how to create multi zip files

[dophine]

hi,

I want to zip a big a file to multi smaller size zip file. how can I do that?

thank you

[dachinster]

hi guys, i see there is a thread about this already so instead of starting another, i just wanted to follow up with this...

i have an 8GB file and i want to zip/tar it across 2 dvds.
i need to make them small enough to fit on a standard dvd

anyone knows how to create a multi volume zip file?

[mali2297]

Originally Posted by dachinster hi guys, i see there is a thread about this already so instead of starting another, i just wanted to follow up with this... i have an 8GB file and i want to zip/tar it across 2 dvds. i need to make them small enough to fit on a standard dvd anyone knows how to create a multi volume zip file?

Assume that you want to use tar to archive and compress a file foo of size 8 GB. Type commands

tar -cvzf foo.tar.gz foo
split -d -b4000m foo.tar.gz foo.tar.gz.

Then you will have two files foo.tar.gz.00 and foo.tar.gz.01 of size 4 GB maximum each.

To extract foo from the split compressed archive:

cat foo.tar.gz.* > foo.tar.gz
tar -xvzf foo.tar.gz

Of course, you could skip tar and just split the original file:

split -d -b4000m foo foo.

and join the pieces later with

cat foo.* > foo

[dachinster]

o, my mistake, it is actually a directory of files that needs compressing.
will the above still work?
once of the files inside that directory is an ISO file 7.8GB big but I need the accompanying files to go with it

[mali2297]

Originally Posted by dachinster o, my mistake, it is actually a directory of files that needs compressing. will the above still work? once of the files inside that directory is an ISO file 7.8GB big but I need the accompanying files to go with it

Yes, you can create a compressed tar file with same command if foo is a directory. The file foo.tar.gz can then also be split as before.

Alternatively, tar can itself construct multivolume archives if you don't use compression:

tar -cvL4000000 -f foo.tar.00 -f foo.tar.01 foo

..to extract:

tar -xvM -f foo.tar.00 -f foo.tar.01

As you can see, the possibilities are numerous.

[inversekinetix]

Originally Posted by mali2297 Yes, you can create a compressed tar file with same command if foo is a directory. The file foo.tar.gz can then also be split as before. Alternatively, tar can itself construct multivolume archives if you don't use compression: tar -cvL4000000 -f foo.tar.00 -f foo.tar.01 foo ..to extract: tar -xvM -f foo.tar.00 -f foo.tar.01 As you can see, the possibilities are numerous.

is there a gui way to do that?

what does foo mean?

[mali2297]

Originally Posted by inversekinetix is there a gui way to do that?

Some people recommend 7zip but I haven't tried it myself.

what does foo mean?

Change it to the name of your directory (or file).
From Wikipedia:

The word foo itself has no meaning and is merely a commonly used logical representation that is used much like the letters 'x' and 'y' in algebra.

[rasmusbp]

Please - there must be a simpler way. Isn't there any archiving application with a GUI that will give you the option of creating more multiple zip files? Like any zip program in XP would have. Anyone?

Thanks.
Rasmus

[mali2297]

Originally Posted by rasmusbp Please - there must be a simpler way. Isn't there any archiving application with a GUI that will give you the option of creating more multiple zip files? Like any zip program in XP would have. Anyone? Thanks. Rasmus

You could try this:
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=556756

[rasmusbp]

great tip, thanks a lot!!