Author Topic: Universal Extractor (Read 20706 times)

lanux128 · « **on:** November 22, 2006, 08:36 PM »

this tool claims to "extract files from any type of archive, whether it's a simple zip file, an installation program, or even a Windows Installer (.msi) package." i think, it will come in handy if anyone wants to just extract files from the installers

btw, happens to be written in AutoIt and acts a front-end for a lot of other cmd-line programs. more info at the website and its forum:

Universal Extractor
Main Window

Universal Extractor context menu

Renegade · « **Reply #1 on:** November 23, 2006, 07:20 AM »

It's a good program. I use it to open installers on a regular basis. Works like a charm.

It's a bit awkward for regular daily use as there are friendlier alternatives, but for power users and developers, it's a must have.

And were those screen shots taken with Screen Captor by any chance? It's a pretty good program from what I've seen.

(Thanks mouser!)

Lashiec · « **Reply #2 on:** November 23, 2006, 07:21 AM »

Nice to see that someone noticed the existence of this excellent tool. Now, if only it would work under Windows98...

lanux128 · « **Reply #3 on:** November 23, 2006, 07:19 PM »

as far as i can gather from UniExtract's documents, i think support for Win9x is on the author's to do list..

windows 9x compatability issues - comment 285
-uniextract_todo.txt

Renegade · « **Reply #4 on:** November 24, 2006, 12:28 AM »

as far as i can gather from UniExtract's documents, i think support for Win9x is on the author's to do list..
-lanux128 (November 23, 2006, 07:19 PM)

Nah... He can't possibly be THAT bored!

lanux128 · « **Reply #5 on:** November 24, 2006, 12:55 AM »

well, he did admit that he got carried away a little..

In the process I got a little carried away and ended up throwing in support for every kind of archive format I possibly could find.
-website

btw, i just realized, one of the tools used (PEiD) is partly developed by Jibz.

P.S. i'm liking this tool more & more..

Lashiec · « **Reply #6 on:** November 24, 2006, 04:33 AM »

btw, i just realized, one of the tools used (PEiD) is partly developed by Jibz.
-lanux128 (November 24, 2006, 12:55 AM)

PEiD is another excellent tool, too.

lanux128 · « **Reply #7 on:** May 13, 2010, 12:21 AM »

necro-thread alert!

after so long, an old favourite, Universal Extractor is updated! now in version: 1.6.1 and the changes are too numerous to list here. check out the changelog.

• http://www.legroom.n.../software/uniextract

daddydave · « **Reply #8 on:** May 13, 2010, 05:02 AM »

I'm also a fan of Universal Extractor. The only way I could get .NET 3.5 Mobile installed on my Dell Axim was to extract the .CAB file from setup and install that. I've also used it to make custom installs for myself (another of my useless hobbies I had to abandon

)

jaden · « **Reply #9 on:** May 13, 2010, 11:59 AM »

Another big fan here. It's Ctrl-2 in Free Commander (Ctrl-1 is to extract zips) and I use it at least once a day. I was updating the backend utilities manually, then found Lupo PenSuite's version. It's nice to see an update from the author.

lanux128 · « **Reply #10 on:** May 13, 2010, 12:10 PM »

.. I was updating the backend utilities manually, then found Lupo PenSuite's version. It's nice to see an update from the author.
-jaden (May 13, 2010, 11:59 AM)

i was updating manually too, mostly Innounp. if only i had known about your updates, would have saved me some time.

jaden · « **Reply #11 on:** May 13, 2010, 07:52 PM »

Agreed

The other one I recall updating was 7zip to get the Foobar2000 installer to extract. I just checked and it's not working again. Blast! I can manually extract with 7-zip, but UE identifies it as NSIS and extracts a bunch of .bin files.

AbteriX · « **Reply #12 on:** May 14, 2010, 02:55 AM »

Here's an another big fan of UniExtract, i use it on an daily base

If someone is interested, here is my collection of how to integrate UniEx in my favorite file managers:

XYplorer:

XYplorer POM (Portable Open-with Menu):
Autoextract selected archive to subfolder named as the archive:
+|"UniExtract" *>::run """<xypath>\Tools\UniExtract\UniExtract.exe"" ""<curitem>"" ""<curpath><curbase>""";

or short with UniEx parameter "/sub" (which i found out later):
+|"UniExtract" *>::run """<xypath>\Tools\UniExtract\UniExtract.exe"" ""<curitem>"" /sub";

or if you wanna be prompted by the UniEx dialog just call UniEx with one parameter (the archive) only:
+|"UniExtract Prompt" *>::run """<xypath>\Tools\UniExtract\UniExtract.exe"" ""<curitem>"" ";

XYplorer script for Menu, Catalog or CTB (Customized Toolbar Button):
"UniExtract: <curname>"
run """<xypath>\Tools\UniExtract\UniExtract.exe"" ""<curitem>"" /sub";

to be prompted by UniEx
"UniExtract prompt: <curname>"
run """<xypath>\Tools\UniExtract\UniExtract.exe"" ""<curitem>"" ";

Total Commander:
%Commander_PATH%\Tools\UniExtract\UniExtract.exe
%P%N "%P%O"

or untested:
%P%N /sub

or to be prompted
%P%N

Servant Salamander / Altap Salamander:
Command: $(SalDir)Tools\UniExtract\UniExtract.exe
Arguments: "$(FullName)" "$(Path)\$(NamePart)"

or untested
Arguments: "$(FullName)" /sub

or to be prompted
Arguments: "$(FullName)"

Inital Dir: $(FullPath)

-------------------------------------

FreeCommander:

To integrate with Free Commander, use this as the parameter: %ActivSel% /sub
-jaden (May 15, 2010, 12:14 PM)

-------------------------------------

btw, what is the "/sub" for?
-lanux128 (May 14, 2010, 04:22 AM)

"/sub" is an UniExtractor command line parameter to extract the archive automatically
to an sub-folder named as the base name of the archive.

The command line syntax of UniExtractor is
path to\UniExtract.exe [archive] [destination]
or
path to\UniExtract.exe archive /sub

For example:
X:\Tools\UniExtractor\UniExtractor "D:\Downloads\my downloaded archive.zip" "D:\Downloads\my downloaded archive"
or simple
X:\Tools\UniExtractor\UniExtractor "D:\Downloads\my downloaded archive.zip" /sub

-

For file managers this command line is made universal by using an
file manager-own parameter as placeholder for the real names as shown above
like
%P%N OR <curitem> OR $(FullName) for path\file.ext
%P OR <curpath> OR $(Path) for path
%N OR <curname> for file.ext
%O OR <curbase> OR $(NamePart) for file
%E OR <curext> for ext
%P%O OR <curpath>\<curbase> OR $(Path)\$(NamePart) for path\file

Depending on the syntax of the file manager you may use.

-

I was wondering from where *i* got this info and found it on the homepage:
"UniExtract can also be run from the command line. Run UniExtract.exe /? for detailed command line parameters."

So you get an dialog with this text:

Extract files from any archive type or installer package.

Usage: UniExtract.exe [/help | /prefs] [filename [destination]]

Supported Arguments:

   /help      Display this help information
   /prefs      Adjust the UniExtract preferences
   filename   Name of file to extract
   destination   Directory to which to extract

Passing /sub instead of a destination directory name instructs
Universal Extractor to extract to subdirectory named after the archive.

Example:
   UniExtract.exe c:\1\example.zip c:\test

Running Universal Extractor without any arguments will
prompt the user for the filename and destination directory.

HTH?

Curt · « **Reply #13 on:** May 14, 2010, 03:29 AM »

It really is quite difficult for me to install this Universal Extractor, because Outpost Security Suite will at once quarantine several parts of it, as being malware.

But of course, I am merely being curious; hardly need it for anything... $:-\$

lanux128 · « **Reply #14 on:** May 14, 2010, 04:22 AM »

Here's an another big fan of UniExtract, i use it on an daily base

If someone is interested, here is my collection of how to integrate UniEx in my favorite file managers:
...
-AbteriX (May 14, 2010, 02:55 AM)

thanks for the tips, AbteriX. it's nice to be able to add into Altap's user menu. btw, what is the "/sub" for?

AbteriX · « **Reply #15 on:** May 14, 2010, 05:39 AM »

btw, what is the "/sub" for?
-lanux128 (May 14, 2010, 04:22 AM)

Thanks for the question lanux, i have modified my post above ↑↑↑

"/sub" is an UniExtractor command line parameter to extract the archive automatically
to an sub-folder named as the base name of the archive.

lanux128 · « **Reply #16 on:** May 14, 2010, 05:50 AM »

Thanks for the question lanux, i have modified my post above ↑↑↑

"/sub" is an UniExtractor command line parameter to extract the archive automatically
to an sub-folder named as the base name of the archive.
-AbteriX (May 14, 2010, 05:39 AM)

thanks again, Stefan. it didn't occur to me to run UniExtract.exe with a /? parameter..

daddydave · « **Reply #17 on:** May 14, 2010, 06:27 AM »

It integrates into Windows Explorer very nicely out of the box. In fact, that's usually the only way I run it. I guess I should feel lucky I use the built in file manager

. Or perhaps that I have simple needs.

Off topic, but do you recognize the background picture? (Personally I think the car entered the the building from the outside. Can you say, government coverup?

)

daddydave · « **Reply #18 on:** May 14, 2010, 06:58 AM »

It really is quite difficult for me to install this Universal Extractor, because Outpost Security Suite will at once quarantine several parts of it, as being malware.
-Curt (May 14, 2010, 03:29 AM)

False positives are to be expected to some extent in any antivirus, but if it is flat out quarantining it, that seems crazy. It would bad enough if it were merely one of those so called antivirus programs that mindlessly flagged it as suspicious because of UPX compression.

AbteriX · « **Reply #19 on:** May 14, 2010, 09:32 AM »

It really is quite difficult for me to install this Universal Extractor, because Outpost Security Suite will at once quarantine several parts of it, as being malware.
-Curt (May 14, 2010, 03:29 AM)

False positives are to be expected to some extent in any antivirus, but if it is flat out quarantining it, that seems crazy. It would bad enough if it were merely one of those so called antivirus programs that mindlessly flagged it as suspicious because of UPX compression.
-daddydave (May 14, 2010, 06:58 AM)

Hi Curt,

you may try the de-compress the UniExtract.exe by using UPX commandline option -d
like
UPX -d C:\Programs\UniExtractor\UniExtractor.exe

Universal Extractor

jaden · « **Reply #20 on:** May 15, 2010, 12:14 PM »

To integrate with Free Commander, use this as the parameter: %ActivSel% /sub

lanux128 · « **Reply #21 on:** May 15, 2010, 12:39 PM »

Total Commander:
%Commander_PATH%\Tools\UniExtract\UniExtract.exe
"%P%N" "%P%O"

or untested:
"%P%N" /sub

or to be prompted
"%P%N"
-AbteriX (May 14, 2010, 02:55 AM)

hi Stefan, i was trying out these commands and found out that the quotation marks aren't needed in most cases. i list the changes below..

Total Commander:
%Commander_PATH%\Tools\UniExtract\UniExtract.exe
"%P%N" "%P%O" --> doesn't work
%P%N "%P%O" --> works

or untested:
"%P%N" /sub --> doesn't work
%P%N /sub --> works

or to be prompted
"%P%N" --> doesn't work
%P%N --> works

AbteriX · « **Reply #22 on:** May 15, 2010, 04:49 PM »

You are absolutely right lanux.

In case of using %P%N Total Commander adds the quotes at its own,
so by using "%P%N" we end up with ""%P%N""

Because i still use my old ini with my test from the past, which still use the parameter "%P%O.%E" "%P%O",
i didn't notice the quoting mistake earlier. (TC didn't add quotes itself for %P%O.%E, only for %P%N)

Sorry for the confusion, my examples above are just an copy&paste-in from an older list of mine.
Maybe TC had handled the quotes different in the past, or it was because off that i didn't known it better in that old times.

Great you solved it

... i will edit my post above the same way.
BTW, if you add an leading '?' in the TC parameter filed you will be prompted by TC to show
you the command for double check: Parameter: ?%P%N , so you find out such errors quicker.

.

lanux128 · « **Reply #23 on:** May 15, 2010, 09:31 PM »

thanks for the info, Stefan. i'm a TC newbie and only started using it from version 7.xx so didn't know about the older version's syntax.

sajman99 · « **Reply #24 on:** June 19, 2010, 12:36 PM »

Universal Extractor is a great utility which I'm using more often lately.

For example, I recently downloaded the setup file for the freeware Duplicate Cleaner 1.45b from the official Digital Volcano site. I consider that site to be a "trusted" download site, but nonetheless I extracted the setup file (which was noticeably larger than the prior version) and it had some strange foreign files in there which looked suspicious to me.

I'm not a spyware expert, and I honestly have no idea what was going on there--all I know is it looked suspect. I have the 1.45a setup file, and none of those foreign files were included in that version.

Thanks to Universal Extractor, I didn't have to worry about possibly infecting/compromising my system. I extracted the essential files, and avoided any issues.