BSArc and BSA

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|formattype=electronic
 
|formattype=electronic
 
|subcat=Archiving
 
|subcat=Archiving
|extensions={{ext|bsa}}, {{ext|bsn}}
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|extensions={{ext|bsa}}, {{ext|bs2}}, {{ext|bsn}}
 
|released=1991?
 
|released=1991?
 
}}
 
}}
'''BSArc''' and '''BSA''' are compressed archive utilities, and associated file formats. They were developed by PhysTechSoft (PTS), a Russian software company better known for the PTS-DOS operating system ([[Wikipedia:PTS-DOS|Wikipedia article]]). BSArc is also credited to Serg Babitchew. The relationship between BSArc and BSA is unclear.
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'''.BSA''', '''.BS2''', and '''.BSN''' are compressed archive formats associated with a group of archiving utilities that includes ''BSArc'' (or ''BS ARChiver'') and ''BSA''. They were developed by PhysTechSoft (PTS), a Russian software company better known for the PTS-DOS operating system ([[Wikipedia:PTS-DOS|Wikipedia article]]). BSArc is also credited to Serg Babitchew.
  
BSA, at least, was apparently available for a number of different platforms. It lists DOS, Windows, OS/2, QNX, and Unix.
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BSArc is for DOS. BSA was apparently available for a number of different platforms: It lists DOS, Windows, OS/2, QNX, and Unix.
  
== Identifiers ==
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== Format details ==
Confusingly, BSArc's default file extension is '''.bsa''', and BSA's is '''.bsn'''.
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The three file extensions seem to correspond to three distinct file formats. But the software name is not always used consistently. Roughly speaking, the "BSArc" software uses .BSA or .BS2 format, and is generally older than the "BSA" software, which (confusingly) uses .BSN format.
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It's not just that the software name was changed; there is a BSArc v2.00 (which uses .BS2 format), and a BSA v2.00 (which uses .BSA format).
  
 
== Identification ==
 
== Identification ==
A possible signature for BSArc's .bsa files is {{magic|0x00 0xAE}} at offset 1, followed by a byte with value {{magic|0x02}}, {{magic|0x03}}, or {{magic|0x07}}.
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A possible signature for .BSA format is {{magic|0x00 0xAE}} at offset 1, followed by a byte with value {{magic|0x02}}, {{magic|0x03}}, or {{magic|0x07}}.
  
BSA's .bsn files probably begin with signature {{magic|0xFF 'B' 'S' 'G'}}. [[IDArc]] says this sequence may also start at offset 1 or 3.
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.BS2 files probably begin with {{magic|0xd4 0x03 'S' 'B' ' ' 0x00}}.
  
[[IDArc]] also identifies a format it calls "BS2/BSArc", which starts with {{magic|0xD4 0x03 'S' 'B' ' ' 0x00}}.
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.BSN files probably begin with signature {{magic|0xff 'B' 'S' 'G'}}. [[IDArc]] says this sequence may also start at offset 1 or 3.
  
 
== Software ==
 
== Software ==

Revision as of 19:19, 22 January 2022

File Format
Name BSArc and BSA
Ontology
Extension(s) .bsa, .bs2, .bsn
Released 1991?

.BSA, .BS2, and .BSN are compressed archive formats associated with a group of archiving utilities that includes BSArc (or BS ARChiver) and BSA. They were developed by PhysTechSoft (PTS), a Russian software company better known for the PTS-DOS operating system (Wikipedia article). BSArc is also credited to Serg Babitchew.

BSArc is for DOS. BSA was apparently available for a number of different platforms: It lists DOS, Windows, OS/2, QNX, and Unix.

Contents

Format details

The three file extensions seem to correspond to three distinct file formats. But the software name is not always used consistently. Roughly speaking, the "BSArc" software uses .BSA or .BS2 format, and is generally older than the "BSA" software, which (confusingly) uses .BSN format.

It's not just that the software name was changed; there is a BSArc v2.00 (which uses .BS2 format), and a BSA v2.00 (which uses .BSA format).

Identification

A possible signature for .BSA format is 0x00 0xAE at offset 1, followed by a byte with value 0x02, 0x03, or 0x07.

.BS2 files probably begin with 0xd4 0x03 'S' 'B' ' ' 0x00.

.BSN files probably begin with signature 0xff 'B' 'S' 'G'. IDArc says this sequence may also start at offset 1 or 3.

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