EDIT202 – Web Page Lab

File Compression Using WinZip

 

 


·        The purpose of the following mini-tutorial is to provide instruction on the purpose and procedures for file compression directly as they relate to the EDIT 202 course.

 

·        The program you will be using to compressed is called WinZip. The latest version of the program has been installed on your computer in the lab, but if you wish to install it on your own machine at home you can do so by going to the following website, http://www.winzip.com, and downloading a free copy of the program.

 

·        The reasons why you are being asked to compress your folder for submission are twofold.

 

o       The first reason is to save space.  Once a file has been compressed it will be smaller in file size.  This reduction in file size does not mean that you have lost data, compressing a file or a folder simply shrinks the overall space needed to store a file.

 

o       The second reason for compressing a file is packaging.  When sending and receiving files (uploading and downloading respectively) using WebCT you can only send or receive single files and not an entire folder.  Compressing a folder packages the contents of that folder into a single file with a “.zip” extension.

 

·        To compress your folder right-click on your chosen folder and select the following options.

 

 

  • After you compress your folder you will the following single file appear.  Notice the icon look similar to a folder being compressed by a vice, hence file compression.

 

 

·        Once a file has been zipped the only way to uncompress it is by using the WinZip program.  You can only use WinZip, and no other programs to process “zip” files. Also to open these files up you cannot just double-click on them, the instruction for opening “zip” files can be found later on in this document.

 

  • Remember compression reduces file size and packages, see below for screen shots to make note of the size of folder before compression, and the size of your compressed file after compression.

 

Uncompressed Folder

Compressed File

 

 

  • Once your file has been compressed and is in “.zip” format.  The person you are sending it to will have to have to be able to uncompress the file so they can get to the files in the original folder.

 

·        To uncompress (sometime called unzipping) right-click on your “zip” file and select the following options:

 

 

 

 

 

·        Once this has been done you should see the original folder as it was before it was compressed.  Please note here that in order to get access to a “.zip” file you cannot just double-click to open it, the file must be uncompressed as shown above.