How to use WinZip

This viewlet demonstrates how to use WinZip.

The first section shows how to unpack a zipped file.  WinZip should be the default application to open a file with the .zip extension (it also opens .cab and .tar files) so when a .zip file is found (either in Windows Explorer or using Start|Find|Files or Folders) double-clicking the filename will open WinZip.  To extract the file the user merely clicks the "Open" icon and specifies the location where the extracted files are to be placed.

The second section shows how to make a zipped archive containing several files.  The user begins by opening WinZip.  Click the "New" icon and a window opens where the user must specify the folder where the .zip file will be stored, the type of file desired, and the name to be assigned to file.

When this is complete, click the "Add" icon.  Browse to the location(s) of the files which are to be included in the archive.  Select them, one by one, and add them.  When all the files have been added, click File, then Close Archive.  The file will be created in the selected folder.

The third section of the viewlet describes how to make a self-extracting .exe file,  rather than a standard .zip file.  This is useful if the file is to be sent to someone who doesn't have WinZip or a comparable program installed on his/her computer.  It starts with the .zip file constructed in the previous section.  That file is opened using the "Open" icon.  When it has been opened, click Actions, then Make .exe file.  The remainder of the process consists of specifying which available options are to be included with the .exe file.  A usable .exe file can be created without entering any of the options, so the viewlet skips past them, in the interest of minimizing viewing time.