Archive all files. How to archive a file or folder with files

In this article, we will look at the concept of “archiving” and learn how to archive files. And although it may look daunting, the process is actually quite simple.

What is archiving?

Archiving is the process of compressing information, that is, reducing its size. Perhaps almost everyone has heard about archiving. Let's try to figure it out in more detail. For example, your file takes up 1 MB of disk space. Archiving allows you to reduce the size of a document without losing the quality of the original information. That is, after compression it will weigh 700 KB. In addition, archiving allows you to combine several documents into one document at once, in other words, pack them. For example, you have about 25 text documents. To send them all in one letter, you will have to attach each document separately. And if you archive the entire folder, you will only have to attach one document - the archive. It's very convenient and fast.

Archiving files

First, you need to check whether your PC has a program for this. To do this, you need to right-click on any document. In the menu you should see the line “Add to archive”, “WinRar” or “7 Zip”. If there is such a line, then the archiver is already installed on your computer. If there is no line, then you will have to download WinRaR 7 Zip or any other archiving program. Archivers can be free or paid. WinRaR is a paid program, but 7 Zip can be downloaded for free.

programWinRar

Now we will learn how to compress information using the WinRar program. To solve the problem, you need to right-click on the file or folder. A menu will open where you should select “WinRar”, and then “Add to archive” or “Add to”. In the window that appears, we can define compression parameters, that is, we can select what is needed if the file weighs a lot, determine the name of the future archive, where it will be saved, as well as additional options. Additional options include the ability to delete the original file after compression, create a password-locked archive, a continuous archive, and so on. It is also possible to check the received archive after the archiving procedure. Define compression parameters and click “OK”.

A status window will appear where we can monitor how the compression procedure is progressing and how much longer it will take. You have to wait for it to disappear. If you decide to cancel the document archiving process or change the settings, you can cancel the process.

After the status window disappears, an archive will appear in the folder you specified. Now you know in WinRaR. You can compare how much disk space it takes up and how much the original file weighed. As a rule, archives weigh significantly less. However, this method will not be able to provide high compression for movies, music and images. To do this you will have to use another program.

Archiving data with 7 Zip program

7 Zip program is free. In this program, archiving files is also quite simple. You must also right-click on the folder or file that you want to add to the archive and select “7 Zip”. Then in the additional menu select “Add to...”. The name of the archive may be different, but the extension will be zip. A status window will also appear showing the archiving progress. Once it disappears, archiving will be completed.

Now you know how to archive files and folders. It's quite simple, but it saves space on your hard drive and your time. You can choose which archiver, free or paid, you prefer. However, such a program is necessary on every computer, since most information on the Internet is stored in the form of archives.

By packing objects into a ZIP archive, you can not only save disk space, but also provide more convenient transfer of data via the Internet or archive files for sending by mail. Let's learn how to pack objects into a specified format.

Not only specialized archiving applications - archivers - can create ZIP archives, but this task can also be accomplished using the built-in tools of the operating system. Let's find out how to create compressed folders of this type in various ways.

Method 1: WinRAR

Let's start analyzing options for solving the problem with the most popular archiver - WinRAR, for which the main format is RAR, but, nevertheless, it can also create ZIP.

1. Go with "Conductor" to the directory where the files that need to be placed in the ZIP folder are located. Select these elements. If they are located in a solid array, then the selection is made simply by holding down the left mouse button ( LMB). If you need to pack disparate elements, then while selecting them, hold down the button Ctrl. After that, right-click on the selected fragment ( RMB). In the context menu, click on the item with the WinRAR icon "Add to archive…".



2. The WinRAR archiving settings tool opens. First of all, in the block "Archive format" set the radio button to position "ZIP". If desired, in the field "Archive name" the user can enter any name that he considers necessary, but can leave the default one assigned by the application.

   

   You should also pay attention to the field "Compression method". Here you can select the level of data packaging. To do this, click on the name of this field. A list of the following methods is presented:

   • Normal (default);
   • Express;
   • Fast;
   • Good;
   • Maximum;
   • Without compression.

   You need to know that the faster compression method you choose, the less archiving will be, that is, the final object will take up more disk space. Methods "Good" And "Maximum" can provide a higher level of archiving, but will also require more time to complete the procedure. When choosing an option "Without compression" The data is simply packed, but not compressed. Just choose the option that you see fit. If you want to use the method "Ordinary", then you can not touch this field at all, since it is set by default.

   

   By default, the created ZIP archive will be saved in the same directory as the original data. If you want to change this, then click "Review…".



3. A window appears "Archive search". Navigate to the directory where you want the object to be saved and click "Save".



4. After this, you return to the creation window. If you think that all the necessary settings have been saved, then to start the archiving procedure, click "OK".



5. The procedure for creating a ZIP archive will be performed. The created object itself with the ZIP extension will be located in the directory that the user designated, or, if he did not do this, then where the sources are located.

You can also create a ZIP folder directly through the internal WinRAR file manager.

Method 2: 7-Zip

The next archiver that can create ZIP archives is the 7-Zip program.

As in the previous method, you can also act through the context menu "Conductor".

Method 3: IZArc

The next method of creating ZIP archives will be done using the IZArc archiver, which, although less popular than the previous ones, is also a reliable archiving program.

1. Launch IZArc. Click on the icon that says "New".

   

   You can also apply Ctrl+N or click on the menu items sequentially "File" And "Create archive".



2. A window appears "Create an archive...". Navigate to the directory where you want to place the created ZIP folder. In field "File name" enter the name you want to call it. Unlike previous methods, this attribute is not automatically assigned. So in any case you will have to enter it manually. Click "Open".



3. The tool will then open “Add files to archive” in the tab "Select files". By default, it is opened in the same directory that you specified as the storage location for the finished compressed folder. You also need to move to the folder where the files that you want to pack are stored. Select those elements, according to the general selection rules, that you want to archive. After this, if you want to set more precise archiving settings, then move to the tab "Compression settings".



4. In the tab "Compression settings" First of all, make sure that in the field "Archive type" parameter was set "ZIP". Although it should be installed by default, anything can happen. Therefore, if this is not the case, then you need to change the parameter to the specified one. In field "Action" parameter must be specified "Add".



5. In field "Compression" You can change the archiving level. Unlike previous programs, in IZArc this field is not set by default to the average value, but to the one that provides the highest compression ratio at the highest time cost. This indicator is called "Best". But, if you need faster execution of the task, then you can change this indicator to any other that provides faster, but lower quality compression:
   • Very fast;
   • Fast;
   • Ordinary.

   But there is no possibility of archiving into the studied format without compression in IZArc.



6. In addition, in the tab "Compression settings" You can change a number of other parameters:
   • Compression method;
   • Folder addresses;
   • Date attributes;
   • Include or ignore subfolders, etc.

   After all the necessary parameters have been specified, to start the archiving procedure, click "OK".



7. Packing procedure will be carried out. The archived folder will be created in the directory designated by the user. Unlike previous programs, the contents and location of the ZIP archive will be displayed through the application interface.

As with other programs, archiving to ZIP format using IZArc can be done using the context menu "Conductor".

You can also specify complex settings in the archiving procedure via the context menu.

Method 4: Hamster ZIP Archiver

Another program that can create ZIP archives is Hamster ZIP Archiver, which, however, is clear even from its name.

1. Launch Hamster ZIP Archiver. Move to section "Create".



2. Click on the central part of the program window where the folder is shown.



3. Window opens "Open". With its help, you need to move to where the source objects to be archived are located and select them. Then press "Open".

   

   You can do it differently. Open the file location directory in "Explorer", select them and drag them into the ZIP Archiver window in the tab "Create".

   

   After the dragged elements fall into the program shell area, the window will split into two parts. Elements should be dragged into half, which is called “Create a new archive...”.



4. Regardless of whether you operate through the opening window or by dragging and dropping, the list of files selected for packaging will be displayed in the ZIP Archiver window. By default, the archived package will be given the name "My archive name". To change it, click on the field where it appears or on the pencil icon to the right of it.



5. Enter the name you see fit and click Enter.



6. To indicate where the created object will be placed, click on the inscription “Click to select the path for the archive”. But even if you do not click on this inscription, the object will not be saved in a specific directory by default. When you start archiving, a window will still open where you should specify the directory.



7. So, after clicking on the inscription, a tool will appear "Select the path for the archive". In it you should go to the directory of the planned location of the object and click on "Select folder".



8. The address will be displayed in the main program window. For more precise archiving settings, click on the icon "Archive settings".



9. The settings window opens. In field "Path" If desired, you can change the location of the created object. But, since we indicated it earlier, we will not touch this parameter. But in the block "Compression ratio" You can adjust the level of archiving and the speed of data processing by dragging the slider. The default compression level is set to normal. The far right position of the slider is "Maximum", and the far left – "Without compression".

   Be sure to make sure that in the field "Archive format" value was set "ZIP". Otherwise, change it to the specified one. You can also change the following settings:

   • Compression method;
   • Word size;
   • Dictionary;
   • Blok et al.

   After all parameters have been set, to return to the previous window, click on the icon in the form of an arrow pointing to the left.



10. You return to the main window. Now all we have to do is start the activation procedure by clicking on the button "Create".



11. The archived object will be created and placed at the address specified by the user in the archiving settings.

The simplest algorithm for performing the task using the specified program is to use the context menu "Conductor".

But it is also possible that the user, acting through the menu "Conductor", when performing the packaging procedure using Hamster ZIP Archiver, you can also set certain archiving settings.

Method 5: Total Commander

You can also create ZIP folders using most modern file managers, the most popular of which is Total Commander.

1. Launch Total Commander. In one of its panels, move to the location of the sources that need to be packaged. In the second panel, go to where you want to send the object after the archiving procedure.



2. Then you need to select the files to be compressed in the panel containing the sources. This can be done in Total Commander in several ways. If there are few objects, then selection can be made by simply clicking on each of them RMB. In this case, the name of the selected elements should be colored red.

   But, if there are a lot of objects, then Total Commander has group selection tools. For example, if you need to pack files only with a certain extension, you can select by extension. To do this, click LMB for any of the elements to be archived. Next click "Selection" and select from the drop-down list “Select files/folders by extension”. Also, after clicking on an object, you can apply the combination Alt+Num+.

   

   All files located in the current folder with the same extension as the selected object will be selected.

3. To launch the built-in archiver, click on the icon "Pack files".



4. The tool starts "Packaging files". The main action in this window that needs to be done is to move the switch in the form of a radio button to the position "ZIP". You can also make additional settings by checking the boxes next to the appropriate items:
   • Saving paths;
   • Subdirectory accounting;
   • Removing sources after packaging;
   • Creating a compressed folder for each individual file, etc.

   If you want to adjust the archiving level, then for these purposes click on the button "Settings...".



5. The Total Commander general settings window opens in the section "ZIP Archiver". Let's go to the block "Internal ZIP Packer Compression Ratio". By moving the switch in the form of a radio button, you can set three compression levels:
   • Normal (level 6) (default);
   • Maximum (level 9);
   • Fast (level 1).

   If you set the switch to position "Other", then in the field opposite it you can manually enter the degree of archiving from 0 before 9 . If you indicate in this field 0 , then archiving will be performed without data compression.

   In the same window you can set some additional settings:

   • Name format;
   • Date of;
   • Opening incomplete ZIP archives, etc.

   Once the settings are specified, click "Apply" And "OK".



6. Back at the window "Packaging files", press "OK".



7. The files are packaged and the finished object will be sent to the folder that is open in the second panel of Total Commander. This object will be called the same as the folder that contains the sources.

Method 6: Using the Explorer context menu

You can also create a ZIP folder using the built-in Windows tools using the context menu for this purpose "Conductor". Let's look at how to do this using Windows 7 as an example.

Thus, we found out that a ZIP folder can be created not only using specialized software, but also using internal Windows tools. However, in this case you will not be able to configure the basic parameters. If you need to create an object with clearly defined parameters, then third-party software will come to the rescue. Which program to choose depends solely on the preferences of the users themselves, since there is no significant difference between different archivers in the matter of creating ZIP archives.

Surely every Windows user is familiar with the concept of “archive file” or simply “archive”, as well as “archiving”. Archiving is the process of compressing a file and placing it in another file with a special extension, from which you can then extract the contents (unzip or unzip).

Archives are a very useful thing. They help save disk space and make it more convenient to transfer or send large numbers of files. In the modern world, where in any electronics store you can buy a 4 TB hard drive for relatively affordable money, the issue of saving space through archiving is no longer so relevant. The time spent compressing and decompressing large volumes of files is often simply not worth the amount the user saves on archiving. Of course, for long-term storage of large files, an archiver will help save a significant amount of memory, but in everyday tasks archives are most often used precisely to simplify the transfer and sending of files. It’s much easier to copy to a flash drive or send by mail 1 large file instead of 200 small ones.

There are different archiving methods and applications for working with archives. You can even work in them without any additional software at all. Let's take a look at some of these applications.

How to archive a file or folder without programs

Since the days of Windows Vista, the Microsoft operating system has had a built-in simple archiver that can work with ZIP archives. You can both pack and unpack files and you don’t need to download additional programs to do this.

note: Not all files are compressed equally efficiently. For example, trying to compress videos will have virtually no effect, so there is no point in archiving them to save space.

How to unpack an archive in Windows without programs

Your archive must be in ZIP format, as this is the only format supported by the system without additional programs. Simply open the archive as a regular folder and copy files from it. Alternatively, right-click on the archive and select Extract all, and then tell the system where to place the unpacked files. As you can see, everything works as simply as possible.

The built-in Windows archiver is perfect for those who need to quickly archive a file or folder without applications, without paying attention to compression parameters, archive password, its format, encryption algorithm, and so on. Simplicity makes the difference in this case. Unfortunately, the disadvantage of the archiver in Windows Explorer is the inability to change any of the parameters. The archives will always be in ZIP format; you will not be able to protect them with a password or change the level of protection. If you need to change these settings, you will have to use third-party applications.

How to zip a file or folder in 7zip

7zip is our favorite program for working with archives. Simple, free, functional, small and effective. You can download 7zip from the official website for free. The installation procedure takes place in one click and takes a few seconds.

After installation, open the files or folder in Explorer that you want to archive, right-click on them and select 7 zip – Add to archive.

A window will open where you can set archiving parameters. As you can see, there are many more settings for archiving here than in standard Windows Explorer. You already have access to the choice of archive format (7z is used by default), compression level, number of threads, the option of splitting the archive into parts, creating an SFX archive (it is also called a self-extracting archive, capable of extracting files without the need for archivers) and even setting a protected password encryption.

If you are a beginner, pay attention first to the parameter Compression level. The higher the level, the more space you'll save, but the computer will spend more time compressing. You can also select one of the formats in the list Archive format. Tip: the 7z format compresses files more efficiently than others when archiving.

To then unpack the file on a computer without archivers at all (very old PCs, for example, that don’t even have a built-in archiver), use SFX archiving, which will pack the files into an executable exe file.

Warning: Be very careful with SFX archives, since self-extracting archives from unknown sources often contain viruses. Make sure you trust the source of the file and always keep your antivirus enabled.

If you need to protect files inside the archive, set a password in the box Encryption. In this case, to gain access to the contents of the archive, you will need to enter a password. By the way, this is one of the methods to put a password on a folder. You pack the files into a ZIP archive, after which you can open the archive like any folder, but the system will require a password to open or copy the files.

The disadvantages of the 7zip archiver include the inability to create rar archives, which are very popular among users of the WinRAR archiver. Although 7zip can work with RAR files (and a large number of other archive formats), it cannot create RAR archives. Otherwise, 7zip is an ideal application for working with archives, which will satisfy the needs of almost every user.

How to unzip a 7zip file

The principle is the same as for archiving. Right-click on the archive and select 7 zip – Open archive. After that, simply drag its contents onto the folder window where you want to extract the files.

How to archive a file or folder in WinRAR

WinRAR is essentially the same application as 7zip (if you don’t delve into deeper nuances), only it can work with RAR files (but does not support creating 7z archives). A big disadvantage of WinRAR for some will be the fact that this archiver is paid and you need to buy a license to use it. You can try the demo version to get acquainted with its features.

1. Go to the official WinRAR website and click Download WinRAR.
2. Install the application, after which the same items as for 7zip will appear in the context menu. The principle of working with WinRAR is exactly the same as with its free counterpart. Just right-click on a file or folder and select WinRAR - Add to archive. After that, select the archive format, compression level and other necessary parameters.
3. Wait for the archiving procedure to complete.

In this article, we only briefly described the principle of archiving files using the example of two applications. Their capabilities will be more than enough to work with the vast majority of common archive formats. If you wish, you can study the possibilities in more detail 7zipor WinRAR(did you know that these applications can be used to benchmark the processor?), but this is a topic for a separate article.

Many people daily, for work reasons or for personal purposes, send emails with attached files. In the case of one or two attached files, no problems arise, however, when the number of attached files exceeds a dozen, the question arises: “how can I combine a large number of files into one?” Or there is a need to send a relatively large file over a slow connection. In all these (and many other) cases, special programs - archivers - come to the rescue.

There are a huge number of archiving programs, differing in archiving method (format) and functionality, and popularity. In this article I will look at a program such as WinRar, which is the most popular among users.

Now let's understand a little about archive formats. There are a huge variety of them at the moment, and they differ mainly in compression quality. For Windows, the most suitable are rar, zip and 7zip; on *nix operating systems bz2, gz and lzma are more common. The zip format is a standard and is supported by many operating systems at the system application level, i.e. There is no need to install third-party programs to work with it.

Let's move on to creating the archive. Download the program WinRar, this program is paid, but it is possible to download a free version. Using it you can create rar and zip archives, as well as open almost all other formats. Once installed, it integrates with the Windows context menu and associates itself with archived file formats. To quickly create an archive and add a file (files, folder) there, right-click on the file (on a group of selected files, folder) and select “add to archive...”.

A window will appear in which you can specify the name of the archive, select the format: rar or zip, compression level, as well as some other format-specific options. If you need to quickly combine many files into one or send a compressed file over the Internet, then the default settings are quite suitable for you.

By choosing the zip format, you can be sure that it will open on a Windows computer without installing third-party programs; if you choose the rar format, then to open it on another computer, you must also have WinRar installed on it.

In order for another user to be able to open your rar or zip archive without having an archiver installed on their computer, you need to check the “Create SFX archive” checkbox. This option allows you to create a self-extracting archive.

Sometimes it happens that the transferred archive is damaged as a result of media failure or poor communication channel. By checking the “add recovery information” checkbox, the archiver will add a block of redundant information to the file, which will then, with a high degree of probability, allow you to restore the damaged archive, this will slightly increase the file size.

If the resulting file is of such a size that it does not fit on the media, you can split the archive into several files, specifying a volume size suitable for the given media. To do this, in the “split the archive into volumes” line, select a size from the proposed list or enter your own.

After selecting all the necessary options, click “OK” to create the archive.

Extracting files from an archive

To quickly extract files from an archive, right-click on the archive and select “Extract files…” from the context menu.

You can extract files from the archive to a specific folder, to a folder that will have the name of the archive, or directly to the folder where the archive itself is located.

All of the above actions and operations performed using the WinRar program are completely or largely valid for other archiver programs. To be fair, it is worth noting that initially archivers were created for the purpose of packing and compressing text information, so when archiving graphic and other multimedia data, the size will decrease slightly.

You don't have enough space on your flash drive or you can't send a folder with photos by email? Archives should be used. But how to archive a folder or file? There are many programs designed for archiving data, but, as always, there are the most popular ones. These include WinRar archiver. Probably everyone who has worked with a computer at least a little knows this utility, but, as practice shows, not everyone can work with it correctly. In this article I want to talk about its main features and how to archive files correctly.

Its main purpose is to reduce file size. The amount of information that we have to work with and store is growing faster and faster, so the problem of placing it on hard drives, flash drives, CDs and DVDs arises. Compression can reduce the size of files or folders by 20-30%. It should be immediately noted that not all files are compressed well. For example, in the format .jpeg will have a low compression ratio.

The second function of the program is to combine several files into one compressed, and each of them retains its name inside. This makes it possible to send a large number of documents by email or at once.

In addition to these basic functions, these utilities can also perform some other operations, which I will discuss below.

WinRar interface

Download and installing the program will not be difficult for you. After installation by default, its shortcut will appear in the main menu and, in addition, new items will be added to the context menu (although settings can be changed during installation).

The main window of the WinRar program contains a text menu with drop-down commands, a graphical menu with buttons for basic commands, an address bar for selecting a directory, and, in fact, a working window with a list of files and folders, similar to the Windows Explorer window.

Let's look at the basic commands. The picture can be enlarged by clicking on it.

• Add – creates a new archive or adds files to a previously created one.
• Extract – extracts data from the archive.
• Test – checking for errors.
• View – shows the content.
• Delete – deletes the selected file or folder.
• Find – search for files or folders.
• Wizard is a new feature that provides step-by-step guidance for beginners.
• Information – shows information about the selected object.
• Correct – corrects errors.

Archive formats

Archiving is a complex mathematical process performed with code. It can be performed using various algorithms that are constantly being improved. This is why there are many archive file formats − .rar, .tar, .zip, .taz, .gz and others. WinRar works with most of these formats.

By the way, when installing the program, you can specify by checking the boxes which formats it will work with. This can be done later by running the commands

Options – Installation – Integration

Creating an archive

You can create it in different ways.

1 way.

Launch the program by clicking on the shortcut in the menu Start or at Desktop(if you created it there), select in the window that opens the documents that we want to archive and click on the button Add. Now the most important dialog box opens before us - setting up the future archive. What can you configure here?

On the tab Are common:

• We give the archive a name.
• Select its type: RAR, RAR5, ZIP
• Compression method.
• Dictionary size.
• Volume size. WinRar can create multi-volume archives, more about them below.
• Set password. This function is used if you need to protect information from unauthorized access.
• In addition to these settings, there are several more checkboxes where you can tick. A little about them.
• Delete files after archiving. Here, I think, everything is clear.
• Create SFX archive. This is a so-called self-extracting archive. More about it below.
• Create a continuous archive. It stores all data in a single stream, resulting in a higher compression ratio, but operations, such as adding data, are slower. It is advisable to create a continuous archive if many small files are being compressed and no further modifications are expected.
• If you have selected the maximum compression ratio, or there are many objects in your list, it is recommended to add data for recovery, as there is a possibility of receiving errors.
• Test files after packaging. This is also understandable.
• Lock the archive. This is done so that later even using the WinRar program it cannot be changed.

Method 2

This method involves using the context menu. Select the files to be compressed, right-click and select Add to archive. After this, the settings window appears, which we discussed above.

3 way

It is used more often than others because it is the simplest. Just like in the first method, the context menu is used, but the item is selected Add to archive Archive name.rar. In this case, a volume is immediately created with the specified name and default settings.

Archiving Profiles

When we looked at the settings window, we missed the button Profiles. This button allows you to create several profiles with specified settings and select the default profile.

After installation, there are already several ready-made profiles:

• Default profile
• Attachment to E-mail
• Multi-volume archive
• Zip archive.

Creating a self-extracting archive

If, when creating an archive, check the checkbox in the settings dialog box Create SFX archive, a self-extracting archive will be created. What it is? Such archives are designed to be unpacked without using an archiver. They have the extension .exe, that is, they themselves are programs. We can say that they combine data with a simplified version of the archiver, designed to unpack this particular archive. Of course, they are larger in size than regular ones. You may even notice that if you create an SFX archive from a small file, its size may be larger than the original one.

Extracting files from an archive

Extracting data from using the WinRar program is very simple. This can be done by double-clicking on the archive icon, or by selecting the icon in the window of an already open program. After that, the archived files and folders will be displayed in this window.

You can extract individual files. To do this, you need to first select them. You can unpack the entire archive; to do this, the folder icon with an ellipsis at the top of the list must be highlighted.

After selecting, press the button Extract and in the window that opens Conductor select a location to save the unpacked files.

Sometimes this mistake is made when working with compressed information - files are opened directly from the archiver window. After working with it, you need to save it twice: first we save the changes in the document, and then we update the archive. Many inexperienced users sometimes do not perform the second operation, especially if the dialog boxes are not Russified. I recommend first unpacking the volume and then working with the received documents.

Another useful function of the WinRar utility that I often use is unpacking disk images. It perfectly unpacks images in formats .iso, .mdf, .nrg. Such formats are often used to distribute large software packages over the Internet.

These are the most basic features of the WinRar archiver. Write in the comments how you use this program, what not yet known features it has.