windows and zipped files

[The Vector Doctor]

What versions of Windows support the unzipping of files?

I have Windows XP running on Parallels on my Mac and it seems to support unzipping of files... right click (extract). I don't recall if I installed this at some point or if it is automatic with XP

So here is my question.... Do any versions of Windows NOT allow you to unzip files? Must you download some unzipping software to make it work in older versions of Windows? Which ones?

I typically send out ai files but some customers prefer EPS. For some reason, EPS files are known to become easily corrupted when emailed so to avoid this I will zip eps files. Some of my customers don't know how to deal with zipped files. They say they cannot open a zip?

Someone enlighten me

 

[Custom_Grafx]

I think windows 2000 and earlier doesn't have it. They can dl sthing called winzip tho.

 

[Fred Weiss]

I think it started with XP. I can tell you that every file we've ever sold at Express Clipart has been delivered in a zip file with no complaints. Winzip.com does offer a free, full running version for evaluation that's good for 45 days.

 

[The Vector Doctor]

Maybe some of my customers are running old windows software

 

[The Vector Doctor]

I just want to be able to make an informed statement, if/when the customer says they cannot open a zipped file

 

[Fred Weiss]

The last two paragraphs of this page is what we tell our customers regarding compressed files.

 

[WildWestDesigns]

I think it started with XP. I can tell you that every file we've ever sold at Express Clipart has been delivered in a zip file with no complaints. Winzip.com does offer a free, full running version for evaluation that's good for 45 days.

Unless they changed the setup, Winzip will actually run beyond the 45 days at the full version. You would just have to allow 15 seconds to expire on the reminder to purchase if you like it. I ended up going with Winrar instead and that does support zip files as well. I use that all the time with embroidery files. No complaints, but I don't have customers using older the XP either.

 

[jc1cell]

izarc is my preferred compression app.

 

[Graphics2u]

Just include a link to free download of a zip program and tell them if they have trouble download this.

I know what you mean about EPS files. I used to get EPS files emailed to me all the time that would actually split the file some how and there would 2 files with the same name attached to the email. Usuall yone of them opened fine. But I haven't had that happen in quite along time, maybe something changed in the way attachments are handled.

 

[choucove]

izarc is my preferred compression app.

IZArc gets my vote. I've used this for every computer I work with, and started using it working at the University of Kansas doing computer administration. It will work with many more file types than winzip and it is completely free. You'll never run out of a "trial period" where you have to wait to open anything.

I believe you are right, though, that integrated decompression utilities started with Windows XP and all newer Windows operating systems. However, the range of compressed file types that they deal with has changed up through the release of Windows 7 to accommodate additional file types.

 

[The Vector Doctor]

some of my customers are actually afraid to download programs. I have suggested this before. Some try to import my zip file directly into Corel not realizing it needs unzipped first. I have emailed ai and/or eps files and some don't even know what to do next.

 

[Fred Weiss]

Just include a link to free download of a zip program and tell them if they have trouble download this.

I know what you mean about EPS files. I used to get EPS files emailed to me all the time that would actually split the file some how and there would 2 files with the same name attached to the email. Usuall yone of them opened fine. But I haven't had that happen in quite along time, maybe something changed in the way attachments are handled.

That happens when the file comes from a Mac. One file is the data and the other is the resource fork of the Mac desktop. The extension of each is usually .DAT. Just change the larger of the two files by making the .DAT into .EPS.

I never have understood how two files with the same name can be attached to the same email. If you try to save each of them, one will overwrite the other.

 

[signage]

VD with winzip you can make a self extracting file for your customers! I would think that most compression software would have this option.

 

[The Vector Doctor]

From what i have read a self extracting zip is an exe file and I think that is something that most Windows users are uncomfortable with. Many exe files can unknowingly install viruses and in some cases some users have it setup to block all exe attachments

 

[signswi]

7zip or IZArc, both are free. 7zip is FOSS (Free Open Source Software) which gives it the edge in my book, but IZArc has a slightly nicer UI (not that I ever use anything but right click context menus anyway...).

StuffIt is the devil and .sit is a huge signal to me that I'm receiving a file from someone out of touch. Probably contains a Quark file with a bunch of ancient mac postscript fonts with broken resource forks or some mess like that ;P.