How to create a folder archive. How to add files to WinRAR archive (in WinRAR)? Archivers: what are they and what are they used for

In this lesson, you will learn about archiving programs, you can download one of these programs and install it on your computer, and also learn how to archive files and extract them from the archive.

What is an archiver

An archiver is a special program with which you can archive files (folders with files) and extract them from the archive. In other words, this is the kind of program that helps you compress files as well as pack them for more convenient e-mailing.

Now we will check if there is such a program on your computer.

To do this, open any folder, for example, "Documents" or "Local Drive D". Right click on any file or any folder inside. A menu will open. If, among other things, there is an item "Add to archive" or item "7 Zip", then there is an archiver program on your computer.

And if you do not see anything similar, then most likely it is not on the computer. But it doesn't matter. Later we will download a free archiver and install it on your computer. But first, let's talk about what they are.

What archivers are there

Like most programs, archivers are free and paid. That is, those that can be downloaded legally and completely free of charge from the Internet and installed on your computer, and those for which you have to pay money. If, when you checked whether such a program was installed on your computer, you saw items that begin with the words "Add to archive" (or "Add to"), then a paid archiver is installed on the computer. It is called WinRaR.

And if during the check you found item 7 Zip, then a free archiver is installed on your computer.

WinRaR is a great, very handy program, but, alas, it's paid. If it is on your computer, then there are two options: either you do not need to pay for it and you can use it as much as you want, or after some time it will stop working. We will check this later. And if it turns out that you have an "inferior" version, then it makes sense to download and install the free 7 Zip archiver.

How to archive files / folders (WinRaR)

Now let's move on to practice. Now we will learn how to compress files and folders using the WinRaR program. If the 7 Zip program is installed on your computer, then feel free to go down below - there is information for you. If you have neither one nor the other, then even lower :)

As you may have guessed, we are interested in the items that begin with the words "Add to archive" (Add to).

We need the second item in this series. I have it called "Add to archive" Folder.rar "" (Add to "Folder.rar"). You will have almost the same item, only instead of "Folder.rar" the name of your file (folder) .rar will be written.

Now let's see how much the size has decreased. Click the right mouse button on the file or folder that you were compressing. Select Properties from the list.

Now right-click on the new archive file and select Properties.

But this is not always the case. For example, if you compress photos, videos or music in this way, the size may remain the same or change only slightly. To compress photos, music and videos, other programs are used, not archivers.

And now we will learn how to unzip, that is, get information from the archives.

Actually, you don't have to. Just try to open the archive file. Inside you will see what has been archived. And it opens quite calmly. But still, it's not very convenient. Therefore, it is still better to extract information from the archive.

Close the window and right-click on this file. We are interested in two similar items - "Extract to the current folder" (or "Extract Here") and "Extract to some name"(Or" Extract to some name»).

If, when you opened the archive, there was one file or one folder in the middle of the window, then click “Extract Here”. And if there were several files (folders), click "Extract to some name"(Extract to some name).

That's all. After you click on the desired item, the files or folders will be extracted, and the archive can be deleted.

Now let's find out which version of the WinRaR program you have - the one that will stop working over time, or the one that will work all the time.

To do this, we need to open any archive file. When it opens, in this window, click on the inscription "Help" or "Help" (at the top) and from the list select "About" (About ...).

A small window will appear. If it says “40 days trial copy”, it means that your program will stop working in the near future. It makes sense to download a free program for archiving (read about this below).

And if this window says "Copy owner" or "Registered to", then the program will work - you don't have to worry, don't download anything. And further reading is also optional.

How to zip and unzip files / folders (7 Zip)

A free archiver is installed on your computer (it was said a little above how to determine this). It is called 7 Zip. And now we will learn how to use it.

First, let's learn how to archive files and folders. This is done very simply. Right-click on a file or folder with files. A list like this will appear.

We are interested in item 7 Zip. Hover over it. An additional list will appear. In this list, we are only interested in one item, in my example it is called "Add to" Folder.zip "" (Add to "Folder.zip").

Instead of "Folder.zip" you will have a different name, but also with the ending .zip

Click on this item. Perhaps for a while such a window will appear. Wait for it to disappear.

Now look closely at the files and folders. A new file should appear. It will look something like this:

This is the file or folder that you archived.

Now let's see how much the size has decreased. Click the right mouse button on the file or folder that you were compressing. Select Properties from the list.

A new window will appear. Take note of the size and close it.

And now right-click on the new archive file and select "Properties".

Most likely, its size will be smaller than the size of the original file (folder).

But this is not always the case. For example, if you compress photos, videos or music in this way, the size may remain the same or change only slightly. To reduce it, completely different programs are used.

Now let's learn how to unzip, that is, get files and folders.

Actually, you don't have to. Try to just open the archive. Inside you will see the files and folders that have been added to it. And they open quite calmly. But still, it's not very convenient. Therefore, it is better to extract information from the archives. After all, at any time it will be possible to return it back, as we did above.

Before you get information from the archive file, open it.

An unusual window will open. Look in the middle of it - files or folders that are hidden in the archive are shown there. That is, if we unzip it, then these files (folders) will "come out" outside.

Close the window and right-click on this file. In the list, hover over the item "7 Zip". An additional list will appear. We are interested in two similar items - "Extract Here" and "Unpack to some name\\ "(Extract to some name\).

If, when you opened the archive, there was one file or one folder in the middle of the window, then click "Extract Here". And if there were several files (folders), then “Unpack into some name\\ "(Extract to some name\).

That's all. After you click on the desired item, the files or folders will be obtained, and the archive can be deleted.

I remind you again that the 7 Zip program is free archiver.

Download free archiver

If your computer does not have an archiver, you can download and install it completely free of charge. This program is called 7 Zip. You can download it at this address:

In our age of high technologies, the number of users of the World Wide Web is increasing every day. Many of them are advanced users, and some are just beginning their acquaintance with the endless possibilities of the Internet. Regular surfing the network means working with different files. Archiving is one of the main tools for working with files. This article will show you how to zip files and compress the file to a smaller size.

What is archiving?

File archiving is a procedure in which the original size of any file is compressed to smaller volumes, while the quality of the files and the information they contain do not degrade or change. For example, if you have a text file (for example, a book) 1.5 MB in size, then using a special archiver program, you can easily compress this volume to 150 KB. The benefits are obvious: the zipped file takes up much less space (in this case, 7 times), moreover, it can be sent by mail in one file.

Archiving can also be called packing files into one element (folder or database). Let's give an example: let's say you need to send a large number of photos to a friend. If you send them by e-mail, you will have to attach each photo separately. This process will take a long time, because the download of each image will start only after the previous one is loaded. It will be much easier to send all the photos in one folder, and it is the archiving programs that can pack all the files into one element.

What is it used for?

The main reason for using archivers (programs that compress or pack files) is not only to save time when sending files, hard disk space, but also to save data storage. The advantage is that zipped objects allow you to save a huge number of files in one folder, while the original items can be safely deleted from the computer's memory, because at the right time you can simply unpack the archive folder and use the files. Thus, you can save a significant amount of hard disk space, the main thing is to know how to zip the file.

Overview of archiving programs

The most popular program is WinRar, it is built into Windows operating systems

And it is considered very effective in terms of the ratio of compression ratio to speed. It saves files in RAR or ZIP format. The advantage of this program is the possibility of additional protection in the form of an electronic signature to the archived folder, but there is also a drawback: WinRar is a paid program. Below is an efficient way to zip a file.

There is another equally convenient and practical archiver called 7-Zip. Unlike the first program, it is free, you can download it from the official website. 7-Zip is a very simple tool even for those who are not computer friendly.

What is the difference between archivers from each other?

There are many different programs that archive files. They differ in that they each have their own methods of compressing and saving objects. For this reason, their efficiency may differ, because one archiver is able to compress a file by 5 times, and the other - by 10. Another difference is the format into which the archiver converts the required file. Also, each program has its own design design, so when adding an element to the archive using one program, we will see an icon that will differ from the icon of any other archiving program.

How to zip a file in zip format?

First of all, you need to clarify which archiver program is installed on your computer. To do this, right-click on any file and find the function of adding to the archiver in the list of actions that opens. If the "Add to arhive" function is present in the context menu, it means that you have WinRar installed.

The next step is to select one or more files to archive. To do this, select all elements with the mouse and right-click to bring up the Windows context menu. In the menu list, find the item "Add to archive" and click on it. This action should open the WinRar archiver program. In the archiving menu, you need to select the settings in which you can specify the desired file compression ratio. It should be borne in mind that the choice of the "maximum compression" method takes a little more time than the usual or high-speed methods.

After setting the compression settings, you can proceed to the window where you need to specify the name of the folder and the location of the future archived files. Then you need to start the archiving process using the "ok" menu item. The zipped items will appear in the specified location: a folder or just a compressed file.

How to open zip format zipped file? It's very simple: you need to select the archive folder by clicking the left mouse button, and then call the action menu of the archiver program itself by clicking on the right mouse button. A small window will appear with items, you need to select "extract to current folder" or "extract to ..." depending on where you would like to save the extracted file.

Archiving Features

We answered the question "how to archive a file in zip?", Now let's learn about some of the features of archiving. So, for example, when archiving files in photo, audio or video format, very little compression in size occurs. This is not the case with text formats. Let's see how to zip a pdf file. You can use a standard archiver, or you can use various online tools to convert a file from one format to any other, including zip.

How to zip files on MAC OS?

The methods for backing up files are slightly different from those used in Windows. You can create an archive folder on a computer from Apple as follows: select files, then right-click to bring up the action menu and select "compress objects" in the window that opens. A folder with zipped zip files will appear in the same folder where the source files were located.

In order to unzip files, you need to install special software that allows you to unzip files of any format. Then you need to select the archive folder, click on the right mouse button, and use the installed program to unpack the necessary items. One of the best open source software on the AppStore is the Unarchiver.

Probably, many in childhood faced a situation when, collecting us on a camping trip or to a recreation center, parents packed their things so compactly that there was even extra space in the backpack. Going back home, we could not pack even half of our things. The situation is approximately the same with computer data. The 7-Zip software acts as a compactor to compress information and place it into one container. But few people know about Zip. Therefore, the article will analyze popular programs, their capabilities and detailed steps for archiving and unzipping files and folders.

Information about archives and their purpose

File archiving has been practiced for a fairly long period of time. Previously, almost every user of a computer device knew how to zip and unzip a file, because every byte of memory counts. With the growth and improvement of technologies, and with it the speed of the Internet, users are gradually beginning to forget about this program. When downloading or uploading a file to the global network, people are increasingly interested in questions about what is how to archive files?

One of the most popular data compression programs now is the 7-Zip archiver. It is more nimble among its counterparts and is optimized for new versions of operating systems. This program is based on an advanced algorithm using an optimal compression method. Files with the .zip extension do not take up much space and the archiving process is the fastest. Agree, in our age of the Internet, it is easier to transfer data in one file than to attach one document to a message. But how to archive a file or folder if you haven’t come across an archiving program before? To understand this issue, you first need to install the necessary software on your computer.

Program installation

Installing and configuring 7 Zip is not as complicated as it might seem at first glance. Previously, archivers were paid, so users tried to download installation applications from websites that were not checked by antivirus software. Now, to download the program, you just need to go to the official website of the developers of the 7-Zip archiver and get the full package of fun completely free of charge. How do I install the program? You just need to run the downloaded application that is compatible with the type of your operating system, select the path to the folder where it will be installed (by default, the Program Files system folder is selected), and wait until the installer completes copying and unpacking the files. The installation process takes a split second, after which you can move on to the question of how to zip the file in Zip. But it should be remembered that if you do not configure the program correctly, you will not be able to read a single file, so below you need to read brief recommendations on setting parameters.

Easy setup of 7-Zip archiver

The first launch of the program requires little tweaks. To do this, select the "Service" item in the menu. Open "Settings" and in the "System" tab put a check mark next to all available formats. So your program will be able to decrypt literally all known archive formats, be it ISO, RAR or any others.

Step-by-step instructions for creating and adding files to an archive

If you are wondering how to zip a file in Zip, you need to follow this procedure:

So we figured out how to compress. Zipping the folder and files, as you can see, is not too difficult.

data archiver

• LZMA. This algorithm is based on the dictionary compression scheme. It compresses data quite well, thanks to which the 7-Zip program has gained quite high popularity.
• LZMA2 is an advanced compression algorithm. Has some advantages over the previous method.
• PPMd. This algorithm is based on context modeling. It is good for its lossless compression.
• BZip2 is probably the oldest compression algorithm. It is quite efficient, but it can execute only one command at a time: unpack or compress.

We have covered the compression methods, now you can choose the way how to zip the file in Zip.

The ability to set a password for the archive

There is a great opportunity to set a simple or complex password. How to install it in order to thereby protect the archive from intruders who are trying to hijack your data and files on the Internet? After you have clicked on the "Add to archive" button, a window appears with a choice of compression method, future expansion and other parameters for creating an archive. On the right, in the same window, you can see an empty string for the encryption password. It must be entered twice and then saved by pressing the "Ok" button.

So we figured out the main points of that, using the 7zip archiver. The unzipping process is just as simple and convenient even for novice users.

In this article I will show you how you can simply and effectively archive any of your files, can archive music, archive photos or your documents and much more.

Consider what:

1. Archiving software
2. Installation and launch

Archiving a file Is the process of converting information stored in a file to a form that reduces redundancy in its representation and, accordingly, requires less memory for storage. In this case, it is possible to close access to the information packed into the archive with a password.

Not all files archived well. Media files have virtually no effect when archiving. On the contrary, text documents are compressed at times.

1. Programs for archiving

In fact, there are a lot of programs for archiving, but today we will consider only the most popular programs, namely WinRar, and 7-zip.

Well, let's look directly at how you can archive files using windows.

• WinRAR - Paid program, there is a trial period for 40 days.
• - Analogue of WinRar, absolutely free
• 7-zip - Free software

2. Installation and launch

First you need to download the WinRar and 7-zip programs, and of course install them.

As an example, I will choose the more popular file formats, let's see which file will compress better.

To compress all the files that are in the folder, you need to select them, you can use Ctrl + A, press RMB, it will open me - Add to archive.

To compress all the files that are in the folder, you need to select them, right-click and open me - there will be a program icon and Add to Archive ...

7- zip

We open the program, it is located in the standard Start location - 7-zip, or in windows 8 in all programs.

Archiving with the desired settings

After you clicked "Add to archive", the program itself with the name of the archive and additional settings will open in front of you.

Delete files after archiving - everything is clear here. You will only have the archive, and the original files will be deleted
Create SFX archive - creates a self-extracting archive with the extension .exe. A compact unpacker is added to this archive. An installed archiver is not required to run or unzip the computer. You just need to start the archive and select the unpacking location. It is convenient if you are not sure whether the archiver is installed on the partner's computer.
Create solidarchive (Create a solid archive) - allows you to get a higher compression ratio than with a regular archive - this is +. In this case, the archived files are treated as one data stream. Disadvantages of continuous archives: when you extract one file or change the archive, you will have to rebuild the entire archive and the process will take longer than when working with a regular archive. If any file in the archive turns out to be broken, it will not let you normally unpack all the following

him files. In this case, it is recommended to add recovery information.
Add recovery record - if the archive is broken for any reason, you can use it to try to recover the information. When this option is selected, the tab can additionally set the amount of information to recover as a percentage. The more, the greater the chance to restore the archive as a result of unforeseen failures.
Test archived files - If testing is successful, you will most likely get a working archive. This option works well with deleting files after archiving, since the original files will be deleted only after a successful archive check.
Lock archive - the archive is locked to modify or add any files to it
Compression method - from minimum to maximum.
Set password - Password for more secure data storage from prying eyes.

Let's set all the settings for maximum compression.

Before compression After

As you can see, the decrease by 1.2 MB was not impressed.

Let's try archive each file separately and see which one shrinks stronger.

As you can see, the most efficient compressed file was TEXT, at 1.2 MB, PDF shrunk by 3 KB, media files did not give a positive result.

After you clicked "Add to Archive ..." the program itself with the name of the archive and additional settings will open in front of you.

Delete files after archiving
Test archived files
Create solid archive (Only for 7Z)
Pot each file to separate archive
Turn PC off when done
Compress and E-mail
Create SFX archive
Tabs:
Password
File
Algorithm
Time
Comment

The compression process is similar WinRar, squeezed HaoZip on 1 MB more than WinRar.

7- zip

In the program explorer, select the files for archiving, hold down SHIFT or CTRL and select the necessary files with LMB, then click "Add".

Archive format 7z
Compression level: ultra
LZMA2 compression method
Dictionary size 64 MB
Word size: 273
Block size: continuous
Number of threads: 2
Password input
Ability to create SFX archive
Encryption method

After packing all the files, the archive lost weight by 2 MB compared to programs WinRarand HaoZip.

Compression by meansWINDOWS.

Select the necessary files, RMB - Send - Compressed ZIP folder

A quick and convenient way to create an archive of documents.

Many people create an archive not for the sake of compressing files, but for the sake of conveniently transferring large amounts of data by e-mail or cloud service.

Thank you for watching! If you are interested in my blog, you can subscribe to it!

More from my site

More from my site