Compressing Files

File Compression (Zipping) and Extraction (Unzipping)

Compressing (zipping) files, folders, and programs decrease their size and reduce the amount of space they use on your computer drive or removable storage devices, and makes them easier to email. Office 2007 automatically compresses Word, Excel and PowerPoint files with the new XML format (docx, xlsx, pptx).  But sometimes you have a file that does not come from Office 2007 or you want to compress multiple files into one ZIP file.
 

NOTE: MEMO (MCCCD email system) will block emails with zip files attached.

Windows XP and Macintosh OSX have built-in zipping capabilities which allow you to create (zip) and extract (unzip) compressed files, no matter how they were created.  (For a more  convenient zipping tool -- you can download a free utility (ZipCentral) for Windows XP to use to compress your files. Click here for more information.)

Windows XP

To create a zipped file:

1. Using “Windows Explorer” or “My Computer”, navigate to the folder containing the file and folder to be zipped.
2. Right-click in an open area (blank area) of your screen, or use File>>New>>Compressed (zipped) Folder. 
   - OR -  From the pop-up menu, select the “New/Compressed (zipped) Folder” command from the file menu.
3. Rename the folder with the same name as your file (keeping the “.zip” at the end of the file name).
4. Drag and drop files or folders into the zipped folder.
    

To extract a zipped file (or unzip the file):

1. While viewing the contents of a zipped file, click on the folder or file, then use File>>Extract All. This will launch the “Compressed (zipped) Folders Extraction Wizard”
2. The “Extraction Wizard” will take you through the process of unzipping the folder. 
    

Macintosh OSX

To create a zipped file:

1. Select the files to be compressed.
2. Control-click on one of the files and choose Compress ____ from the pop-up menu.  An "Archive.zip" file is created.

To extract a zipped file (or unzip the file):

1. Double-click on the Archive.zip file.  The files are extracted into a separate folder called "Archive".