Is there a free version of Winzip?

[dg1261]

I suggest you try Freebyte Zip:

Program: Freebyte Zip (was HJ-Zip)
Author: Freebyte (Henk Hagedoorn)
Install: (n.i.)
Ware: (Freeware)
http://www.freebyte.com/

Thanks for the link, Susan. I downloaded it and took a closer look. Alas,
command-line functionality is too basic. It won't collect files by archive
bit.

For lurkers trying to read between the lines as to why that's important,
here's a little background. Ever since DOS days I've preferred a home-grown
backup scheme that automatically collects data files and zips them into
common zip archives. In DOS days, this script was automatically run from
autoexec.bat, but under current Windows systems the script is run either
from the Startup folder (if the machine is rebooted daily) or from Scheduled
Tasks (if the machine is on 24/7). Zipfiles provide for near universal
compatibility--I can retrieve individual data files from the archives
easily, from any machine, without having to install a proprietary
backup/restore program to retrieve the data. Even freeware unzippers work
fine for retrieving files.

My script doesn't overwrite backup files, it creates new ones each day. For
example, today's backup is mydocs0406.zip and tommorrow's will be
mydocs0407.zip. (This way, previous versions of data files are retained
that can be reverted to, when necessary.) However, for each day's backup
the zip program needs to be able to select just the files that have changed
since yesterday. WinZip and PKZip do this easily by looking at the archive
bit in the file's directory entry. I'm still on the lookout for a freeware
zipper that can do the same.

I'm often asked by friends for this backup system because it's quick, easy,
the files are common zipfiles, multiple generations of data files are
retained, and it's all done daily without any user intervention. I'm happy
to share the batchfile scripts, but at their heart is the command-line
version of WinZip or PKZip, which is not free. If I ever find a suitable
freeware zipper, I can provide friends with a complete solution instead of
saying, "Here's the batch file, but you'll have to buy your own copy of
WinZip/PKZip."

 

[Lordy]

Thanks for the link, Susan. I downloaded it and took a closer look.
Alas, command-line functionality is too basic. It won't collect files
by archive bit.

If they take a list of files

DIR /AA /B will give you the list.

Also a freeware commandline zipper in the Java JDK (not the JRE)

jar -c -M file.zip

but I dont know an easy way to pass the DIR list using DOS. (piece of cake
joining up tools in UNIX )

 

[Duddits]

I'm often asked by friends for this backup system because it's quick, easy,
the files are common zipfiles, multiple generations of data files are
retained, and it's all done daily without any user intervention. I'm happy
to share the batchfile scripts, but at their heart is the command-line
version of WinZip or PKZip, which is not free. If I ever find a suitable
freeware zipper, I can provide friends with a complete solution instead of
saying, "Here's the batch file, but you'll have to buy your own copy of
WinZip/PKZip."

Have a look at InfoZip
Blurb:
nfo-ZIP's purpose is to provide free, portable, high-quality versions of
the Zip and UnZip compressor-archiver utilities that are compatible with
the DOS-based PKZIP by PKWARE, Inc.
http://www.info-zip.org/pub/infozip/

regards

Dud

 

[Lordy]

Have a look at InfoZip
Blurb:
nfo-ZIP's purpose is to provide free, portable, high-quality versions
of the Zip and UnZip compressor-archiver utilities that are compatible
with the DOS-based PKZIP by PKWARE, Inc.
http://www.info-zip.org/pub/infozip/

regards

Dud

Aha

dir /AA /B | zip -@ file.zip

 

[dg1261]

If they take a list of files

DIR /AA /B will give you the list.

But that leaves the archive bit still set, so you're re-archiving unchanged
files each day. WinZip's "-i" parameter and PKZip's "-add=incr" parameter
gather files with the archive bit set and then clears the archive bit so
those files are not backed up the next day (unless they've changed again).

 

[Mongoplus]

I like to use ZipGenius ( http://www.zipgenius.it ). It is a very
powerful programs.

 

[Mark R. Blain]

...my favorite DOS packer has always been lha v2.13--a very tiny, single
file that can pack, unpack, create self-extracting files, or autolaunching
archives (the kind that automatically run a batch file when the archive is
unpacked). Also freeware, but regretfully no LFN support.

Good LHA is now available with LFN support for Windows.

Requires Cygwin (http://www.cygwin.com):
http://cygwin-je.sourceforge.jp/cygwin_je/release/lha/
(manual is Japanese, but "lha --help" is English)

Does not require Cygwin:
http://gnuwin32.sourceforge.net/packages.html
(includes English lha manual as a text file)

 

[Lordy]

But that leaves the archive bit still set, so you're re-archiving
unchanged files each day. WinZip's "-i" parameter and PKZip's
"-add=incr" parameter gather files with the archive bit set and then
clears the archive bit so those files are not backed up the next day
(unless they've changed again).

Just add an AttriB +A "blah blah blah" to the end of the script after
backup is made (or whatever the DOS function is to do this)

 

[dg1261]

Good LHA is now available with LFN support for Windows.
http://gnuwin32.sourceforge.net/packages.html

Hmm, interesting. I may have seen mention of this before but dismissed it
assuming "version 1.14" meant it pre-dated the 2.13 DOS version I already
had. Never considered they might start counting over again with the Win32
version. Thanks for the link, Mark.