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.TH "ALF" 1 "2025-11-26" "0.2.0" "Urchlay's Atari 8-bit Tools"
.SH NAME
alf \- create Atari 8-bit ALF archives
.\" RST source for alf(1) man page. Convert with:
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.\" rst2man.py alf.rst > alf.1
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.SH SYNOPSIS
.sp
alf [\fB\-\-help\fP] [\fB\-a\fP | \fB\-o\fP ] \fIalf\-file\fP \fIfile\fP [\fIfile\fP ...]
.SH DESCRIPTION
.sp
\fBalf\fP creates \fIALF\fP archives.
.sp
\fIALF\fP is a compressed archive format similar to \fBarc\fP(1), though
not compatible with it. It was used on the Atari 8\-bit platform
beginning in the late 1980s. The Atari executables are \fBLZ.COM\fP
for the compressor and \fBDZ.COM\fP for the decompressor. \fBalf\fP is a
rewrite of \fBLZ.COM\fP for modern operating systems, with added features.
.sp
By default, the \fIalf\-file\fP is created, and the \fIfile\fPs are compressed
and added to it. If \fIalf\-file\fP already existed, it is backed up by adding
a \fB~\fP to the filename.
.SH OPTIONS
.INDENT 0.0
.TP
.B \-a
Append to \fIalf\-file\fP\&. The files are added to the end of the archive. Be
careful not to add a file with the same name as as existing member of
the archive.
.TP
.B \-o
Overwrite \fIalf\-file\fP if it exists; do not make a \fB~\fP backup.
.UNINDENT
.SH EXIT STATUS
.INDENT 0.0
.TP
.B 0
Success.
.TP
.B 1
Fatal error (I/O or bad command\-line arguments).
.UNINDENT
.SH NOTES
.sp
This \fBalf\fP is \fIintended\fP to be 100% compatible with the original
Atari \fBLZ.COM\fP aka \fBALF.COM\fP, with the following differences:
.INDENT 0.0
.IP \(bu 2
There is no interactive mode. The file to create and the files to add
must be given as command\-line arguments.
.IP \(bu 2
\fBLZ.COM\fP always appends to a file that already exists. This \fBalf\fP
overwrites (making a backup) by default, and can append with the \fB\-a\fP
option.
.UNINDENT
.sp
Note that \fBalf\fP is a complete reverse\-engineered rewrite in C, \fInot\fP
a port of the original 6502 code as \fBunalf\fP is. It\(aqs still being
tested, and may still contain bugs.
.sp
Performance is \fIhorrible\fP, O(n^2) or worse. This shouldn\(aqt be a real
problem on modern multi\-GHz CPU, especially since most Atari 8\-bit
files are small (usually under 64KB). Compressing a 1.3MB text file
takes 5 seconds on the author\(aqs (rather modest) Intel i7 workstation.
A 50KB file takes 0.2 seconds, which is more typical of the files
you\(aqd actually use this with.
.SH COPYRIGHT
.sp
The original AlfCrunch (\fBDZ.COM\fP and \fBLZ.COM\fP) for the Atari 8\-bit
was released into the Public Domain. \fBalf\fP contains no code from
AlfCrunch.
.sp
\fBalf\fP is released under the WTPFL: Do WTF you want with this.
.SH AUTHOR
.sp
The original AlfCrunch for the Atari 8\-bit was written by Alfred, who
can be reached via the AtariAge.com forums with the username "Alfred".
.sp
This \fBalf\fP was written by B. Watson <\fI\%urchlay@slackware.uk\fP>.
.SH SEE ALSO
.sp
\fBunalf\fP(1), \fBalfls\fP(1)
.sp
The git repository for \fBunalf\fP:
.INDENT 0.0
.INDENT 3.5
\fI\%https://slackware.uk/~urchlay/repos/unalf\fP
.UNINDENT
.UNINDENT
.sp
Other Atari\-related projects by the author, including \fBbw\-atari8\-tools\fP
and \fBunmac65\fP:
.INDENT 0.0
.INDENT 3.5
\fI\%https://slackware.uk/~urchlay/repos/\fP
.UNINDENT
.UNINDENT
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