UHARC GUI is yet another graphical user interface that makes it easy for most users to pack files and folders into a UHA archive. The application also allows you to rapidly extract the contents of UHA files to a location of your choice.
UHARC’s algorithm used to be praised for its performance and compression ratios and still is, although its developer has seized the project back in 2005. While the last edition of the archiver is 0.6 Beta, UHARC GUI only features the 0.2 and 0.4 versions, both in the Beta stage of development.
Alongside UHARC GUI, Softpedia’s compression tools category also comprises WinUHA and UHARC/GUI as alternatives to handling UHA archive files. Featuring a very simple interface, the application sets its focus on functionality more than looks. You can add files and folders to the list using the buttons or just by dropping them onto it.
Once you have the desired contents inside the list, the `Pack It` button takes you to the archive configuration panel. You can choose from several compression modes, whether to apply a password or not, the archiver version as well as multiple instances or WinZip-enabled extraction routine.
The actual process of archive creation is a bit inconsistent as it does not feature any progress bar or completion time estimation. This is a huge drop back for any archiving software and it surely has something to do with the fact that UHARC GUI sits at the back of the top. The tests show that UHA manages to provide the best data compression while consuming more time than ZIP, RAR or 7Z.
UHARC GUI’s extraction window offer a mini destination browsing panel as well as a set of options including overwriting files, low priority and a so-called `Show more information` setting which actually does not bring anything new to the table. Needless to say, the extraction process is as dull as the packing operation, severely lacking vital information.
One welcomed option of the program is its ability to link to the `Send to` menu as well as the contextual menu for archiving purposes, while providing unpacking capabilities for UHA files. All in all, UHARC GUI provides a weak contender when compared to WinUHA and even UHARC/GUI. It does not sport any new features and, at the same time, makes use of older algorithms and a barely acceptable framework.
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