Dialog box: Pack
 
With this dialog box, you can make settings for packing files. The files are then packed externally by one of the packers pkZIP, ARJ, LHA, RAR, UC2 or ACE. Total Commander contains an internal ZIP packer. This packer supports most PKzip functions. After packing with the internal ZIP packer the ZIP file is automatically checked for errors. This can be aborted without the ZIP being deleted. The check can be disabled entirely by setting VerifyZip=0 in wincmd.ini, section [Packer].
 
Important: You must specify the correct packer (zip, arj, lha, rar, uc2 or ace) in front of the archive file, separated by a colon (:). Otherwise, the selected files will be copied/moved instead!
 
Pack n files to the archive
ENTER the name of the archive where you want to place the selected files. If the archive does not exist, it will be created. When the dialog appears, a file name is proposed, which is composed of the target path and the source directory. You can choose any valid DOS filename. If you use Info-ZIP and want to give the archive a long name containing spaces, you MUST enclose the name in double quotes, e.g.
zip:"c:\long name.zip"
You can even pack to a subdirectory in an archive, but only with the internal ZIP and TAR packer, and with RAR and UC2. To do so, append the subdir to the ZIP filename, separated by a forward slash, e.g.
zip:c:\test.zip/this/is/a/subdir
Hint: When you press CTRL while selecting the File->Pack menu item, the default will be to create the archive in the source directory instead of in the target directory.
 
also pack path names (recursed only)
If you marked subdirectories for packing, they will be stored with their path relative to the source directory. Example: You selected the directory '[test]', which contains the file 'document.txt'. In the archive, the file will be saved as 'test\document.txt'. If this option is not checked, all files are packed without their path names.
 
Recursively pack subdirectories
If you marked subdirectories for packing and selected this option, the directories you marked are searched for subdirectories and these are also packed. Example: If you selected the directory '[Windows]', then the directory 'windows\system' will also be packed. Otherwise, only the files in the marked subdirectory are packed.
 
Multiple disk archives (ZIP, ARJ, RAR, ACE)
Select this option to pack one archive over multiple disks or USB sticks. This works only with zip, arj, rar and ace. The ZIP method allows you to unpack selected files from all disks, while arj's method only allows you to either unpack all files or selected files from one disk at a time. So it's recommended to use the ZIP method. You will be asked to swap the disk/stick or to give a different location when a medium is full.
 
Move to archive If this option is checked, the files are deleted after a successful packing operation. 
 
Create self extracting archive
Check this option to create an executable file (exe file) which will unpack the contained files when it is started. This function supports ZIP, RAR, ACE and ARJ, and also some plugins like SQX. An unpacker for ZIP is included: By default, files packed as ZIP-SFX are unpacked to the current directory, but a different directory can be chosen before extraction. The self extractor is a 32-bit program, but also runs on 64-bit Windows, and even on Windows 3.1 if Win32s is installed. The distribution of self extracting archives does not require a distribution licence.
 
Create separate archives, one per selected file/dir
Allows you to create one archive per file. This is useful for archive types which support one file per archive, e.g. GZ. If no target dir is given, the packed file will be placed in the same dir as the original file.
  Leave out base directory when packing folders
This option belongs to the option directly above:
If unchecked, packing a folder like "test folder" will pack the folder with its full name into the archive.
If checked, the archive will not contain "testfolder" itself, just the files and folders inside "testfolder".
 
Encrypt Allows you to encrypt files. Either requires the internal ZIP packer, or external packers (RAR, ARJ) or plugins supporting encryption (e.g. SQX).
Important note: The original ZIP2.0 encryption isn't very strong. It can be decrypted easily when parts of the encrypted files are available as plain text, e.g. a readme file which is encrypted with the same password as the rest. The much more secure AES encryption with 128, 192 or 256 bit key length cannot be decrypted by all ZIP packers, but it is supported by newer WinZIP and PkZip versions.
 
Compression rate Only for internal ZIP, GZ and TGZ packers: Temporarily change the compression rate for the next packing process (default setting via Configure). 0=store, 1..9=compression strength, 10=LZMA (if switched on). GZ and TGZ only allow the values 1 to 9.
 
Packer Here you select the desired packer (ZIP, ARJ, LHA, RAR, UC2, ACE). If the selected packer is not in your path, you must ENTER the full path in Configuration - Options - Packer... including the filename. If you have configured the internal ZIP packer you can still use the external packer (PKzip or Info-ZIP): Instead of ZIP: place the string EXT: (for external) in front of the ZIP filename! You can also use the internal ZIP packer by specifying INT:.
 
Configure Opens the dialog box Configuration - packer.
 
OK Closes the dialog and starts the chosen packer.
 
Cancel Closes the dialog without packing the files.
 
See also:
- Working with archives
- Dialog box: Unpack