Webmaster's Tools

Zip files

Caution: When you download any file from the Internet, you risk downloading viruses.

What Is a Zip File?

• Files that have been compressed with the ZIP format are called ZIP files and usually end with a file extension of .zip. Zip files are used for storing and distributing files and often contain more than one file. Zip files make it easy to group files and make copying (downloading) these files faster.
• A special kind of zipped file is a self-extracting file, which ends with a .exe extension. Don't download any file with an .exc file extension, unless it is from a reliable source. You can unzip a self-extracting file by double-clicking the .exe file and follow the installation instructions.

If you don't have a unzip or zip utility software program, you can download one of these and use it for a limited time or for free:

• Thefreesite.com Unzip Utilities. For Windows only. Visit this site and find Freeware versions for your PC to unzip & zip files.
• Stuffit Expander. For Macs only. Should already be on your hard disk. But, if you need to update your version or have deleted it, visit this site. This is a shareware program ($).

To unzip a file, just follow these steps:

1. Place your pointer over the zip file.
2. Right click your mouse, select the "Extract All" option from the menu.
3. Extract all the file(s) into the same directory that you downloaded the .zip file into.
4. Close the unzip utility and view the contents of the directory containing the new stuff.
5. If you find a Readme.txt or Readme file, read it. It should give you detailed instructions for running the software, template, etc. you downloaded.
6. Don't download any file with an .exc file extension, unless it is from a reliable source.
7. Once you have unziped a file, you can delete the file with the .zip extension.

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