Short description of Shar format used to store ACM Algorithm submissions ------------------------------------------------------------------------ From algorithm 757 all ACM algorithm files will be stored in shar format. This will allow the separate files that make up each algorithm to be easily extracted and will permit the files to be collected in a more natural and structured way. The individual files which make up each algorithm will be placed, as far as possible, in the same directory structure. A template of this structure is as follows Src Dp -- double precision version of the main algorithm code. This currently includes any auxiliary libraries (e.g., blas etc) although these may be collected separately at a later stage. Sp -- single precision version of the main algorithm code. This currently includes any auxiliary libraries (e.g., blas etc) although these may be collected separately at a later stage. Drivers Dp -- double precision versions of test programs along with data (if necessary) and test results (if available). Sp -- single precision versions of test programs along with data (if necessary) and test results (if available). Doc -- directory containing machine readable documentation, makefiles, etc. (Note: this directory may be empty.) Splitting the file without the shar utility ------------------------------------------- A version of the shar program is available free via the GNU software foundation. Copies may be obtained via anonymous ftp from ftp://unix.hensa.ac.uk/ ftp://uunet????/ If shar is not available then an editor may be used to split the file into its components. The shar file contains the following commands in addition to the source of the files 1. Lines commencing with cd 'string' indicate that the following files should be unpacked into a directory named string. Any following commands of this form indicate subdirectories. A cd command of the form cd .. indicates that following commands should be executed up a level in the directory hierarchy. 2. The contents of the separate files are contained within a pair of lines of the form cat << \SHAR_EOF > 'filename' . . . SHAR_EOF 3. Other lines starting with if test .... then . . else . . fi ... are used by the shar program to prevent the overwriting of existing files or the creation of existing directories. Tim Hopkins Oct 6 1996