AUS-NSW-SE-L Archives

From: "LF" <>
Subject: Re: Self-extracting archives
Date: Fri, 7 Sep 2001 21:45:23 +1000
References: <200109070049_MC3-DEFF-20F1@compuserve.com>

These are archival programs, if I can call them that. There are two which
are very common, one being WINZIP and the other is ___zip (can't put
finger on the name off hand).

Winzip is a separate program which can be downloaded off the net or from off
CD's on computer magazine covers, such as PC User, PC World etc. They are
shareware programs.

What you do is open the program and add files to them. They compress files
(or zip) to a smaller size. For example, if you have a file of 1.73mb and
wish to place it on a floppy disk, then you can use WINZIP to archive it,
(or compress it, or zip it - which ever term you wish to refer the process
by). It will compress, usually to the size of 1.4mb.

Self open zip format, or self-expanding archives or self-expanding zip means
that the program such as WINZIP that was used to compress your file can be
attached to the your file, so that if you use the disk in a computer that
does not have WINZIP loaded on it, you can open the file, or extract it. If
you don't have a self-opening zip format and attempt to view the file while
compressed, then you will not be able to.

Do you understand what I mean??? I hope so.

Also, by using WINZIP, you can span a large file across numerous floppy
disks, which normal circumstances you would not be able to do it.

Does all that make sense??

Lavinia
NSW



----- Original Message -----

> Message text written by Mary Lidbetter <>
>
> "It has been suggested that there is a means by a self-opening zip format.
> Does any one know anything about this form? Can it be downloaded or must a
> seperate programme be bought?"
>
> -------------------- End Original Message --------------------
>
> There are various applications which can produce self-expanding archives.
> One that I recommend very highly is Stuffit from Aladdin. Its compression
> tool DropStuff can produce self-expanding archives in formats suitable for
> PC users as well as Mac users. You can download the simpler Stuffit tools
> (Dropstuff & Stuffit Expander) from the net, and I think that you will
find
> the Aladdin web site at http://www.aladdinsys.com. You can I am sure also
> download these products from general software sites like Tucows, etc. The
> only problem (mainly for PC/Windows users) with self-expanding archives is
> that they are executable (.EXE) files, which as attachments to e-mail will
> be blocked by the virus-protection software of most corporate servers: in
> other words they can normally be received as attachments only through a
> private e-mail account. All that being said, I don't even have a disk
drive
> any more, and constantly use SEAs to send huge volumes of documents
between
> my various computers, usually at a compression ratio of around 1/4 the
> original size.
>
> Ted Marr
> 7 September 2001
>
>
> ==============================
> Visit Ancestry.com for a FREE 14-Day Trial and enjoy access to the #1
> Source for Family History Online. Go to:
> http://www.ancestry.com/subscribe/subscribetrial1y.asp?sourcecode=F11HB
>

This thread:

• Self-extracting archives by Ted Marr <>

  • Re: Self-extracting archives by "LF" <>