opening zip files

[rootessa]

I'm beginning to think I'm just never going to understand
linux. 5 months and I'm still confused. I've downloaded 10 zip files to unbuntu 10.10. which I'm trying to figure out how to open. Seems if you look 10 places online for linux instructions you find 10 different answers! 5 months and I still can't update Java but that's a different day!

SO...... I looked for info and saw I'm supposed to install zip and unzip thru the terminal. I tried that and it's already installed. I've just updated to 10.10 if that matters.
-Looked for directions as to how to open the files and found:
-double click file
-open
- click extract
-choose folder to unzip files into
-window will popup w/ progress bar
OK so all that went as it should have. It said something like extraction successful at that point. The instructions said I'd then see a button which would take me to extraction folder. That wasn't an option offered. So now I don't have any idea what I'm supposed to do next. I've tried several things and just end up feeling like a dog chasing it's tail. I'd really appreciate any suggestions. Giving up isn't really an option. Thanks in advance!

[wojox]

The extracted folder should be in the same directory as the .zip file. Press Ctrl+H to see if it's hidden.

[Enigmapond]

You need to install rar, unrar, and ubuntu-restricted-extras. This should fix both your zip and java problems.

[vanadium]

In a fresh, standard Ubuntu install, you can simply unzip a zip file by right-clicking it and choosing "Extract here". All files in the archive will be extracted into a folder with the same name as the zip file (without the zip extension).

Double clicking a zip file will open it. With drag-and-drop to a folder, you can extract individual files.

This feature is there by default.

[rootessa]

Thanks! SO, I installed rar, unrar and ubuntu restricted. I did the "which" at the terminal to make sure they installed. Restarted the computer,went back thru the whole process of trying to open the zipfile and when it got tothe extracting bar it couldn't do it and I got an error message which I was going to share here but the computer crashed and I lost the message. Since I've now spent 6 hours trying to accomplish this simple task I'm not going to try it again today. The ubuntu restricted info did say it would install
java. I tried to open the application I've been unable to open and still nothing. still doesn't work. As I was trying to open the zip file for the umpteenth time, it occured to me that I have numerous zip files fromthe same person, same source as the ones I'm currently trying to open. I didn't have any problem opening them in the same manner as the ones I've tried to open today. The only difference is that I've updated to 10.10 since then. I had a problem with my sound after the update which I figured out on my own. Wondering if this could be the cause of this problem? If there was a smiley pulling out it's hair it would be inserted here ------> lol! }(*,)

[wolfen69]

Try

sudo apt-get install p7zip-full

then right click "extract here".

[rootessa]

Well, Thanks again! I've had 3 days of Internet problems so just getting back to this project today.I've tried everything to open these files and still can't. I have 10 other zip files from the same source as the ones I'm trying to open (also 10) and those I can open without any problem. Of the 10 new ones, I did get one open and that one is a video which works. Another of the 10 is a camtasia video which I can get the file open (finally) but the video doesn' t work....meaning, I have a file with a camtasia logo and nothing else. I suspect they're all camtasia videos.
These are videos which have been sent and sold to others multiple times so at this point, I can only conclude that there's a problem with the way this machine has downloaded them. Back to the drawing board. I'm thinking I need to dump the files and try again. omg this is SO frustrating!

[rootessa]

downloaded zip file again. Extracted. Says extraction successful. Click to open. Document viewer pops up with red bar which says unable to open document. zip file archive not supported. This tells me it's trying to open the file using the wrong viewing format? Grrrrrrr!

[rootessa]

Thank you.I've given up.

[CleveRuse]

Just for the record ...ur not the only one. I'm running 11.04 (Natty), with the latest 7zip installed. I had already tried everything stated above, but no matter wut I try, I get an "Error" message. Which I find even more odd since I CAN open both ' .tar ' and ' .tar.gz ' files with no problem. ( haven't tried ' .rar ' files yet )

It's sad cuz, all things considered, I really dig Ubuntu over its Counterparts. But God, ...I've never known so MANY problems on Windows, or Mac (of caorse)! Every - Single - Day, without fail, I have an issue! (Mostly w/ Compiz) ...but let me save my many other complaints for another post...

Anyway, I just thought u should know... Ur Misery definitely has Company!

Note: For tenacity's sake, its a good thing I'm so OCD.