File compression is a very useful way of shrinking files for storage or transport (for example, email). Compression, or ‘zipping’, works by removing redundant information. For example, in English, every word containing the letter ‘q’ is always followed by a ‘u’, so the ‘u’ is redundant and can be removed for compression, and replaced when the file is decompressed.
In the past, zipping files required third-party programs. Fortunately, file compression is built into all modern operating systems, so files or entire folders can be compressed with a few clicks of a mouse.
To compress a file or folder in Windows, right-click on the file or folder.
One of the options in the pop-up menu will be “Send To” with a little arrow. Carefully move the mouse down the menu until it comes to rest on the “Send To” option.
Another menu will appear, with a list of possible locations to which the file or folder can be sent.Carefully slide the mouse along the “Send To” line until it is over the new menu. If the mouse isn’t moved carefully, it will slip off the line and the secondary menu will disappear. However, if the mouse is replaced over the “Send To” option, the menu will re-appear.
One of the options will be “Compressed (zipped) folder”. Click on that, and a file will appear in the current folder with the same name as the file or folder that was originally selected, with a “.zip” extension. This is the zipped (compressed) file. Alternatively, click on the File menu after selecting the file or folder, and the same menu will appear; navigating to “Send To” and “Compressed (zipped) folder” will also create the zip file.
On a Macintosh, the process is very similar. Hold down the Control key and click on the file or folder to be zipped. One of the items on the menu that pops up menu will be “Create Archive”. Click on that, and a new file will appear with a “.zip” extension. Alternatively, after selecting the file or folder, clicking on the gear icon at the top of the window will bring up the same menu; click “Create Archive” and the file or folder will be zipped. In both operating systems, simply double-click on a zipped file or folder to open it.
The operating system will automatically recognize that the file is compressed, and will de-compress it back to its original form and carry on as if nothing happened.
Follow these steps on How to Zip Files and you will find the whole process both easy to complete, and very useful when you need to transfer files to friends either via FTP or onto a Memory stick. Good luck and Happy Zipping!!
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