sit - Create StuffIt archives on Unix systems

[thecloud]

Starting a new thread for the modernization of the `sit` command-line tool, which creates StuffIt 1.5.1-compatible archives on Unix systems (including macOS!)

You can find the project at https://github.com/thecloudexpanse/sit.

Initially, I removed the ability to do compression of files as it was causing headaches while getting directory entries to work properly. (Also, links can't be created to a named fork as it's not a real path.) The roadmap ahead includes looking at how to restore compression, and whether to use the old method (piping the file stream through the `compress` command), or just include compression code directly in `sit`. I also want to look at incorporating the functionality of `unsit`, a companion program from the same era. It doesn't need to be a separate tool since `sit` could just take a `-x` option to extract archives.

Modern compilers have a lot of complaints about code that was originally written in 1988, when there was only K&R 'C' syntax. The code has now been updated to the C89 (ANSI C) standard. Eric has sent a PR for AppleDouble support, which will be merged soon.

 

[JDW]

Very interesting.

What would be really nice is if Smith Micro would release modern Stuffit Deluxe source code, especially since they no longer sell the product. Makes zero sense to just keep the stuffit site up without offering the source code too.

I purchased the very last version of Stuffit Deluxe (16.0.5) many years ago, which works on modern Macs. Since it's abandonware, I placed it on Macintosh Garden here:

https://macintoshgarden.org/apps/stuffit-deluxe-1605-final-version

What really impresses me about it though is that it still works on even Apple Silicon Macs, and I'm currently using it in my menubar right now on my 16" M1 Max MacBook Pro running macOS Sequoia.

Years ago, I grew sick of the low-res C-clamp menubar icon, so I created a Retina display version. I added info about that on the Macintosh Garden page so anyone can use it.

What I love about using Stuffit Deluxe 16 is the convenience. I can just click any file in the Finder on my modern Mac, then access legacy SIT compression via the "Magic Menu" as shown below...

The only downside I dislike is the SIT files are version 5.x, not the older version 1.5.1 that some very old Macs require. Not every 68K Mac can run Stuffit Expander 5.x. So your Github solution that creates v1.5.1 archives is a very nice touch.