s01003e1.htm: How to search the web, by fravia+ s01003e1.htm

~ Microsoft explorer horrors ~

			Fravia's special pages

Version April 2000

Microsoft Explorer Version 4
zipped: over 66 million bytes!

[MSIE installfiles] [An example: Merlin.cab] [What are cab files?]

Here a list of the cab files for MSIE 4
one of them has been explained in detail as an example.

     
 Directory of F:\dazdec\IE40

ACTSETUP CAB       122.601  18/09/97  20:20 ACTSETUP.CAB
AMOV4IE  CAB       512.263  18/09/97   5:21 AMOV4IE.CAB
AXA      CAB       802.557  18/09/97   5:20 AXA.CAB
BRANDING CAB        10.608  18/09/97  20:20 BRANDING.CAB
CHL99    CAB        15.399  18/09/97  20:27 CHL99.CAB
CHLCS_CZ CAB        48.835  18/09/97  20:27 CHLCS_CZ.CAB
CHLDA_DK CAB        62.978  18/09/97  20:27 CHLDA_DK.CAB
CHLDE_AT CAB        40.275  18/09/97  20:28 CHLDE_AT.CAB
CHLDE_CH CAB        36.207  18/09/97  20:28 CHLDE_CH.CAB
CHLDE_DE CAB        52.352  18/09/97  20:28 CHLDE_DE.CAB
CHLEL_GR CAB        76.851  18/09/97  20:28 CHLEL_GR.CAB
CHLEN_AU CAB        52.821  18/09/97  20:29 CHLEN_AU.CAB
CHLEN_BB CAB        35.373  18/09/97  20:29 CHLEN_BB.CAB
CHLEN_BZ CAB        35.371  18/09/97  20:29 CHLEN_BZ.CAB
CHLEN_CA CAB        55.895  18/09/97  20:29 CHLEN_CA.CAB
CHLEN_GY CAB        35.372  18/09/97  20:30 CHLEN_GY.CAB
CHLEN_IE CAB        68.800  18/09/97  20:30 CHLEN_IE.CAB
CHLEN_JM CAB        42.942  18/09/97  20:30 CHLEN_JM.CAB
CHLEN_ME CAB        55.438  18/09/97  20:30 CHLEN_ME.CAB
CHLEN_NZ CAB        61.710  18/09/97  20:31 CHLEN_NZ.CAB
CHLEN_PH CAB        50.207  18/09/97  20:31 CHLEN_PH.CAB
CHLEN_SR CAB        35.369  18/09/97  20:31 CHLEN_SR.CAB
CHLEN_TT CAB        35.377  18/09/97  20:31 CHLEN_TT.CAB
CHLEN_UK CAB        62.290  18/09/97  20:32 CHLEN_UK.CAB
CHLEN_US CAB       154.779  18/09/97  20:32 CHLEN_US.CAB
CHLEN_ZA CAB        55.167  18/09/97  20:32 CHLEN_ZA.CAB
CHLES_AR CAB        48.940  18/09/97  20:32 CHLES_AR.CAB
CHLES_CL CAB        59.330  18/09/97  20:33 CHLES_CL.CAB
CHLES_CO CAB        51.176  18/09/97  20:33 CHLES_CO.CAB
CHLES_CR CAB        60.063  18/09/97  20:33 CHLES_CR.CAB
CHLES_DO CAB        51.749  18/09/97  20:33 CHLES_DO.CAB
CHLES_ES CAB        58.796  18/09/97  20:34 CHLES_ES.CAB
CHLES_GT CAB        50.441  18/09/97  20:34 CHLES_GT.CAB
CHLES_HN CAB        54.844  18/09/97  20:34 CHLES_HN.CAB
CHLES_MX CAB        52.667  18/09/97  20:34 CHLES_MX.CAB
CHLES_NI CAB        54.843  18/09/97  20:34 CHLES_NI.CAB
CHLES_PA CAB        58.197  18/09/97  20:35 CHLES_PA.CAB
CHLES_PE CAB        39.782  18/09/97  20:35 CHLES_PE.CAB
CHLES_PR CAB        50.627  18/09/97  20:35 CHLES_PR.CAB
CHLES_SV CAB        54.845  18/09/97  20:35 CHLES_SV.CAB
CHLES_UY CAB        28.512  18/09/97  20:36 CHLES_UY.CAB
CHLES_VE CAB        65.669  18/09/97  20:36 CHLES_VE.CAB
CHLFI_FI CAB        63.541  18/09/97  20:36 CHLFI_FI.CAB
CHLFR_BE CAB        34.812  18/09/97  20:36 CHLFR_BE.CAB
CHLFR_CH CAB        22.662  18/09/97  20:37 CHLFR_CH.CAB
CHLFR_FR CAB        60.463  18/09/97  20:37 CHLFR_FR.CAB
CHLHI_IN CAB        45.621  18/09/97  20:37 CHLHI_IN.CAB
CHLHR_HR CAB        30.579  18/09/97  20:37 CHLHR_HR.CAB
CHLHU_HU CAB        47.082  18/09/97  20:38 CHLHU_HU.CAB
CHLIN_ID CAB        69.599  18/09/97  20:38 CHLIN_ID.CAB
CHLIT_IT CAB        43.738  18/09/97  20:38 CHLIT_IT.CAB
CHLJA_JP CAB        48.133  18/09/97  20:38 CHLJA_JP.CAB
CHLKO_KR CAB        64.140  18/09/97  20:39 CHLKO_KR.CAB
CHLML_MY CAB        59.018  18/09/97  20:39 CHLML_MY.CAB
CHLNL_BE CAB        39.414  18/09/97  20:39 CHLNL_BE.CAB
CHLNL_NL CAB        57.584  18/09/97  20:39 CHLNL_NL.CAB
CHLNO_NO CAB        53.886  18/09/97  20:40 CHLNO_NO.CAB
CHLPL_PL CAB        67.692  18/09/97  20:40 CHLPL_PL.CAB
CHLPT_BR CAB        61.585  18/09/97  20:40 CHLPT_BR.CAB
CHLPT_PT CAB        49.458  18/09/97  20:40 CHLPT_PT.CAB
CHLRU_RU CAB        61.962  18/09/97  20:41 CHLRU_RU.CAB
CHLSL_SI CAB        22.590  18/09/97  20:41 CHLSL_SI.CAB
CHLSV_SE CAB        47.418  18/09/97  20:41 CHLSV_SE.CAB
CHLTH_TH CAB       102.353  18/09/97  20:41 CHLTH_TH.CAB
CHLTR_TR CAB        64.716  18/09/97  20:42 CHLTR_TR.CAB
CHLZH_CN CAB        49.494  18/09/97  20:42 CHLZH_CN.CAB
CHLZH_HK CAB        57.466  18/09/97  20:42 CHLZH_HK.CAB
CHLZH_SG CAB        47.243  18/09/97  20:42 CHLZH_SG.CAB
CHLZH_TW CAB        72.836  18/09/97  20:43 CHLZH_TW.CAB
DIRECTX  CAB     1.920.567  18/09/97  20:21 DIRECTX.CAB
DXDDEX   CAB        33.166  18/09/97   5:21 DXDDEX.CAB
DXMINI   CAB       339.279  18/09/97  19:32 DXMINI.CAB
DXMININT CAB     1.084.515  18/09/97  20:21 DXMININT.CAB
FILELIST DAT            22  18/09/97  21:26 FILELIST.DAT
FONTCORE CAB       627.056  18/09/97  19:32 FONTCORE.CAB
FONTSUP  CAB       476.972  18/09/97  19:32 FONTSUP.CAB
FPESETUP CAB     1.386.589  18/09/97  19:32 FPESETUP.CAB
ICW95    CAB       315.605  18/09/97  19:32 ICW95.CAB
ICWNT    CAB       200.939  18/09/97  19:32 ICWNT.CAB
IE40CIF  CAB        14.614  18/09/97  20:21 IE40CIF.CAB
IE4DATA  CAB       329.575  18/09/97  20:21 IE4DATA.CAB
IE4DBG   EXE       685.216  18/09/97  19:32 IE4DBG.EXE
IE4MFC40 CAB       529.148  18/09/97  20:21 IE4MFC40.CAB
IE4NT_S1 CAB     1.419.104  18/09/97  20:22 IE4NT_S1.CAB
IE4NT_S2 CAB     1.458.536  18/09/97  20:22 IE4NT_S2.CAB
IE4NT_S3 CAB     1.458.536  18/09/97  20:22 IE4NT_S3.CAB
IE4NT_S4 CAB     1.458.536  18/09/97  20:22 IE4NT_S4.CAB
IE4NT_S5 CAB       183.445  18/09/97  20:23 IE4NT_S5.CAB
IE4SETUP EXE       444.560  18/09/97  20:20 IE4SETUP.EXE
IE4SETUP INI           189  18/09/97   2:43 IE4SETUP.INI
IE4SHL95 CAB       800.014  18/09/97  20:23 IE4SHL95.CAB
IE4SHLNT CAB       945.092  18/09/97  20:23 IE4SHLNT.CAB
IE4SOUND CAB        10.869  18/09/97  20:23 IE4SOUND.CAB
IE4_S1   CAB     1.427.294  18/09/97  20:24 IE4_S1.CAB
IE4_S2   CAB     1.458.534  18/09/97  20:24 IE4_S2.CAB
IE4_S3   CAB     1.458.534  18/09/97  20:24 IE4_S3.CAB
IE4_S4   CAB     1.458.534  18/09/97  20:25 IE4_S4.CAB
IE4_S5   CAB     1.313.010  18/09/97  20:25 IE4_S5.CAB
IEAK4    CAB     1.925.917  18/09/97  20:25 IEAK4.CAB
IEAK4CIF CAB         7.384  18/09/97  20:25 IEAK4CIF.CAB
IEAK4OPT CAB     1.007.617  18/09/97  20:26 IEAK4OPT.CAB
IEJAVA   CAB        26.057  18/09/97  20:26 IEJAVA.CAB
IELPKJA  CAB     2.142.305  18/09/97  19:32 IELPKJA.CAB
IELPKKO  CAB     1.828.906  18/09/97  19:32 IELPKKO.CAB
IELPKPE  CAB     1.102.475  18/09/97  19:32 IELPKPE.CAB
IELPKZHC CAB     2.476.777  18/09/97  19:32 IELPKZHC.CAB
IELPKZHT CAB     3.403.256  18/09/97  19:32 IELPKZHT.CAB
IR50_32  CAB       483.521  18/09/97  19:32 IR50_32.CAB
JAVI386  CAB     2.892.161  18/09/97  19:32 JAVI386.CAB
MAILNEWS CAB     1.472.540  18/09/97  20:26 MAILNEWS.CAB
MERLIN   CAB     2.720.013  18/09/97  19:32 MERLIN.CAB  <-- Uh? What is Merlin?
MNM2095  CAB     1.885.958  18/09/97  19:32 MNM2095.CAB
MNM20NT  CAB     1.787.548  18/09/97  19:32 MNM20NT.CAB
MSAGENT  EXE       338.576  18/09/97  19:32 MSAGENT.EXE
MSCHAT2  CAB       875.227  18/09/97  19:32 MSCHAT2.CAB
MSGMS_1  CAB     1.458.596  18/09/97  19:32 MSGMS_1.CAB
MSGMS_2  CAB     1.458.596  18/09/97  19:32 MSGMS_2.CAB
MSGMS_3  CAB       247.755  18/09/97  19:32 MSGMS_3.CAB
MSMUS_1  CAB       176.434  18/09/97  19:32 MSMUS_1.CAB
MSVBVM50 CAB       704.015  18/09/97  19:32 MSVBVM50.CAB
MSWALLET CAB       314.493  18/09/97  19:32 MSWALLET.CAB
NSIE4    CAB     1.545.651  18/09/97  19:32 NSIE4.CAB
R32MSIE4 EXE     1.226.680  18/09/97  19:32 R32MSIE4.EXE
SASETUP  CAB       340.203  18/09/97  19:32 SASETUP.CAB
SETUPNT  CAB       464.548  18/09/97  20:26 SETUPNT.CAB
SETUPW95 CAB       526.607  18/09/97  20:27 SETUPW95.CAB
SWDIR    CAB     1.245.307  18/09/97  19:32 SWDIR.CAB
SWFLASH  CAB       105.960  18/09/97  19:32 SWFLASH.CAB
VDOLIVE  CAB       141.175  18/09/97  19:32 VDOLIVE.CAB
VRML2C   EXE     1.241.728  18/09/97  19:32 VRML2C.EXE
WPIE4X86 CAB       364.605  18/09/97  19:32 WPIE4X86.CAB
       131 file(s)     66.080.044 bytes

An example:
Merlin

The 2.700.000 bytes long "Merlin" cab file is the package containing Microsoft Agent. You may be excused if you never heard of this software set.
Microsoft Agent displays animated characters in their own windows, a window that always appear at the top of the window z-order (that is, always on top). A user can move a character's window by dragging the character with the left mouse button. This is supposeed to be (in americans' minds) educational and fun. The character image moves with the pointer. In addition, an application can move a character per code using the MoveTo method.

In addition to spoken audio output, the Microsoft Agent interface supports "textual captioning" in the form of text output in cartoon-style word balloons. Words appear in the balloon as they are spoken. The balloon hides once spoken output has been completed.

In other words: Microsoft Agent is a set of softwares supporting Text-To-Speech, Voice Recognition and "text balloons". With the Voice Synthesis, the "character" can speak in different languages and produce at the same time the text you write in sound files. He can play directly WAV format files as well. With Voice Recognition, your character understands you and reacts to your voice orders. People are supposed to use this "as a guide for site presentation" or as "a virtual companion", whatver this is supposed to mean. The balloon reproduces the text the character says.

Note that in order to use Microsoft agent you will need as well

AgentControl (MSAgent.exe 395 Ko), which is the ActiveX control that will give you access to the properties of the Agent.
TrueVoice - (tv_enua.exe 997 Ko): Lernout & Hauspie control that converts texts writing in English to sound format.

Once these components installed, supposed you already have a "character", you still have to visit a web page or an application using Microsoft Agent technology (see below for a small list).

It is unfortunately not yet finished: to "enjoy" Microsoft Agent you will also need

Microsoft Command and Control Engine (actcnc.exe 8363 Ko) if you want to use the voice recognition (only in English, nota bene)
Speech Control Panel (spchcpl.exe 840Ko), with this you can list the vocal synthesis present into your system
Linguistic Inormation Sound Editing Tool (liset.exe 6,3 Mo), you will need it in order to create "custom speech files"

Yes, You guessed it: it's a very "american" (wouldn't be able to find a better adjective) and quite useless feature that you have always had, probably without knowing it, inside your own copy of M$IE. Actually you have always had only a (big) PART of it (Godzilla knows why), because as I have pointed above, you need additional components to truly "exploit" Microsoft Agent, should you decide to do so against all sound advice.
I am - admittedly - biased against this kind of crap, yet I will give you the other side of the medal as well: You may have a look at the sites of (the few) people happily using Microsoft Agent. Here is their webring:
[http://www.webring.org/cgi-bin/webring?ring=agent;list]
And go [here] if you want to see how characters looks like.

How to Extract Compressed Windows Files (cab files)

The Microsoft CAB (short for Cabinet) format is used by most Microsoft setup programs, including those used to install Windows 95, 98 and NT. CAB files provide both file compression and file grouping.
Basically, *.cab files are just compressed files, like zip files. You have to use the extract.exe program (in your windoze's directory) to peruse and extract files from them.

Internet Explorer 4.0 and later, and Windows 98, use a new compression algorithm for compressed cabinet files. You cannot extract files from Internet Explorer 4.0 and later or Windows 98 cabinet files using the version of Extract.exe included with Windows 95. You must use the version of Extract.exe included with Internet Explorer 4.0 or later or Windows 98.

You can use the Extract tool to list the contents of cabinet files without actually extracting any files. To display the contents of a cabinet file, use the following syntax:

extract /d <cabinet>

If you do not know which cabinet file contains a specific file you want to extract, you may use the following command to search all the cabinet files in sequential order and then extract the file once it is found:

extract /a <cabinet> <filename> /l <destination>

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