File Compression Programs

File compression is used to make files more compact, so that they require less storage space. Read on, to know more about file compression programs.

How to Compress a File

File compression is a method in which large files are compressed into smaller-sized files which is supported by a specific compression software. This is a very useful method if you want to email several files or folders which are large in size. You just need to compress files in a particular folder and send it via email. To access those files, the receiver will need to have the same software with which the files have been compressed.

He needs to open the files and folders in the compression software, and then extract them to convert them to their original format. Even if the files are compressed into a smaller file size, their quality remains the same. File compression is definitely a useful way to save space. There are many software available in the market which are specially intended to be used for the purpose of compressing files. Below are some software and methods used for this purpose.







How to Compress a File Using WinZip?

WinZip is considered the best file compression tool, and is used by a majority of people all over the world. It's trial version can be downloaded from the Internet for free. It certainly does the job in an efficient manner. It compresses the files selected, and puts them together in a single file which is known as a .zip file. This file is way smaller in size than the original files' size, and takes up less memory space. If you then want to view the contents in the file, you need to run the WinZip software and unzip or extract the files. This process may sound confusing at first, but it is really a very simple task.

Run the WinZip application, and select the 'New' icon which is at the upper left hand corner of the application window. Choose a folder or a drive where you would prefer to save the .zip file. You will have to name the compressed file before adding files to the archive. After naming the file, a new window will appear that will allow you to add a file that you want to compress. For adding multiple files, you need to click on the 'add' icon. As you keep adding multiple files, the files are compressed and stored in the folder which you named for storing the compressed files. When all the selected files have been compressed, you may click on 'File' option, and select 'close archive'.

How to Compress a File Using WinRAR?

WinRAR is also a very famous tool used for file compression. You can download it's trial version from the Internet. Even if the trial period expires, you can still use it without any issues, but you will get a smaller window notifying that the trial period has expired. To start with the file compression process, run the WinRAR application and click on the 'Add' icon which is on the top left of the application window. Name the file to store compressed files, and select the compression format. It is recommended that you choose the .rar format as it's compression rate is much higher than the .zip format. After selecting the format, click on the 'File' menu and add the files you want to compress. Press the 'OK' button to start the compression process. A rar extractor can be used to retrieve the files. In this way you can make large-sized files into smaller-sized files without affecting the original quality.

Like the above mentioned software, there are many other file compression applications that are available in the market. I hope this article would have provided useful information on how to compress a file.

RAR Extractor

RAR files are compressed files. You can compress data files on your computer in many ways, some of the popular ones are .zip, .rar and .cab, all of which appear as extensions when the files are compressed. The .zip files are certainly the most popular, but because most .zip extractors like WinZip are paid software, their usage is somewhat restricted. Among average users of the computers, i.e. those who mainly use it for their home and small business purposes, the .rar formats are very popular since there are options to get free RAR extractors.

The extension .rar is a portmanteau of the words Roshal ARchive, after the name of its founder, Eugene Roshal. Roshal' s applications were initially only for the DOS format, and later on they were applied to other platforms as they started getting developed. Today, we have RAR archivers for every platform there is – Windows, Mac, Linux, etc.

The applications that is used to pack and unpack files into the .rar format is known as a RAR extractor, or better, a RAR archiver. This application will compress the file to a smaller size and give it an extension of .rar. This smaller file is much easy to manage.

The following are some advantages of .rar compression:-

• It makes the file size smaller, which can help at better organization of the desktop.
• The compressed files are easier to send and receive via email or even chat messengers.
• The compressed files are easy to download from the Internet and upload to it. Because of the smaller size, a lot of time is saved.

Why .rar then? Why not .zip? For quite a few reasons:-

• The foremost reason is that most .zip archivers are not free. You have to pay. Even WinZip, the premier zipping archiver has a trial period after which you have to buy and register the product. On the other hand, WinRar, which is the Windows version of the RAR extractor is shareware. There are also freeware RAR extractors available, like the popular 7z.
• Some people find .zip extractors a bit difficult to use in comparison with .rar. It is easy to pack the files into the compressed format, since it is just a matter of one click, but unpacking procedures are different. Even the interface of zip extractors may be intimidating to some. RAR extractors are minimalistic in their interfaces.

How do we use the RAR extractors? Again this is a very simple procedure. There are two things you must know – the packing (compressing) and the unpacking (decompressing) of the document.

Packing the document in the .rar format – You only have to open the document that you want to compress as .rar in the documents folder. Then right click on the filename. This will have the option of 'Add to filename.rar'. Just select this option. When done, your document will be compressed into the .rar format, get that extension and will be saved in the same folder.

Decompressing the document in the .rar format – Again here you have to find the document in the documents folder and double click on it. That's all. If the compressed .rar document has come from through an email attachment or through a website (such as an installation file), then it will automatically open the .rar decompressor. Within seconds, the file will be decompressed and added to the 'Downloads' folder of your computer. You will get a window showing the files in the document. Now, you can click an 'Extract to' button which is on top of the software and move these contents to wherever you want.

If you read between the lines, you will understand that you do not have to specifically open the RAR extractor, it opens itself. You only have to click on the document in question and the task is accomplished.

Okay, now the premier RAR extractor on the Internet is shareware, and that is WinRar. But that shouldn't be a problem – I am using WinRar since ever and have never been let down by it. But if you want freeware, then you might do a search on the Internet and you will find some good RAR extractors. Make sure to visit blogs and forums and see what the consumers are reviewing about the extractors they use. That will give you a better idea what you must use. My bets are on WinRar.