How to Compress a Mac File With CompactPro

By eHow Computers Editor

Rate: (0 Ratings)

The Mac shareware application CompactPro can combine files and folders into a compressed archive, taking up about half as much disk space as the uncompressed files. Archives are also useful for e-mailing a folder full of files, since most e-mail programs won't attach folders.

Flag Article

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

CompactPro (Mac)
Mac OS 9.0

Step1

Double-click on the CompactPro icon to launch the application.

Step2

Select the New command, or press Command-N.

Step3

Select Add from the Archive menu.

Step4

Use the directory window that appears to add files to the archive. Press Command-G to select individual files or Command-A to select all of the files in a directory (folder). Click on Done when you've added all the files you want to the archive.

Step5

Select the Save command from the File menu. If you want to change the filename or archive location, select the Save As command.

Step6

Check the Self-Extracting checkbox if you want to extract (decompress) the file later without running CompactPro.

Step7

Click on the Save button (or press Return) to save the archive - that is, compress all selected files.

Tips & Warnings

Useful option: You can have CompactPro delete the original file once it is compressed. Saving disk space was why you were compressing files in the first place!
If you're sending the archive to someone, and you're not sure he or she has CompactPro, use the self-extracting option. The recipient just needs to double-click the file to expand it. (Self-extracting files are slightly larger than normal compressed files.)
On the other hand, file compression is not perfect. If you are compressing the file to send over the Internet, or to copy to an external device, you should save the original, just in case the compressed file is corrupted.
Do not use password protection unless you have also protected your password from "memory failure."