’t tar, shar, zip, stamp and a whole slew of other archiving utilies provide everything one might want?
Maybe not! RSEA has a unique mix of features that can be useful in certain situations.
The archive format is a human readable and maybe human editable text file. This makes visual inspection super easy and allows one to make small adjustments. Since the archive IS Ruby, you also have the ability to do some interesting tricks with string interpolation. For example, you could use the format as a templating system that dynamically integrates some user options at extraction time. You could also augment the archive with some pre or post-processing, if for instance you were using it as an application installer.
It’s also cross-platform. Ruby is readily available on all major operating systems. Archive on Linux, extract on Windows. No problem.
It supports text and binary files. It guesses file type based on extension and defaults to binary when none is provided. Binary files are base64 encoded so they travel easily.
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Human readable archive format
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Human editable metadata
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Handles text AND binary files
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Works on Linux, Ruby, Windows, etc
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Single dependency: ruby
Want to contribute to a nifty little open source project? There are a few enhancements that could be made with just a couple lines of code
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❏ Binary file detection without
mimemagic -
✓ Gemify this
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❏ Allow explicit list of files as input instead of folder only
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❏ Enable file permissions & ownership flags
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❏ Document interpolation possibilities
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❏ Tests would be nice
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❏ Cross-platform executable?