NCH Software Express Zip Fie Compression This user guide has been created for use with Express Zip Fie Compression Version 3.xx NCH Software
Technica Support If you have difficuties using Express Zip Fie Compression pease read the appicabe topic before requesting support. If your probem is not covered in this user guide pease view the up-to-date Express Zip Fie Compression Onine Technica Support at www.nchsoftware.com/zip/support.htm. If that does not sove your probem, you can contact us using the technica support contacts isted on that page. Software Suggestions If you have any suggestions for improvements to Express Zip Fie Compression, or suggestions for other reated software that you might need, pease post it on our Suggestions page at www.nch.com.au/suggestions/index.htm. Many of our software projects have been undertaken after suggestions from users ike you. You get a free upgrade if we foow your suggestion.
Express Zip Fie Compression Contents Introduction... 2 Getting Started... 3 What is an Archive?... 4 Creating a Zip Archive... 5 Managing an Archive... 6 Extracting an Existing Archive... 7 Working with Spit Zip Archives... 9 Emai an Archive... 10 Emai Settings... 11 Convert to Zip Archive... 12 Create Sef-Extracting Zip Archive... 13 Quick Zip Menu... 14 Shortcut Keys... 15 Options ~ Genera... 16 Options ~ Fie Associations... 17 Options ~ Other... 18 Encryption... 19 Command Line Options... 20 Additiona Apps... 22 NCH Software Suite... 24 Software License Terms... 25 1
Introduction Thank you for instaing Express Zip. Express Zip is an archiving and compression too to create, manage, and extract zip fies. With Express Zip you can easiy create zip fies of your important documents, images, music and more to save disk space, or to quicky emai or burn to a CD. Features: Quicky create new zip fies Edit or extract existing zip fies Emai zip fies in two easy cicks Burn your archives to a CD or DVD for ong term backup Simpe but powerfu user interface System Requirements Windows XP/Vista/7/8 2
Getting Started It is very easy to get started using Express Zip for creating or extracting from an archive. Creating a zip fie: Launch Express Zip Cick the "Add Foders" or "Add Fies" button on the toobar to begin adding the fies you want to archive Aternativey, you can right cick a fie or foder in Windows Exporer (or your Desktop) seect "Express Zip" and then "Compress" option. Opening an existing archive: Launch Express Zip Cick the "Open" button and browse to the ocation of the fie you want to open. After you have opened a fie, Express Zip wi dispay the contents of the archive in the browser window. Aternativey, you can right cick on an archive in Windows Exporer (or your Desktop) seect "Express Zip" and then "Open Archive" option. 3
What is an Archive? What is an archive? An archive fie is a coection of different foders and fies that are packaged together so that they can be easiy moved from one computer to another. Since many peope use this method for backup purposes, it has gained the name "archive." Further, most archive fies are compressed in order to save disk space or network bandwidth. A compressed archive must be decompressed before the fies inside can be used. By far the most popuar archive type -- the one that Express Zip creates -- is a zip fie, which has the ".zip" fie extension. In addition to creating zip fies, Express Zip can open and extract the foowing fie formats:.zip.jar.nco.rar.cab.tar.tgz/.tar.gz.7z.arj.bz2.zh.xz.z.iso.img 4
Creating a Zip Archive There are a number of ways to create zip archives with Express Zip. When you aunch Express Zip, it wi open with a bank zip fie that you can begin adding foders and fies to immediatey. To do this, cick Add Foder or Add Fies from the toobar or Fie menu. Express Zip wi automaticay create the zip fie as you add foders or fies in the ocation specified in the address bar under the toobar, and wi update the zip fie as you continue to add fies. Another method for creating zip fies is through Windows Exporer or Desktop Exporer. Right-cicking on a foder or fie wi open a context menu with the option "Express Zip," with the submenu option "Compress." After seecting this option, Express Zip wi aunch and automaticay add the seected item into a new zip archive. You can then continue to add more foders or fies to the archive as usua from Express Zip. When adding items to the archive, you can aso drag and drop them into Express Zip from a Windows Exporer window or your Desktop. 5
Managing an Archive After you have created a zip archive as outined previousy, you have severa options for managing your archive. Removing foders or fies: If there is a foder or fie in the archive that you do not want to incude, you can remove it by simpy seecting the item in either the exporer (eft pane) or fie ist (right pane) and cicking the Remove button from the toobar or seecting Remove from the Edit menu. You can aso remove the seected item by simpy pressing the deete key or command+deete or command+backspace key on your keyboard. Note: It is not possibe to deete the root (topmost) foder from within Express Zip. Moving foders: You can move a foder from one pace to another in the Express Zip exporer window. Cick and drag the foder you want to move and drop it over the foder you want to move it into. Note: It is not possibe to move the root (topmost) foder. It is aso not possibe to move a parent foder into a chid foder. Renaming foders: You can rename a foder using the Express Zip exporer window. Seect the foder you want to rename and seect the Rename option from the Edit menu. You can aso cick on the foder name of the item seected in the exporer window to edit the name. Compression Leve: Express Zip can use severa different eves of compression when creating a zip fie. You can seect the compression eve by seecting the Fie->Compression Leve menu option. Compression Leve is a trade off between speed and size, so the Fastest eve wi create the argest zip fie whie the Smaest eve wi take the ongest to compress. Note: The Compression Leve of a fie cannot be changed once it has been added to the archive. However, different fies can have different compression eves within a singe zip fie. 6
Extracting an Existing Archive Extracting fies from an archive: Express Zip can be used to extract (aso commony known as "uncompress" or "unzip") fies that are contained in a zip archive. Cicking on the Open button on the toobar or seecting the Open option from the Fie menu wi open a browser window where you can seect a zip fie to open. You can aso open an archive by right cicking on it in Windows Exporer or from your Desktop and seecting the Express Zip->Open Archive option from the context menu. After you have opened the zip fie, Express Zip wi dispay the contents of the archive and you can browse through the foders and fies. To extract the archive's contents to your computer, cick the Extract button on the toobar or seect the Extract option from the Fie menu. Express Zip wi open a window with options to customize the extraction process. Note: If you want to extract ony certain fies or foders from the archive, seect the items from the exporer window or the fie ist window and cick Extract Seected. Extraction options: Before extracting, Express Zip wi open an options diaog window so that you can taior how the extraction process proceeds. The foowing options can be set from this window: Extract Location: Extract to this ocation: This option aows you to determine where the archive's contents wi be paced on your computer. Cick the Browse... button to choose a different ocation. Extract fies to a new foder: If this option is checked, Express Zip wi create a new foder in your seected ocation and extract the contents there. Express Zip wi use the archive name for the new foder so that it wi be easy to find (e.g., if the archive name is MyArchive.zip, the new foder name wi be MyArchive). Creating a new foder to extract into is often usefu if the archive contains numerous foders and fies, or if you are extracting to a common ocation such as Desktop or Documents, and is a good way to avoid fie conficts. Fie Conficts: Fie conficts occur when a fie you are extracting has the same name of a fie aready in the extract ocation. You can use one of the foowing options to resove the confict: Overwrite a fies: Express Zip wi simpy overwrite any pre-existing fies with the fies from the archive. Ony overwrite if the archive fie is newer (fresher): If this option is seected, Express Zip wi compare the modified date and time of the archive fie with the existing fie and overwrite it ony if the archive fie is newer. Prompt before overwriting: If this option is seected and a confict is found during extraction, Express Zip wi present you with the name and date of the fies and ask you if you want to overwrite the existing fie or to skip it. 7
Don't overwrite any fies: Express Zip wi not overwrite any existing fies if this option is seected. Note: Fie conficts do not pertain to foders. If a foder aready exists, any fies in that foder wi remain unchanged (uness there is a fie confict). Extraction: When you have finished specifying your extraction preferences, cick the Extract button to begin extraction. This process wi proceed automaticay uness there is a fie confict that you need to be asked about. Express Zip wi dispay a progress window to show the approximate amount of work done. 8
Working with Spit Zip Archives Viewing/Extracting spit zips: A spit zip archive consists of mutipe fies. One fie wi have a ".zip" extension. The rest of the fies wi have extensions ".z01,.z02,...etc". Its important that a these fies are in the same foder when reading and extracting the muti-part archive, otherwise you may run into errors. Cick on the fie with the ".zip" extension to view the muti-part archive. You can then extract the archive ike any other Zip archive. NOTE: ExpressZip does not aow you to edit a spit zip archive(add or remove fies). Creating spit zips: Often things ike emai servers have a maximum size for fies that can be sent so you may need to spit up your zip into smaer parts that can be sent. To create a muti-part (spit zip) archive you must first open a Zip fie (.zip extension) that is not aready a muti-part archive. Then cick the "Spit" option under "Toos". Identify the fie to save to, seect a spit size, and cick "Spit Zip". If you want to overwrite the existing Zip fie with the mutipart archive, simpy use the defaut save fie name and cick "Yes" when prompted about the overwrite. NOTE: This process wi create mutipe fies with the same name but different extensions. One fie wi have a ".zip" extension and the rest wi have extensions ".z01,.z02,...etc". Keep these fies together. 9
Emai an Archive You can emai an archive as an attachment to any emai address. This is very usefu in quicky sending batches of fies to another computer. To send the archive you are currenty working on as an emai attachment, cick the Emai button on the toobar or seect the Emai option from the Toos menu. Express Zip wi open a window with options to customize your emai. Note: Express Zip wi require Emai Settings to be set up before an archive can be emaied. If you have not aready done so, you wi be prompted for your emai settings before proceeding. Emai Options: Express Zip wi open a diaog window with emai options that can be set before sending your archive. This manages how the attachment is sent, who the emai goes to, and the subject and body of the emai. Send To: Enter the recipient of the emai. Message Content: Subject: Any text you enter in this ine wi appear as the subject of the emai. Body: Any text entered into this box wi appear as the body of the emai. Keep these settings as my defauts: If this box is check marked, the information entered wi be saved for the next time an archive is sent. Emai Settings: Cicking this button wi open the Emai Settings diaog window where changes can be made to the emai server, sending address, etc. See Options ~ Emai for more detais on this window. Emaiing Spit Zips: You can aso open and emai spit zips with ExpressZip. When emaiing spit zips you wi get an additiona diaog asking you how you want to emai the muti-part archive. Send a parts together: Seecting this option wi attach a the spit zip's parts to a singe emai and send them together. Send one emai for every part: Seecting this option wi send each part with its own emai. The part number wi automaticay be appended to the subject. 10
Emai Settings These settings are used to set up an emai server for emaiing an archive directy from Express Zip. These settings must be configured before the emai option can be used. Send Method Send using a SMTP server: Seect this option if you want to use an SMTP (Simpe Mai Transfer Protoco) server to send emai. A SMTP server is typicay provided by an Internet Service Provider or a company IT department. Send directy (work as own emai server): Seect this option if you do not have access to a SMTP server or if you do not know your SMTP server name or password. SMTP Options: SMTP host: This is the address of your SMTP server (e.g., mai.mycompany.com) Server requires authorization: Check mark this box if your SMTP server requires authorization before an emai can be sent. Most SMTP servers wi require an authorization. Username: This is the SMTP authorization name. Password: This is the password associated with the SMTP username. Attempt to send directy if SMTP connection fais: If this box is checkmarked, Express Zip wi attempt to work as its own emai server if the SMTP server is unavaiabe. Note: Express Zip wi not make this attempt if the SMTP authorization fais. Message Settings Options Use these options for setting up the way emais are sent by defaut. Emais can be atered before they are actuay sent, but customizing these options can make it quicker to send emais. Defaut repy emai: This is the repy to emai address that wi be used when emaiing an archive with Express Zip. This is generay your emai address, but can be used with the server's "no repy" address or any other address. Use custom address for sending emai: If this box is check marked, Express Zip wi automaticay popuate the "Send To" fied when the Emai window is opened. Send to address: This is the emai address that wi automaticay be popuated into the "Send To" fied when the Emai window is opened. Use custom subject and body: If this box is checkmarked, Express Zip wi automaticay popuate the subject and body fieds when the Emai window is opened. Subject: This is the custom subject that wi be used when the Emai window is opened. Body: This is the custom body that wi be used when the Emai window is opened. 11
Convert to Zip Archive Athough ExpressZip supports a number of different archive formats (.zip,.cab,.rar,.tar,.tar.gz,.7z,.img, and.iso), ony one format is editabe. The zip format (.zip). To convert any of these archives to a zip archive you must first open the archive. Then cick the menu button "Convert to Zip Archive" under "Toos". Specify the ocation of the new zip archive and cick convert. Note: If the archive has encryption you wi be asked for the password. Merge A spit-zip archive is one that has been separated into mutipe smaer pieces. It cannot be edited whie in this state. The Merge too is used to recombine these pieces into a singe.zip fie which can then be edited. Specify the ocation for the combined archive and cick convert. 12
Create Sef-Extracting Zip Archive By creating a Sef-Extracting Zip Archive, you can aow your archive to be unpacked anywhere, without reying on the end recipient having access to an archive utiity. Note: If you change the contents of the origina archive, you wi need to recreate the Sef-Extracting archive if you wish it to refect these changes. When creating a Sef-Extracting archive, you wi need to seect whether you wish to create it for either Windows or Appe. The same Sef-Extracting archive wi not function on both. (Simpy create one of each if you need to.) 13
Quick Zip Menu The Quick Zip menu aows you to quicky zip the contents of common foders. The foowing seections can be made from the Quick Zip menu, found in the Toos menu: Documents: A of the contents of the computer's Document foder wi be added. Music: A fies and foders in the computer's Music foder wi be added. Pictures: A fies and foders in the computer's Pictures foder wi be added. Videos: A fies and foders in the computer's Videos foder wi be added. Note: this menu option wi ony be avaiabe in Vista or newer. Note: The ocation and name of these foders varies from computer to computer depending on the operating system. For instance, on Windows XP the Documents foder may be C:\Documents and Settings\Admin\Admin's Documents whie on Windows Vista it may be C:\Users\Admin\Documents. However, Express Zip is abe to detect these foders automaticay. Express Zip does not fiter the contents of these foders, instead a content of the seected foder are added to the archive (e.g., non-picture items in the Pictures foder wi be added). 14
Shortcut Keys The foowing shortcut key combinations can be used in Express Zip to save time Ctr + F Add Foder Ctr + N New Zip Archive Ctr + T Add Fie Ctr + L Open Archive Ctr + E Extract Ctr + A Seect A Ctr + C Copy Ctr + V Paste Deete Remove Seected Item(s) F2 Rename Seected At + F2 Rename Archive Ctr + O Options F1 Open the Hep Documentation At+F4 Exit Express Zip 15
Options ~ Genera Various settings can be configured from this page which affect how Express Zip works. Cick the Options button in the toobar and seect the Genera tab to open these settings. Defaut Fie and Foder: Defaut zip name: This is the name that Express Zip uses when it creates a new zip fie. Defaut save ocation: This is where a new zip fie wi be saved. Cick the Browse button to change this ocation. Right Cick Context Menu: Note that you must be ogged on as an Administrator before you can change any of the right-cick settings in this program. Add Express Zip to the Windows Exporer right cick context menu: If this box is checkmarked, Express Zip can be accessed through the Windows Exporer context menus. If a fie or foder is right-cicked, an option to zip the fie or foder with Express Zip wi be present in the Exporer context menu. Simiary, if an archive fie is right-cicked an option to open the archive with Express Zip wi be present (if mutipe fies are seected, Express Zip wi use the parent foder as the name). Save zip fie in the origina foder or fie ocation: If this option is checkmarked, the new zip fie wi be created in the same ocation (foder) as the origina foder or fie. Otherwise, the new zip fie wi be ocated in the defaut save ocation. Quick Zip: Don't prompt me when using Quick Zip: If this option is checkmarked, Express Zip wi use one of the two options beow to determine how to zip the foder seected in the Quick Zip. Otherwise, Express Zip wi ask you if you want the seected foder to be added to the current archive or if you want to create a new zip fie. Aways create a new zip fie for Quick Zip items: If this option is seected, Express Zip wi create a new zip fie when a foder from the Quick Zip is seected. Aways append Quick Zip items to the current zip fie: If this option is seected, Express Zip wi append the foder seected from the Quick Zip to the current zip fie. 16
Options ~ Fie Associations Express Zip supports various archive types and can be associated with these types based on their fie extension(s). When a fie type is associated with Express Zip, it wi be automaticay opened in Express Zip by defaut. The Archive Types group box contains a ist of the archive types supported by Express Zip. Check each fie type that is to be associated with Express Zip. 17
Options ~ Other Prompt for Open or Create whenever Express Zip is run: If this item is checked, Express Zip wi prompt to either open an existing archive or create a new archive when aunched. If this item is unchecked, Express Zip wi create a new archive when aunched. Open foder browser after unzipping: If this item is checked, Express Zip wi open an exporer window pointing to where the fies were extracted. Prompt for Prism Video Compression Software: If this item is checked and a video fie is added that can be converted to a smaer format, a prompt wi come up asking whether or not you want to use Prism to convert the video fie before adding it to the archive. Prompt for Switch Sound Compression Software: If this item is checked and a sound fie is added that can be converted to a smaer format, a prompt wi come up asking whether or not you want to use Switch to convert the sound fie before adding it to the archive. Prompt for Pixiion Image Compression Software: If this item is checked and an image fie is added that can be converted to a smaer format, a prompt wi come up asking whether or not you want to use Pixiion to convert the image before adding it to the archive. Reminder to rip cda fies before adding them to an archive: If this item is checked and a cda fie is added, a prompt wi come up asking whether or not you want to use Express Rip to rip the track to another format before adding it to the archive. 18
Encryption Encrypting Archives: Encryption wi add a password to the zip fie so that ony those who know the password wi be abe to extract the fies it contains. This is usefu for archiving sensitive fies that are stored on a computer with mutipe users, sending archives over unsecured networks, or pacing archives on media which is easiy stoen ike a DVD or thumb drive. To encrypt an archive, cick the "Encrypt" button on the toobar or seect Toos->Encrypt from the menu. This wi open the Encryption Manager, which has three options: Add password protection to the archive: Use this option if the zip fie you are working on does not aready have encryption. Enter the password into the "New Password" fied and retype it in the "Retype New Password" fied. Change the current password: Use this option to change the password. Enter the current password into the "Current Password" fied and enter the new password into the "New Password" and "Retype New Password" fieds. Remove the current password: Use this option to remove the password and encryption from the archive. Enter the password into the "Current Password" fied. Opening an encrypted archive: Depending on the format, most encrypted archives can be opened and browsed without providing a password. However, a password wi be needed before fies in an encrypted archive can be extracted or opened. Archive formats do not have any way to recover a password, so it is very important to remember the password associated with the archive. 19
Command Line Options You can run ExpressZip from the command ine. Any or a options can be used and repeated as needed. No prompts occur when using command ine options. The foowing options are avaiabe: zip: Archive fies/foders into a zip. -a "archive-path" the path of the resuting archive. -f "fies/foders" one or more foder/fie paths to add to the archive. Must encosed in quotes and separated by spaces. -o this option overwrites any existing archives. -p "password" adds encryption to the archive with this password. -cx, -cf, -cn, -cs, -ct a compression eve respectivey: fastest, fast, norma, sma, smaest. Exampe: "C:\Program Fies\NCH Software\expresszip.exe" zip -a "C:\MyDocuments\archive.zip" -f "C:\MyDocuments\Music" "C:\MyDocuments\Pictures\sampe.jpg" -cn -o extract: Extract fies from any of the archives supported by ExpressZip. -a "archive-path" the path of the archive to extract. -d "output-directory" the directory to extract the fies to. -o when specified, wi overwrite any existing fie when extracting. -p "password" password to the archive if appicabe. -m when specified, wi make a new foder in the output directory with the name of the archive. Exampe: "C:\Program Fies\NCH Software\expresszip.exe" extract -a "C:\MyDocuments\archive.zip" -d "C:\MyDocuments" -m convert: Convert any of the archives supported by ExpressZip to a zip archive. -a "archive-path" the path of the archive to convert from. -d "output-directory" the output directory to convert the archive to (the name wi be the same as the input archive, the extension wi be.zip). -o this option overwrites any existing archives. -p "password" password to the archive if appicabe. Exampe: "C:\Program Fies\NCH Software\expresszip.exe" convert -a "C:\MyDocuments\archive.rar" -d "C:\MyDocuments" encrypt: Add encryption to a zip archive. 20
-a "archive-path" the path of the archive to encrypt. -p "password" the password to add to the archive. Exampe: "C:\Program Fies\NCH Software\expresszip.exe" encrypt -a "C:\MyDocuments\archive.zip" -p "mypassword" decrypt: Remove encryption from a zip archive. -a "archive-path" the path of the archive to remove encryption from. -p "password" the password to the encrypt archive. Exampe: "C:\Program Fies\NCH Software\expresszip.exe" decrypt -a "C:\MyDocuments\archive.zip" -p "archivepassword" 21
Additiona Apps When working with arge and compex fies ike video, sound, and image fies you may want to first convert those fies into a more optima format before adding them to an archive. Use these appications with ExpressZip to maximize your compression whie maintaining the quaity that you need in your fies. Prism Video Converter Software: Convert or compress video fies within minutes of downoading Universa video converter supporting a popuar formats Incudes batch video conversion to convert thousands of fies Downoad Prism Here Pixiion Image Converter Software: Convert between many different image fie formats Rotate, resize, adjust quaity, add captions and watermarks, and more... Batch convert thousands of fies at once Downoad Pixiion Here Switch Audio Fie Converter Software: Universa audio converter supporting a popuar formats Convert or compress sound fies within minutes of downoading Incudes batch audio converter to convert thousands of fies Extract audio from any media fie incuding video Downoad Switch Here Express Rip CD Ripping Software: Fastest CD Ripping software avaiabe using proprietary optimization technoogy Rip your coection to wav or mp3 quicky and easiy. Incudes onine database access to automaticay obtain track and abum information. 22
Extract audio from many other formats as we, incuding wma, m4a, aac, aiff, and more. Downoad Express Rip Here 23
NCH Software Suite This is a usefu way to browse a the software avaiabe from NCH Software You can see a set of products by type ike Audio, Video and so on and view the product. From there you can try out the product and it wi downoad and insta it for you to tria. If you aready have the product instaed then you can cick "Run It Now" and the program wi be aunched for you. There is aso a ist of features for products in the category. Cick on a feature, such as "Edit a Video Fie", to insta a product with that abiity. Search Search our website for products matching any keywords you type. See more of our software Browse our website for more software. Subscribe to our newsetter You can subscribe to our newsetter for announcements of new reeases and discounts. You can unsubscribe at any time. See the atest discounts for purchase See the atest discounts we are offering for purchasing our products. 24
Software License Terms 1. The copyrights in this software and any visua or audio work distributed with the software beong to NCH Software and others isted in the about box. A rights are reserved. Instaation of this software and any software bunded with or instaed-on-demand from this software is icensed ony in accordance with these terms. 2. By instaing, using or distributing this software you, on your own behaf and on behaf of your empoyer or principa, agree to be bound by these terms. If you do not agree to any of these terms, you may not use, copy, transmit, distribute, nor insta this software - return it to the pace of purchase within 14 days to receive a fu refund. 3. This software, and a accompanying fies, data and materias, are distributed "as is" and with no warranties of any kind, whether express or impied except as required by aw. If you intend to rey on this software for critica purposes you must test it fuy prior to using it, insta redundant systems and assume any risk. 4. We wi not be iabe for any oss arising out of the use of this software incuding, but not imited to, any specia, incidenta or consequentia oss. Your entire remedy against us for a caims is imited to receiving a fu refund for the amount you paid for the software. 5. You may not use this software in any circumstances where there is any risk that faiure of this software might resut in a physica injury or oss of ife. You agree to indemnify us from any caims reating to such unauthorized use. 6. You may copy or distribute the instaation fie of this software in its compete unatered form but you may not, under any circumstances, distribute any software registration code for any of our programs without written permission. In the event that you do distribute a software registration code, you wi be iabe to pay the fu purchase price for each ocation where the unauthorized use occurs. 7. Use of statistics coected by the software is subject to the NCH Software Privacy Statement which aows automatic anonymized coection of usage statistics in imited circumstances. 8. The contract arising out of this agreement is governed by the aws and courts of the Austraian Capita Territory. 25