What is WinZip?
WinZip is a program that "zips" multiple files and/or directories into a
single "archive," or Zip file. When WinZip zips files into an archive, it
also compresses them to save space. It is easier and faster to download an
archive, or to attach an archive to an email, than to transfer each file individually.
What are some typical uses of this software?
Many files that are available for download on the web are accesible as archives.
Two benefits of using archives for electronic file distribution are: only
one download operation is required to get all related files, and download
time is minimized because the files are compressed.
It is often easier to send and receive a single large file in an email than
to add or detach multiple attachments. Also, a zip archive attachment will
be smaller than the sum of original files because of compression.
For UGAMail web users, each Web mail attachment
must be added to your email message separately. Zipping all individual files
into a single archive means you only have one file to upload/attach to your
email message.
For Terry File Exchange users ( www.terry.uga.edu/tfx
), you can upload a single archive, rather than multiple documents, to
send to the recipient.
For Terry Web Request Form users ( www.terry.uga.edu/oit/forms/web_request.cfm
), the form allows three files to be uploaded per request. If you have
more than three supporting documents pertaining to a single request, you will
need to zip them for upload.
Where do I get WinZip?
WinZip is part of the standard image for all Terry Computers. If you have
a new computer (less than a year old) that was set up by the HelpDesk, or
if your machine has been "Security Swept" (in which case you will have a "OIT Secured" sticker on your computer), you should have WinZip already installed.
If you do not have WinZip on your computer, please call (706.542.6799) or
email the HelpDesk (help@terry.uga.edu)
to request an installation of WinZip.
If WinZip is installed on your computer, you should have a link to WinZip
in your Start menu (see Figure 1).
Figure 1:
How do I turn multiple files into a single file, called
an "archive?"
- Start WinZip by selecting it from your Start menu. It should appear as
an individual item in your start menu (see Figure 1,
above). The interface will appear as in Figure 2,
below:
Figure 2:
- Click the "New" button. WinZip will ask you to name your new archive,
and select where on your computer you would like to save it (see Figure
3). The desktop is always a good choice.
Figure 3:
- Once you have named and saved your archive, the next step is to add individual
files to it. Immediately after saving your empty archive, the "Add" window
will pop up, as in Figure 4, below. Select the
file you want to add and click the "Add" button. There are several parameters
you can change in the "Add" dialogue box; the best option is to leave everything
as default, as it appears below.
Figure 4:
- If you would like to continue adding more files to your archive, click
the big "Add" button on the main page (see Figure 5,
below) to bring back the "Add" dialogue box from Figure 4.
Repeat this step until you have added all the files you want to include.
Note – you can add whole directories as well as individual files to your
archive.
-
Figure 5:
- When you are finished adding files to your archive, select File —>
Close Archive (or Shift + L). Your new Zip archive is ready to email or
upload! It will have the .zip extension, and its icon will be the traditional
WinZip icon (see Figure 6, below).
-
Figure 6:
