how to compress files using Winrar?

wheelo

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hi gang, can someone please help.. i just want to know how to compress a file in simple english. i am sure you good folks can help..
I have winrar installed on the laptop
thanks,
Wheelo(y)
 
3 main ways to accomplish this:

Option 1: Use the WinRAR user interface to access the complete application and all its advanced features. Start the WinRAR program, either from a Desktop icon, or from the menu path Start -> All Programs -> WinRAR -> WinRAR. In the WinRAR application, click on the "View" button to display your computer's files. Select one or more directories or files, then click on the "Add" button, which brings up a dialog box. The name of the archive file to be created is defaulted in the "Archive Name" field; if the archive name already exists, you will simply be adding files to the existing archive. Choose the archive format and the compression format. You can also choose to enable the "SFX archive" option, which creates an executable archive file, meaning that the receiver does not need to have WinRAR installed to extract the files. Additional advanced options are available on other tabs in the dialog box, such as archive timestamps. Click "OK" to create the archive file.

Option 2: Use the WinRAR wizard, which walks you through several steps to create the archive file. After starting the WinRAR program, click on the "Wizard" button. To create a new archive file, select the "Create a new archive" option. Select the directories or files you want to compress. Next, accept the default, or enter a name for the archive file. Make sure you click on the "Browse" button to select the location in which you want to store the archive, otherwise, the location defaults to the Windows "Documents and Settings" directory. Finally, several more commonly used options are presented, so you can choose, for example, to set a password for the file, or to create a self-executable file.

Option 3: Access WinRAR directly from the Windows Explorer, eliminating the need to start the WinRAR program separately. From within the Explorer, select the files or directories that you want to compress. Next, use the right-click on your mouse, to see four WinRAR menu items. The options "Add to archive" and "Compress and email" bring up the same dialog box accessed in option 1, to allow you to set compression options. The options "Add to . . ." and "Compress . . .and email" default the name of the compressed file, and use WinRAR program defaults for a one-step compression.

In each option, you can select more than one file for compression in one archive file by using the Shift and Control keys. It is not possible to select files in different directories. If this is required, create the compressed file with your initial selection of files located in one directory, then choose additional files in other directories and add them to the previously archived file. With these three methods, compressing a file can be as simple as a right mouse-click, or more complex if specific compression options are required.
 
Thats the great thing about TechKings, the variety: a watchable video, a link to a source, and direct info itself. :)
 
Quick response TKers it really shows what kind of a great bunch we are on this site (y)
 
genius gentlemen, genius.
hi ho hi ho its off to work i go,
thanks men
 
I just compressed my first ever file using Winrar, thanks Dan, 7th, and moh. as said quick and in a language that even I could understand. I have seen tutorials elsewhere, that dont want to share the knowledge unless you are already a genius...I mean i wouldn't have asked if i didn't know..
well done guys (y)
 
when compressing a file say 700mb in size it goes into a single winrar file for me.
how do i do it that it compresses the file but its in say seven 100mb winrar files?

also what is used to put these files back together again? i saw this somewhere on here but cant find it :(
 
Click on the "Wizard" icon in the toolbar, which 7thsinger made mention of in his post. Then just follow the prompts, in them will be the option to choose your output sizes. Just be sure that you take note of your original file size and be sure you realize the output is in bytes. Otherwise you could be deleting 12,000 files off of your desktop. Happened to "someone" I know. lol
WinRAR will put the files back together again when you click to extract the first one.

---------- Post added at 05:18 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:05 PM ----------

Also another very fast method is to use Fast File Joiner. This method is extremely fast as there is no compression trying to take place. You can choose either the number of parts or the size as the factor. And you are right, it has been posted on the site. Just take a look around for it ;)
 
I did that. :doh:

Didn't pay attention to the file size and ended up with 1200 tiny archive files in a matter of seconds. :)

Any file you want to split with WinRar you just:
Right click on the file (WinRar should be in the context menu (one of the options))
Add to Archive
Split to volumes, bytes

In the box below, ignore the drop down menu and manually enter the size (tip: You can use Megabytes in this field if you type in the size[space]mb)
So to split a 15MB file into three, you'd type in 5 mb (note the space)
[Remember to give the archive a name at the top]

You now have 3x 5MB WinRar files

You don't need any special software to recompile the archive.
So long as all the files are present in the same folder, you only need to extract one and WinRar will automatically look for the others, and recompile them into one file.

If you are emailing a large file to someone and have to break it into individual archive files to send one at a time (usually because the original file is bounced back for being too large), you have to make sure that the recipient knows that all these files you are sending in individual emails have to be placed in one folder, and then extracted (preferably using WinRar at their end*).


*7zip and Winace etc. usually work fine as well though.;)
 
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