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How do I zip and unzip?
(Note: A zip 'archive' is a file that ends in '.zip'. It is called an archive to distinguish it from the multiple compressed files that it may contain.)
To unzip an archive:
a) Double-click ZipIt.
b) Choose Open from the file menu. Open the zip archive (file ending in '.zip')
c) Choose Select All from the Edit menu
d) Choose Extract from the zip menu
e) Click Save
To zip files and create an archive:
a) Double-click ZipIt.
b) If an Untitled window did not appear, choose New from the File menu.
c) Choose Add from the Zip menu
d) Select the file you want to add. Click Add. Repeat until you have
selected all the files you want to zip. Then click Done.
e) Choose Save from the File menu.
Why canΓÇÖt I use the files I just unzipped?
After you unzip files from an archive, you may not be able to simply double-click them to open them. If this happens, then you need to open them from within the application that you will use to view them. For instance, if you have just unzipped a text file, then start up your word processor by double-clicking it. Then, choose Open from the File menu. Navigate to the file that you have just unzipped (not the ΓÇ£.zipΓÇ¥ file, but whatever came out after you used ZipIt), and click Open.
If the file is not a text file, you may have more difficulty opening it. If it is an application designed for another computer such as the IBM, you will probably not be able to use it at all.
If your application is reporting that the file is corrupted, then chances are that the problem has to do with linefeeds. Go back to ZipIt, and switch the setting of the square in the LF column, and unzip the file again. This should make some difference.
Why does my password not work anymore?
SoftLock passwords are based on a fingerprint of your hard disk. If you initialize your hard disk or switch to a different drive, or try to use ZipIt on a different computer, then your original SoftLock password will no longer work. If you send me your full name, the date that you registered using SoftLock, your original and new SoftLock ID, and the password you were originally given, I will send you a new password that will work with your new hard disk. It would also be helpful if you sent me your phone number and
address; these will help both in contacting you and searching for your registration.
Why is my zip archive unusable?
The most common problems with zip archives occur during file transfer. If you want to send a zip archive (ie, any file created by ZipIt) then your terminal software should be set to send in Binary, but not MacBinary mode. In ZTerm, this can be achieved by choosing Binary from the Transfer Convert submenu in the File menu. Similarly, when receiving a zip archive (ie, a file that ends in ΓÇ£.zipΓÇ¥, created by PKZip or some similar program, including ZipIt) you should be in either Binary or MacBinary mode, but not text mode.
If the receiver is able to open the zip archive and unzip files, but the files that come out are corrupted, probably the problem has to do with ZipIt adding linefeeds. Try zipping the files again, but this time, make sure that the boxes in the LF column are hollow for each of the files you are zipping.
Can you give me a sample AppleScript to run ZipIt?
Here is a simple script to zip and unzip files
on zip(fileList, folderSpec)
tell application "ZipIt"
New window
Add fileList
Compress to folderSpec
Close window
end tell
end zip
on unzip(zipFile, toFolder)
tell application "ZipIt"
open zipFile
Select All
Extract into toFolder
Close window
end tell
end unzip
How do I create or unzip a multi-segment archive?
In order to create a multi-segment archive:
1. Create the archive as usual, by adding files.
2. Choose Set Segment Size from the Zip menu and set the segment size to the
appropriate size.
3. Choose Save from the File menu.
4. ZipIt will tell you to insert new segments when necessary.
IMPORTANT: In order to maintain compatibility with PKUnzip, each segment
must have the _same_ filename.
One other thing you should note: PKUnzip may require that each disk be named
PKBACK# XXX, where XXX is the number of the disk, starting at 001.
In order to unzip a multi-segment archive, simply open the last segment
in ZipIt and proceed as usual. ZipIt will ask you for the intermediate
segments when necessary.
What if my question is not here?
Send me email! My address is Thomas.A.Brown@yale.edu. Or send me a letter, to the address listed in the Read Me document.
