Large files are a nuisance: they won’t fit onto a floppy disk and take far too long to send by e-mail. It is therefore a good idea to compress them if you want to work with them more easily.

The process, commonly known as ‘zipping’, involves creating a folder called an archive and then ‘squashing’ a copy of the file inside. You can add a number of files to the same archive and then send or save this folder in the same way as a normal file.

The usual requirement when sending an archive by e-mail is that the recipient has a similar program on their computer if they are to extract and read the files inside, but it is also possible to create self-extracting archives when sending files to someone you know does not have the program.

Windows XP machines include their own program that will allow you to compress any files very easily, but with earlier operating systems you will need to install a shareware or freeware program such as WinZip. Most employers will be able to provide such a program, but if not, you could download one from the Internet if downloading is acceptable within your own organisation.

USING WINDOWS XP

Compressing files

Having found the file on the desktop that you want to compress e.g. in My Documents or a sub-folder, right-click and select Send to – Compressed (zipped) Folder.

Immediately, a new folder will appear at the bottom of the list of files and folders displaying a zip and with the same name as the original file.

To add several files to the folder, select them all first and then right-click any one and choose the compress option. The folder will display the name of one of the selected files. You could also drag any file into a Compressed Folder to add it directly.

Resizing pictures

When e-mailing pictures, if you click the e-mail link in the task pane but don’t first compress them, you will be offered the option to resize them so that they are easier to view. They will, however, be larger than if they were zipped.

Reading zipped files

If you want to view files that have been compressed, double-click the folder. Any file inside can be opened as normal. It will be Read-Only, so you won’t be able to make any changes to it directly but can go to File – Save As to save a copy to a new location so that you can work on it.

You can also use the Wizard to save the files.

• 1.Select the extract option.

• 2.Click Next to select a location for the files.

• 3.Choose the folder in which to store the files by clicking the Browse button and, if necessary, create a new folder for them. Then click Next for the extraction process to be completed.

• 4.When all the files have been extracted, click Finish and, if you selected this option, view the files in their new location.

USING WINZIP

A version for evaluation purposes can be downloaded from www.winzip.co.uk and you may like to set it to open in Classic mode. Depending on the version you have, the screen may look slightly different.

Creating an archive

If you want to zip one file or have grouped several files into the same folder, select the files and then right-click and select the quick option to zip them into an archive with the same name. Otherwise, follow the guidance to create and store the archive folder and then add the files manually.

Double-click the program icon on your taskbar or open from the Start – Programs menu. Click the I Agree button to start using the program.

Click the New button to create the folder.

As it will only contain compressed versions of files already on your machine, you are unlikely to want to keep the archive permanently. Make it easier to work with by naming it carefully and storing it temporarily somewhere accessible like your desktop.

Adding files

After clicking OK, you will open the Add window. Browse for the files you wish to add and select them in the window. To add more than one file to the archive, hold Ctrl as you click subsequent files before clicking the Add button.

When you have added all the files, close the Add window. You will return to the archive and will see the contents listed in the window. You could click the Add button to add further files if necessary or just close the window.

Your archive will now be visible and you can send it as an attachment just as you would a normal file.

Reading zipped files

If you receive an archive, double-click it and you will see the zipped files listed in the window. Double-click any of these to read. If you want to keep copies, save each one separately or click the Extract button to save a large number of unopened files quickly. To extract only selected files, click these first. Browse for the folder in which to store the files and click Extract.