The JCapper File Unzipper

Author: Jeff Platt

Date Last Modified: 3/11/2017

 

 

General Overview

 

HDW Files

Do not use the JCapper File Unzipper for files downloaded from the HDW website.

 

For HDW files: Read the Processing HDW Data and Results Files With The HDW File Manager help doc and use the HDW File Manager instead of the JCapper File Unzipper.

 

For automating your HDW file download experience: Read the Automating HDW File Downloads help doc and use the HDW File Manager.

 

 

Brisnet Files

The JCapper File Unzipper is designed to provide an intuitive way for performing one task: unzipping files downloaded from the Brisnet website.

 

Files can be unzipped one at a time or in groups. The module comes with a File Filtering Tool designed to enable the user to populate the module’s file list boxes with desired file types. When the operation of the module’s visual elements is understood you will be able to find and unzip files at will.

 

This help doc is not illustrated. To get the most out of this Help Document, open the File Unzipper and look at it as needed. The simple layout of the File Unzipper’s screens should dovetail quite nicely with the text descriptions of it found in this help doc.

 

 

Visual Elements and Operation

The JCapper File Unzipper has the following visual elements:

 

            1. Drive List Box

            2. Folder List Box

            3. Zip File List Box

            4. Data and Results File List Box

            5. Unzip Selected Files Button

            6. File Filter Tool Button

            7. File Type Drop Down

 

Each visual element serves a specific purpose. A short description about the function and use of each element appears below.

 

Drive List Box

The Drive List Box allows the user to select drives. Available drives are displayed in the Drive List Box. Upon startup, the drive where your Default Data Folder is located will be the initial drive selected in the Drive List Box. To select a different drive, use your mouse to open the Drive List Box and click on the desired drive.

 

Note: If your machine is equipped with DVD, CD, or Floppy Drives, and you click on one of these drives without a disc in the drive, you will get a device unavailable message. To use that drive, you will need to insert a disc into the drive first.

 

Folder List Box

The Folder List Box allows the user to select folders. Available folders for the current drive are displayed in the Folder List Box. Upon startup, your Default Data Folder will be the initial folder selected in the Folder List Box. To select a different folder, use your mouse and double click on the desired folder.

 

Zip File List Box

The Zip File List Box displays all zip files of the current file type that are sitting on the current folder. To unzip a single zip file, simply double click the file name of the zip file you want to unzip. After the file has been extracted, the Data and Results File List Box will refresh. The file name of the extracted file will become visible in the Data and Results File List Box.

 

Unzipping Multiple Files

Unzipping Multiple Files is a two step process:

  1. Select files by filename.
  2. Click the Unzip Selected Files Button

 

Multiple zip file names can be selected by any of the following means:

  1. Mouse Ctrl-Click
  2. Dragging the Mouse Cursor
  3. Shift-Up Arrow
  4. Shift-Down Arrow

 

 

Data and Results File List Box

The Data and Results File List Box displays all file names of the current file type. This file does respond to mouse or keyboard events for locating files only. You can’t use it to copy, rename, or delete files. Its sole purpose is to display file names only.

 

File Type Drop Down

The File Type Drop Down allows users to populate the file list boxes by desired file type. The default setting is Bris $1.00 DRF Single Format Data File (*.drf). If you are a TSN user you will need to select the appropriate file type that you will be using. Other Modules is JCapper (File Downloader, Card Loader, and the Database Builder) will recognize persisted file type selections made with this drop down. Typically, users make an initial file type selection. After that, because the file type selection is recognized by other modules, there is no longer a need to change the selection.

 

Unzip Selected Files Button

When the Unzip Selected Files Button is clicked all file names currently selected in the Zip File List Box are extracted onto the current folder. If no zip file names are selected when the button is clicked then no action is taken.

 

File Filter Tool Button

When the File Filter Tool Button is clicked the File Filter Tool is opened. The File Filter Tool is designed to allow users to filter file names that appear in the Zip File List Box and the Data and Results File List Box by file type.

 

 

The File Filter Tool

The File Filter Tool allows users to populate the Zip File List Box and the Data and Results File List Box with desired file types. The File Filter Tool has the following visual elements - when the operation of these visual elements is understood, you will have the ability to populate the File Unzipper’s file list boxes with desired file types at will:

  1. Track Code Text Box
  2. Month Drop Down
  3. Day Drop Down
  4. File Extension Drop Down
  5. Apply Button
  6. Reset Button
  7. Cancel Button

 

 

Track Code Text Box

You can filter the file list boxes for an individual track by entering a valid three character track code in the Track Code Text Box. Valid three character track codes are the same as the first three characters of the file name itself. For example, the valid three character track code for the Bris $1.00 Single Format Data File for Gulfstream Park for March 17, 2007 is GPX which corresponds to the first three letters of the filename: GPX0317.DRF.

 

Filtering by track is easy. To filter the file list boxes for Gulfstream Park, simply enter GPX (the valid 3 character track code) in the Track Code Text Box and click the Apply Button. All GPX files of the current file type on the current folder will be displayed in the file list boxes.

 

Month Drop Down

The Month Drop Down allows you to filter file list boxes by month. Simply select a month from the drop down and click the Apply Button.

 

Day Drop Down

The Day Drop Down allows you to filter file list boxes by day. Simply select a day from the drop down and click the Apply Button.

 

File Extension Drop Down

The File Extension Drop Down allows you to filter file list boxes by file extension. Simply select a file extension from the drop down and click the Apply Button.

 

Apply Button

When the Apply Button is clicked, current user selections in the File Filter Tool are applied to the File Unzipper’s file list boxes.

 

Reset Button

When the File Filter Tool is first opened it will have the following default settings:

  1. Track: none
  2. Month: the month from today’s date
  3. Day: the day from today’s date
  4. File Extension: the file type selected in the File Type Drop Down

 

Clicking the Reset Button restores the File Filter Tool to its default settings.

 

Cancel Button

Clicking the Cancel Button closes the File Filter Tool. No filtering is performed on the Unzipper’s file list boxes.

 

 

 

Technical Notes:

1. The JCapper File Unzipper is based on the same code library as the JCapper File Downloader. In fact all of the functionality found in the File Unzipper can also be found on Screen Two of the File Downloader. The File Unzipper was designed with new users in mind. Unlike the File Downloader, the File Unzipper was designed for the single task of unzipping files. The File Unzipper, hopefully, presents the interface for file unzipping in a very easy to understand and intuitive way.

 

2. Both the File Unzipper and the File Downloader require the presence of the following dll file: unzip32.dll. This dll must be present on the same folder as the exe file for the module using it. In JCapper, this dll can be found on the c:\JCapper\exe folder.