Syberia II Extractor for Syberia II full and demo version (C) 2004-2005 Created by Qtz.

About:
This program can extract files stored in Syberia II data files.
There is possibility to create Syberia II data file from extracted files (edited) or create new archive.
There in no any compression used.

Archive that come with game is used to store multimedia files which are usually highly compressed.
Example  voice/music - mp3, graphics - jpg, movies - bik.
So there is no need to use any compression to that kind of archive - files stored in that kind of container should be compressed first with their appropriate format.
Why then they use such as format?
In my opinion they want player to not see graphics, animation, movies... this may ruin game play (I create this program after I finished the game - so do not use this program with game until you reach end of it - Highly Recommended!)
Of course this is little trivial reason... (but very good for adventure game)
In Syberia I - game files have changed extension and removed headers - so player is not able to see graphics... so why then Syberia II have such file format?
When you have many little files - access is longer (slower) than when you access one big file, also on HD formatted with FAT file system - big file take less room than many small files - so there is the reason! This solution also prevent player from see game files, keep file names and there in no need to cut files headers! So this is very good idea to keep multimedia files in that kind of container.

Syberia II file format Summary:
- no compression (use for multimedia files already compressed)
- files are not easy to see (without program like this or ripper)
- no need to remove headers (anyway remove headers may prevent of ripping)
- archive keep original file names and subdirectories
- access is faster
- less room needed

Hint: you may create .syb archive from non compressed files, then compress it with WinRar (for example) - this archive will be smaller than archive created by WinRar itself (even smaller than solid archive!) - tested on text files - reduced about 1/3 in size! compared to same files compressed with WinRar only (solid archive).

To Do (important to know what work wrong - not fixed etc.):

- add detect available free space (check free space and count disk cost)
- add disc full error detection
- handle extract/build i/o errors
- detect read only files (on HD and from CD)
- add more keys support in drv select boxes (only Enter work)
- add refresh Build destination path key (F5) - needed after .lst edit
- add tool tip box in dir select boxes (?)
- overwrite - add: overwrite/skip/overwrite all/skip all/cancel buttons
- check source .syb file size - correct or not
- file name should be read by same function (byte by byte - not by input) in extract and build - this may cause problems with files with non ASCII characters in name

Bug: when first line of .lst doesn't contains correct .syb name and user edit this file - this file must be reloaded (still old data in memory) - without reload this may cause strange effect - do not even try...
(if you want to edit opened .lst file - you must reopen it after edit - select source again after editing)
Fix (not implemented yet): before "build" operation program should reload data from .lst...

Bug: if .lst contains paths (created with "/S") - do not move this file and directory...
Fix (not implemented yet): paths should be omitted during .syb file creation.

Rules:
- list file is always overwritten by new version when extracting
- do not extract .syb which contains subdirectory to deep nested directory

Hints:
- to overwrite all / skip all - press Alt + Y / Alt + N (or other appropriate letter for language other than English)
  Note: you may release Alt key after letter pressing :-)
- to look / edit .bik files (extracted) you need radgametools program
- To run game with modified file(s) you may just copy new archive file (which contains files and name as original - build based on .lst which was created during extraction) into appropriate directory on HD ("Data" subdirectory in game directory)

- how to create list file and build new .syb file? (not to use with game - just for file storage)

If you want to store your files in Syberia II data file format you must create your own ".lst" file.
To store any files in .syb archive:
- go to directory which you want to store in .syb file (this directory must contains only files which you want to store)
- in this directory type in command prompt:

      DIR /B /O-D-G > "ArchiveFileName.lst"
  
  "/B" - simple format - required
  "/O-D-G" - sort mode - new files from beginning (to list .lst as first), directories at end (for clarity). You may use other sorting method instead of this, but that is very comfortable.
  
  Note: if you want to store subdirectories you must add "/S" parameter:
  
      DIR /B /S /O-D-G > "ArchiveFileName.lst"
  
  Note: empty subdirectories are skipped anyway, however you may store empty files (now I know why arj do that ;-)
        so to keep empty subdirectory in archive you must put placeholder file (may be empty)  to "empty" subdirectory which you want to store.

        (however this will be possible to store empty subdirectories - max size file may be recognized as empty directory... not implemented - since this will be not compatible with game...)
 
 "ArchiveFileName.lst" - of course you may type any filename with extension ".lst", but better use archive file name you want to create

- open newly created ".lst" file with notepad and search for "ArchiveFileName.lst" move this name to first line in this file and change extension to ".syb" (if you use dir command as above this file will be on top), save file and exit notepad
  Note: do not store "ArchiveFileName.lst" in your archive this file will be ignored during extraction

  Note: you may put some files to archive twice or more time... (do not use move file option if you want to store file few times in one archive)


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