How to Decide Which Archive Format to Use in WinZip

When you create an archive with WinZip, you can choose among three different formats. Your choice will depend on your requirements.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• WinZip

1. Save your archive as a Zip file if the file will be opened only on computers that have compression software installed. Unless the proper software is available, the archive will not open.

2. Save your archive as a self-extracting executable file if you're sending it to someone who doesn't have compression software. Self-extracting files open simply by double-clicking them.

3. Save your archive as a self-extracting pro file if you're using it for software that's being downloaded over the Internet. This format has more options and features than the self-extracting executable format.

Tips & Warnings

• WinZip allows you to store large files on two or more diskettes, if necessary.
• A self-extracting executable file is larger than a Zip file, since it contains the additional coding necessary to make it self-extracting.
• The WinZip self-extracting pro format is an add-on to WinZip that you must purchase separately.
• WinZip also allows you to convert files into a UUencode format. This is a special format that can be used when you are sending files other than text files by e-mail. UUencode prevents the content from being garbled or destroyed during the e-mail process. The recipient must have a program that can decode the UUencode mail that you have sent.
• WinZip does not currently support some of the older compression formats, such as ARC, LHA, and ARJ. External programs can be downloaded from various sites on the Internet that will allow WinZip to handle these file formats.