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Thread: How to compress files so Windows users can uncompress them?

  1. #1
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    Exclamation How to compress files so Windows users can uncompress them?

    Hi everyone, another one of those Windows related inquiries

    I'm on an AMD64 Ubuntu 10.10 PC.

    I'm distributing some of my free vector and CNC designs here and I've been naively ZIPing the files thinking it will make them more compatible for Windows users. However, after a second person reported that they cannot unzip my files, I decided to look into it on my wife's barebones (meaning no WinZIP or 7Zip or any other third-party file compression tools) Win XP Home and lo and behold - I cannot unzip my files there. It says "The Compressed (Zipped) folder is invalid or corrupted".

    I've tried zip's -l option (-l convert LF to CR LF (-ll CR LF to LF)) but that didn't change much.

    Does anyone have any advice to offer about the best way to compress files (text and Jpeg) on a Ubuntu computer so that they are guaranteed to uncompress on a Windows machine, preferably one without third party tools ('cause I can never be sure they are installed)?

    Thanks a bunch!
    ***********************************
    To Build And Overclock!

  2. #2
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    Re: How to compress files so Windows users can uncompress them?

    the Archive Manager (Apps -> Accessories) shoudl be able to create zips that any client can decompress. have you tried it?
    Things are rarely just crazy enough to work, but they're frequently just crazy enough to fail hilariously.

  3. #3
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    Re: How to compress files so Windows users can uncompress them?

    search for "zip" or "tar" or "7zip" into synaptic

  4. #4
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    Re: How to compress files so Windows users can uncompress them?

    7zip is prolly a good bet.
    Things are rarely just crazy enough to work, but they're frequently just crazy enough to fail hilariously.

  5. #5
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    Re: How to compress files so Windows users can uncompress them?

    Huh. I have been zipping my programming projects from the command line in Ubuntu 11.04. My instructor grades them in Windows 7, and he hasn't had a problem opening my files. Perhaps the problem is specific to 10.10 or XP or both together.

    Archive Manager sounds like it's worth a try.

  6. #6
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    Re: How to compress files so Windows users can uncompress them?

    Quote Originally Posted by doas777 View Post
    the Archive Manager (Apps -> Accessories) shoudl be able to create zips that any client can decompress. have you tried it?
    Honestly, I've just been using Nautilus's right-click menu (select your files, right-click, selct "Zip", Done!) at first. Then I've tried the same zip utility but from command line (to be able to add the "-l" option) - still no luck.

    Archive Manager (File Roller 2.32.0), although does not have a menu item under Apps-> Accessories on my machine, is installed and is UN-compressing those files just fine. I never tried to use it for compressing though. I'll go try to see if it makes difference.

    Thanks!
    ***********************************
    To Build And Overclock!

  7. #7
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    Re: How to compress files so Windows users can uncompress them?

    Quote Originally Posted by 1script View Post
    Honestly, I've just been using Nautilus's right-click menu (select your files, right-click, selct "Zip", Done!) at first. Then I've tried the same zip utility but from command line (to be able to add the "-l" option) - still no luck.

    Archive Manager (File Roller 2.32.0), although does not have a menu item under Apps-> Accessories on my machine, is installed and is UN-compressing those files just fine. I never tried to use it for compressing though. I'll go try to see if it makes difference.

    Thanks!
    In your case whats important is the file format, so others can use it in winzoz.

    The simpliest way from terminal is zip, example:

    You want to compress the folder named music, then do:
    Code:
    $ zip -r music.zip music
    where music.zip is the output compressed file that you can name like you want, and music is the folder that you want to compress.

    See $ zip -h for other options.
    The trouble with computers, of course, is that they are very sophisticated idiots.

  8. #8
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    Unhappy Re: How to compress files so Windows users can uncompress them?

    Quote Originally Posted by doas777 View Post
    7zip is prolly a good bet.
    Well, here the problem is: if you force 7z to create a zip archive, it pretty much creates the exact same file as zip does (which also does not work in Win):
    Code:
    7z a file.zip ./*
    creates file.zip

    If you let 7z create its own 7z format files, a barebones Windows with no 7Zip installed does not know what to do with a .7z file:
    Code:
    7z a file ./*
    creates file.7z which Win does not recognize


    Still soliciting suggestions.

    Surely, I'm not the only one posting ZIP files on the Web and hoping everyone would be able to read them. How do they do it?!
    ***********************************
    To Build And Overclock!

  9. #9
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    Question Re: How to compress files so Windows users can uncompress them?

    Quote Originally Posted by -=hazard=- View Post
    In your case whats important is the file format, so others can use it in winzoz.
    Thanks for your suggestion, -=hazard=- , but I've already tried all that. Using terminal to launch zip makes no difference from launching it via Nautilus menu as far as Windows compatibility is concerned. it still created the same .zip file.
    ***********************************
    To Build And Overclock!

  10. #10
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    Re: How to compress files so Windows users can uncompress them?

    Quote Originally Posted by 1script View Post
    Thanks for your suggestion, -=hazard=- , but I've already tried all that. Using terminal to launch zip makes no difference from launching it via Nautilus menu as far as Windows compatibility is concerned. it still created the same .zip file.
    Doesnt winrar open zip files?
    I'm positive that it can extract .7z files too.
    Last edited by -=hazard=-; May 17th, 2011 at 10:30 PM.
    The trouble with computers, of course, is that they are very sophisticated idiots.

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