JB> Now, isn't there a PKZIP switch that will force a file to be
 JB> rewritten, or some such?

yes and no... TTBOMK, you can't override a filesystem attribute... even in
coding, if i want to alter a file that has a filesystem read-only attribute
on it, i have to turn off the RO attribute and then make the change...
depending on the situation, i may also put the RO attribute back on the
file...

 JB> Just a quick look at pkzip's help file, (Just the screen
 JB> display when you don't include required fields. I've long
 JB> ago deleted the text files.) I see the -j, mask/don't mask
 JB> attributes. Might that have some bearing?

not really, i don't think... that mask stuff, there, is so that you can
archive files with certain attribute masks... if you are doing an
"incremental" archive/backup, you want all the files with the
'a'rchive bit turned on cause they are new or have been modified since the
last archive/backup that turned off the 'a'rchive bit...

 JB> Seamed to me that he might have an environment variable set
 JB> that to a value other than the default.

it might be possible that there is an EV setting masking out (hiding) files
with the RO attribute set...

 JB> Other than an ANSII sequence bombing his file attributes...

somehow, i don't see this as being the situation...

i highly suspect that it is a setting in the OS... if you aren't aware, XP
is based on NT and 2K... both are "server" type operating
systems... they have the capability of compressing, archiving and otherwise
saving or protecting files based on the settings for a directory... this
allows them to maintain more drive space by archiving and/or compressing
little used files... if a directory (parent) has the setting set to protect
files with the RO attribute, then that setting will (generally) propogate
thru the child directories unless overridden by specific settings of a
child directory... whole directories can be done this way or even just
certain filename masks (ie: book*.dat)...

since jean operates with his administrator account (which really should
/not/ be being done as it totally bypasses the whole idea of securing a
system from accidental damage and protecting from any possible worms and
virus'), and the admin account has access to everything, i have to look to
the filesystem for the attribute setting since not even the admin can
override the attribute setting without explicitly doing such as with the
attribute command...

)\/(ark