Author Topic: How to: Create an archived file (.zip/.rar)  (Read 3942 times)

Offline Hamilton

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How to: Create an archived file (.zip/.rar)
« on: August 18, 2011, 08:02:57 pm »
Tools:
-An archiving program. (7zip and winRar are my top choice. Winzip works too)
-Files that need to be compressed (archived).


Step 1:
Is your archiving program installed? If you answered "no", do so now. If you answered "yes", proceed to step 2.

Step 2:
How many files do you need to pack? Only one? you don't need to archive it. More than one? Continue.

Step 3:
Compressing a folder from the game is just silly. Create a new folder. (I use my desktop to house new folders so I can access them quickly. You can make yours where-ever you like). Name it something relative to what you want to compress. (i.e mynewmap, awesomeobjects, markings, etc etc etc). Finished? Continue.

Step 4:
Open your new folder. It should be empty. In a new window, open the file location for the files you want to archive. (hint: open "my computer" to get a new file browsing window). Ready to get busy? Good. Moving on...

Step 5:
Holding the "ctrl" key, select all the files you want to archive. (ctrl lets you select multiple files in a non consecutive manner) Using your mouses' right button, open the drop menu. Select "copy" from the list. (hint: ctlr+c does the same thing) Keep going.

Step 6:
Go back to your new folder. Right click, and select "paste". (ctrl+v) All those files you had highlighted/selected will now be duplicated into your new folder. Nice. Is that all you need?

Step 6-b:
If there are other files you need from other locations, repeat steps 5 and 6 for those files. When all the files you need archived have been duplicated into your new folder, go to step 7.

Step 7:
Is your project complicated? Do a lot of files have special places to go? Do you need to provide some form of written documentation referring to an individual whom you obtained objects/files from? Right click your mouse and select "new" to bring up a second list. From there, select "new .text document".

Step 8:
Open your new document and write a nice readme file. Give it whatever information is important for your potential users of your files. Mentioning all the files is a good start. Explaining where they go is a bonus. If you obtained a file or mesh object from someone who wants credit, this is a perfect place to give it (everyone who download your files will see it!). You can be as fancy or as plane as you like. When you are satisfied with it, save the file. You may rename it if you wish (readme~ is a good choice lol). Your folder should now be completed. Move to step 9.

Step 9:
Close your new folder. (you can close the other window too if you don't need it to see your new folders location). Right click on your new folder to call up the drop menu again. This time, your are looking for the words "add to archive". If you have 7zip, you are looking for "7zip" which will open a new menu where you will find "add to archive". Click on it and go to the next step. (10a for winRar, 10b for 7zip)

Step 10a:
This is pertinent to winRAR users. For 7zip, scroll down to 10b.
A new window should open. It has a few tabs across the top, a narrow text box, and a dozen different things to check in general alone! Wow, it sure looks confusing. Don't panic.

You can leave everything the way it is, and your folder will still archive normally. However the percentage of users who are familiar with .rar format is kinda small around FH. We want to compress the folder as a .zip so everyone can use it!

On the left hand side is two selectable circles surrounded by a box. This area is labeled "Archive format". The top circle will archive to .rar. The second will archive to .zip.

Select the .zip option.

Hit the "ok" button to finish the process. The window will go away and in the location of your new folder, a new .zip file will appear.

Congrats! You just archived your first set of files! Go have some ice cream :D



Step 10b:
This is pertinent to 7zip users. For winRar, scroll up to 10a.
A new window will open. At the top it displays the name of the folder you wish to archive. There are a lot of options here, we only need one.

Directly below your folder name, on the left side of the window is a drop menu labeled "Archive format". It is currently set to .7z. That won't do.

Open the drop menu. Last on the list is ".zip". Select it.

Hit the "ok" button to finish the process. The window will close and a new .zip file will appear in the location where you stored your new folder.

Congrats! You just archived your first set of files! Go have some pie :D




End note: you may keep the archive format as .rar or .7z but they are much less useful to users of this site. .zip is a much more common format and highly recommended to be used.