File Archivers

TairikuOkami · Aug 5, 2023

Wolfzz said:
Code:

https://www.rarlab.com/rar/winrar-x64-623.exe

Please post executable links in code, never direct links. AVs, DNS, searches might mark the webpage as malicious as the result.

Stigg · Aug 21, 2023

I've noticed that PeaZip has been under a lot of development in recent months.
I've never actually used it, but I'm taking a look at the portable version now.

PeaZip free archiver utility, open extract RAR TAR ZIP files

Free file archiver utility for Windows, macOS, Linux, Open Source file compression and encryption software. Open, extract RAR TAR ZIP archives, 200+ formats supported

peazip.github.io

johnlgalt · Aug 21, 2023

SpielbergRules said:
New user here. I still have Win10, but this is a command line question. I tried sending an email to WinRAR support but it failed. Hopefully someone knows! Thanks in advance for any help. Here's the original message I sent to WinRAR:

I have numerous files grouped in alphabetical subfolders in one main folder. for example:

C:\Main_Folder\Individual_Folders\

Each of those folders gets individually RAR'd and stored in a separate backup folder.

C:\Backup_Folders\

To update them, I use the Windows version of WinRAR and do the following:

1. Right click on the source folder in C:\Main_Folder\Individual_Folders\.
2. WinRAR > Add to archive...
3. Browse to and select the existing archive to update in C:\Backup_Folders\.
4. Change the Update Mode to Skip Existing Files
5. Click OK.

That works perfectly, every time.

What I'd like to do is be able to create a batch file to do this for me, as there are 29 separate folders, and, well you know - I'm lazy. :)

In trying to figure this out myself, I checked all the command line options and switches, and this was the best I could find:

f (Freshen files) unfortunately, it doesn't add new files.
u (Update files) I don't want to "Add and update"

then I found the -o- switch. but that didn't work either, even after trying a, f and u, hoping at least ONE of them would work!

I've Googled everywhere to try and find a solution, but found nothing.

I really really hope you can help! I could easily just re-archive them each time, but even with my fast computer and SSD drives, it still takes close to an hour and I have to do each one manually.

Thank you!

Can't you use these functions to do it all at once?

I'm assuming there are no actual files in C:\Main_Folder\, just in each of the subdirectories, and if that is the case, you should be able to set all the parameters in a new compression profile and use that whenever you want to backup all the files in that directory.

See Compression profiles - WinRAR Documentation

Stigg · Sep 9, 2023

I haven't used WinZip since about the Windows 95/98 days.
But Corel Corporation (Now Alludo) is about to release a new version 28 of WinZip.

TechnoMage2021 · Sep 9, 2023

Way back when, I could zip up a file or group of files and then email them to a friend. I sent stuff all over the world that way.
And even today, 7Zip, for instance, offers to zip up some files and email, but I use GMail, and they don't allow any executable file to go through their system. So I don't use anything like 7Zip for compressing files.
I do have 7Zip installed on my PC's because I do download an occasional program that is Zipped.
7Zip is still FREE to download, while some of the other programs are NOT.

TM

Mister.T · Oct 18, 2023

I’ve been using WinZip for many years, with there update assurance for £9 per year now I’m informed it’s stopped and it costs £52 per year… that’s me done with WinZip…

Melchior · Oct 18, 2023

Mister.T said:
I’ve been using WinZip for many years, with there update assurance for £9 per year now I’m informed it’s stopped and it costs £52 per year… that’s me done with WinZip…

Winzip has not been useful since the 1990s..
WinRAR is much better and 7zip is freeware.

Almighty1 · Oct 19, 2023

Depends since I have used them all since the DOS days...

There was ARC which is from SEA, System Ehancement Associates and Phil Katz created PKARC and got sued so he came out with PKZIP which is where ZIP came from. Then there is LHARC which I think is Japanese. Then there is ARJ which is German. Then comes RAR and finally 7-zip. I always thought RAR was Russian but it appears to be from Germany. So I have all of those plus WinRAR and 7-zip. I know for Android flashable zip files where I need to replace a file to be flashed, 7-zip can do it but WinRAR can't. Just like when getting cab files from Microsoft Update Catalog, WinRAR is better for extracting as 7-zip will complain about something at the end like this for example:

IownAmoneyPit · Oct 19, 2023

I had used 7zip for years but recently switched to WinRAR since my new mobos came with the option to install WinRAR and I was even gullible enough to pay for WinRAR although it still works after the trial period expires just to support the developers. Also WinRAR will let you install your 1PC License on all computers you own provided you are a Home User.

RAR and WinRAR END USER LICENSE AGREEMENT (EULA) Under item # 6a

Stigg · Oct 19, 2023

Almighty1 said:
Depends since I have used them all since the DOS days...

There was ARC which is from SEA, System Ehancement Associates and Phil Katz created PKARC and got sued so he came out with PKZIP which is where ZIP came from. Then there is LHARC which I think is Japanese. Then there is ARJ which is German. Then comes RAR and finally 7-zip. I always thought RAR was Russian but it appears to be from Germany. So I have all of those plus WinRAR and 7-zip. I know for Android flashable zip files where I need to replace a file to be flashed, 7-zip can do it but WinRAR can't. Just like when getting cab files from Microsoft Update Catalog, WinRAR is better for extracting as 7-zip will complain about something at the end.

That's a good united nations summary of file archivers around the world.

Stigg · Oct 19, 2023

WinZip was the leading file archiver back in the Windows 3.1/95/98/XP days. But it just became too bloated with features, which most people didn't need in a file archiver.

Keeping it light, fast, simple and with good compression is probably what most people look for.

Almighty1 · Oct 19, 2023

ZIP is just more standard for an archive format. Everything else is supposed to be tighter in compression.

atinfo · Oct 19, 2023

TechnoMage2021 said:
...they don't allow any executable file to go through their system.

Have you tried to remove the file extension and then attach/send it?

Stigg · Dec 28, 2023

TechRadar have two file archiver articles. One is an overall review, and the other is best free alternatives.
I'm a bit surprised to see WinZip as number 1 in the first article. In the second article, 7-Zip is number 1, but there are some that I've never heard of before.

Best file compression software in 2024

The easiest way to create and extract compressed file archives

www.techradar.com

Best free WinZip alternative of 2024

Open and and create compressed file archives in any format

www.techradar.com

trumpy81 · Dec 29, 2023

Personally, I use 7-zip and WinRAR, both portable of course. I've had my fill of installing and re-installing software ... lol

I like some of the other suggestions too, but I have not tried them and probably wont. 7-zip and WinRAR cover all of my needs.

Stigg · Dec 29, 2023

trumpy81 said:
Personally, I use 7-zip and WinRAR, both portable of course. I've had my fill of installing and re-installing software ... lol

I like some of the other suggestions too, but I have not tried them and probably wont. 7-zip and WinRAR cover all of my needs.

That's the two that I use also. But I have them both installed.
I use WinRAR for most things, but when I'm looking for extra compression, 7-Zip does a better job at creating smaller archives, and it does it a little bit faster.

trumpy81 · Dec 29, 2023

I do not disagree with you there @Stigg. 7-zip is a little faster and lighter than WinRAR at times and either can be very useful depending on the circumstances.

Having both portable means I can take them with me if I need to or I can reinstall Windows, copy the shortcuts and then simply install the .reg file to restore full functionality.

Stigg · Jan 5, 2024

trumpy81 said:
I do not disagree with you there @Stigg. 7-zip is a little faster and lighter than WinRAR at times and either can be very useful depending on the circumstances.

Having both portable means I can take them with me if I need to or I can reinstall Windows, copy the shortcuts and then simply install the .reg file to restore full functionality.

I simply couldn't live without an arching application. The Windows archive support just doesn't cut the mustard for me, but I have seen people on this forum say that the built-in archive support is all they use.

hdmi · Jan 5, 2024

7-Zip lets me do a few things that WinRAR doesn't, like opening a WIM file. But WinRAR lets me open ISO files and CAB files, which 7-Zip doesn't. Further, WinRAR compresses to ZIP almost 4x faster than 7-Zip. That alone is reason enough to stay with WinRAR and use 7-Zip only in those (very) rare situations where I need to open a WIM file or need to do something else that WinRAR doesn't let me do. As a bonus, the RAR format offers a significantly higher compression ratio than ZIP, and does so in exchange for only very little sacrifice in speed, and, even though the 7z format offers an even higher compression ratio still, there is a noticeable performance penalty when using the 7z format. Finally, on the NTFS filesystem WinRAR gives me a nice warning each time when it automatically substitutes an unsupported character in a pathname during the extraction e.g. if the archive was created by an Apple user, whereas with 7-Zip there's no way for me to tell what actually happened so, it's also about those tiny little "details" that almost no one ever talks about plus the user-friendliness of WinRAR.