v1.2.0-Beta Release of the PowerShell Compact-Archive Tool

Information about this Release:

In this version of the PowerShell Compact-Archive Tool, I wanted to simplify the codebase and focus purely on doing one thing - just compile the ZDoom project and be done with it. No more, no less. While this tool can do so much more, such as compile ACS/BCS/et al. scripts, re-organize the project's file structure from a development environment to ZDoom's structure, provide efficient reports that shows the project's development cycle from Git, ability to support PK7, while also being completely user-friendly as a terminal program. This task in itself is extremely difficult and time consuming. With this release, while in Beta, I wanted to keep PSCAT codebase clean and straight to the point with its primary goal.

Overview of Changes:

• Project File is Officially Supported
• Simplified the codebase
• Fixed the Make script
• Removed the Ability to Generate Reports
• Removed 7Zip Support
• Removed Git-SCM Support
• Removed Windows Toast notifications
• Removed User Configurations
• Removed Settings

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Features in this Release

Enhancements:

• Project File is officially supported! While optional, a project can use a 'Project File' in their project's source files, which instructs PSCAT the following details: Project's Name, Compiled Output Filename, and Project's Homepage. If a project does not have this file, then PSCAT will use the root directory name as the project's name and compiled output filename. #118, #119, #124
  • Further details to come later.

Changes

• Revised the Copyright date to 2025 for all files.
• Simplified the PowerShell Compact-Archive Tool codebase. #73
• Added various improvements within the ArchiveZip class. #94
• Renamed the DefaultCompress class to ArchiveZip. This is to help simplify the class names and allow for easier expansion for different compression software tools \ modules in the future. #95
• When generating new archive data files, the compression level will now be forced to 'Optimal' -- the highest possible in the Microsoft.PowerShell.Archive class. #110
• The ArchiveZip class is now static, no longer needing to be instantiated at startup nor needing to use the singleton approach to obtain the object. #115
• Revised the Builder to provide better messages and with the latest changes within the codebase. #123
• Brought back to check for PSCAT updates from the Main Menu screen. #129

Bug Fixes:

• Resolved an issue with the Make script. When trying to make a new PowerShell Compact-Archive Tool build, the Add-Content CMDlet would still have the output file open while at the same time try to write the same output file in a new Add-Content call. #89
• Builder does not try to remove the temporary directory if something were to fail. #125

Removed:

• Removed a global variable LOGGINGLOCKKEY and replenished the same functionality as a member variable within the Logging object. This resolves an Unused Variable warning and localizes the variable to its correct scope.
• Removed the ability to toggle Windows Explorer features. Instead, this feature will be always enabled - regardless. This functionality, if available within the instance, will offer ease to all users with a familiar GUI for basic operations. Slightly minimize the terminal intimidation a bit.
• Removed 7Zip Support. This was removed to reduce the code complexity within the codebase. #75
• Removed Git-SCM Support. This was removed to reduce the code complexity within the codebase. #76
• Removed the ability to create PDF's off from a text file using Microsoft Office Word. It is ultimately better to remove this functionality to help greatly reduce the code complexity within the codebase, and to move far away from Microsoft's products. #83
• Removed the ability for the ArchiveZip to generate reports of a compressed file. This was removed to help reduce the code complexity within the codebase. #96
• Removed the ability for the ArchiveZip class to verify a compressed file. After much testing, I had concluded that the functionality to 'extract' an archive datafile that is corrupted - some how works according to Microsoft.PowerShell.Archive, yet 7Zip successfully pointed out every fault I was able to brainlessly inject in the hex-data of the compressed file. I have absolutely no trust with Microsoft.PowerShell.Archive's extracting capabilities. Also, just a reminder - there is no built-in verification method within that module as well. #109
• Removed the User Configuration functionality entirely. Because there is really no configurable option within PSCAT, there's no need to keep this functionality within the codebase. #112, #121
• Removed Windows Toast notifications using BurntToast. Removed to help reduce complexity within the codebase. This feature was going to be primarily used for the Project Manager, but was removed. #113
• Removed Settings entirely. Because there is really no configurable option within PSCAT, there's no need to keep this functionality within the codebase. #114
• Removed Project Manager [Alpha Builds]. This feature was going to be extremely expensive to fully implement it. #116
• Removed Common PowerShell Static Class [Alpha Builds]. This feature was going to be extremely expensive to fully implement it. #117
• Removed the ability to extract compressed files. Removed as there's no real need to have this function kept - yet unused. #122
• Removed Deep-Clean Mode. Because User Configurations are no longer part of PSCAT in this version, this mode is no longer needed.

Merge Request History:

• #130
• #128
• #93
• #74
• #44

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Hash Verification

Algorithm	Hash Value
MD5	975ec539b0584dcda8042ba1d157a137
SHA1	c3c6c70254d33c4bdb84dc4286818a8889c8c46a

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Resources:

• Wiki: https://github.com/SibTiger/PowerShell-Compact-Archive-Tool/wiki
  • Wiki is currently being updated; please wait patiently...
• Full Changelog: v1.1.0...v1.2.0-Beta