SmartZip is a MacOS application designed to be the simplest and most efficient way to manage ZIP files.
You can automatically compress files (or entire folders) by dragging them onto SmartZip and in the same way you can easily expand ZIP files.
The ZIP format is the de facto standard in PCs and the most popular compression utilities for the MacOS are also based on one of its alghoritms, so it represents the best solution and the best way to exchange files between the two platforms.
When I created SmartZip what that I had foremost in my mind were speed (performance), efficency and a user friendly interface, so SmartZip has some unique feautures that make it a very powerful application.
SmartZip has also been designed to cooperate while other applications are running. Thanks to an efficient background processing scheme it is a perfect helper application for many programs such as web browsers, e-mail clients and so on.
Undestanding the progress bar:
During the compression status you can immediatly obtain useful information about the file position mark (first bar), the archive efficiency (second bar), the file ratio (last value) and its integrity.
During decompression, you can immediatly obtain useful status information about the file position mark inside the zip archive (first bar), the current file examined and its ratio and the percentage of files processed in the current archive (second bar).
Information:
You can visually browse the content of a ZIP file and expand individual items and most of the time you will be able to see the real icons and names of the files and folder inside the archive.
Preferences:
SmartZip can be fully customized thru its Prefereneces panel where every item has its own help string displayed into the help box.
Just move the mouse over the item to activate the help message that can guide you in configuring SmartZip to better serve your particular needs.
Troubleshooting
If SmartZip does not activate when you drag a file onto it, then probably you have to rebuild your Desktop database by restarting your computer and holding down the Option and Command keys.
A last word...
Please keep in mind that this program has required an incredible amount of work, so if you find it useful please register it. Remember that your support is the best way to insure continued development of new software for the MacOS. SmartZip is shareware, and it costs just $18.
You can register SmartZip directly with Kagi at http://order.kagi.com/?KG. For more information about the registration process, please visit http://www.vampiresoft.com/ .
Contact information
Marco Bambini
Via Piave n.21
46015 Cicognara (MN)
ITALY
marco@vampiresoft.com
Visit http://www.vampiresoft.com/ for the latest SmartZip info.
Special thanks to:
The WinZip technical support
Julius Caesar Toledo (for his help in the revision and correction of the material)
Mauro Q2 Dalu (for the about box and the icons, you can reach him at Q2@freedom.geonet.it)
zTom (for the brainstorming...)
Landy (for the peppers...)
Copyright
All this material is copyright 1999 by Marco Bambini - Vampire Software.
SmartZip may be freely distributed, so long as it is not sold for profit, and registration passwords are not distributed. Express permission is granted to online services and other shareware/public domain distribution avenues to carry SmartZip. Express permission is further granted to include SmartZip on CD-ROMs or floppy disks accompanying books, or on shareware collections, provided that no more than a nominal compilation and/or media fee is charged for these collections.