Reference number: CH000808
How do I compress or make files into one file?
Question:
How do I compress or make multiple files into one file?
Answer:Microsoft Windows XP and later users
Users who are using Microsoft Windows XP or later operating
systems can compress files using the included compression utility
by following the below steps.
- Select each of the files and/or folders you wish to add to
the compressed file. Additional information about selecting
multiple files can be found on document
CH000771.
- Right-click one of the selected files or folders and click
'Send To' and then click 'Compressed (zipped) Folder'.
If done successfully, the computer should create a .ZIP file with
the name of the file or folder you right-clicked. For example, if
you right-clicked on a file named todo.txt, the compressed file with
that file and any other file or folder selected would become
todo.zip and be located in the same directory.
Microsoft Windows XP users can also use third-party compression
utilities as explained in the below 'Other Microsoft Windows users
section'.
Other Microsoft Windows users
Because other versions of Microsoft Windows do not come
pre-bundled with their own compression utility, it is up to the user
to install and use a third-party compression utility. Before
following any of the below steps, you must download and install one
of these utilities. A listing of compression utilities can be
found here.
Once one of the compression utilities has been installed on the
computer, you can use it to compress and combine multiple files into
one compressed file. Below is a basic example of how this could be
done.
- Select each of the files and/or folders you wish to add to
the compressed file. Additional information about selecting
multiple files can be found on document
CH000771.
- Right-click one of the selected files or folders and click
the compression utility quick link. For example, with WinRAR you
would click 'Add to archive...' or 'Add to "<name of file>"';
with WinZip you would click 'Add to Zip'.
In addition to the above suggestions, users can also often open
the program through Start/Programs and add the files manually
through the program itself.
Linux users
Unlike many other operating systems, almost all variants of
Linux and Unix come pre-installed with some form of command capable
of compressing and uncompressing files. Linux and Unix users are
likely to be dealing with file extensions such as ".TAR", "TGZ",
".Z" or ".TAR.GZ". See the below Linux and Unix command pages for
additional information about the commands used to create compressed
files and to uncompress files.
gunzip
pack
tar
uncompress
zcat
Additional information:
- Additional information about uncompressing a compressed file
can be found on document CH000506.
- A dictionary definition of "compress" and related
terms can be found here.
- A listing of computer compression programs can be download
here.
- A listing of computer file extensions can be found
here.
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