Discover the Magic of Automating File Compression with a Batch File
Have you ever found yourself drowning in a sea of files, desperately yearning for a way to streamline your organization process? Well, fret no more, because I have a secret to share with you. Today, I’ll guide you through the enchanting world of automating file compression using a handy dandy batch file!
But first things first, let me clarify what a batch file is. Think of it as a magical incantation that can perform a series of commands automatically. With this mystical incantation, you just need to execute the file, and it will work its wizardry, zipping your files like a pro.
Now, let’s dive into the steps. Brace yourself, for the adventure is about to begin!
Step 1: Building Your Batch File
As a budding sorcerer of file compression, you need to create your very own batch file. Don’t worry, it’s as easy as waving a wand! Simply open a text editor like Notepad, and start scripting your command lines. Remember, each line represents a spell to be casted.
Here’s a little spell recipe to get you started:
:: This charming line navigates to the desired folder cd C:\Path\To\Your\Folder :: Abra Kadabra! This enchanting line zips all files in the folder tar -czvf YourMagicalArchive.tar.gz *
Feel free to tweak the ingredients to suit your needs! Just make sure to save the file with a magical name and the ‘.bat’ extension.
Step 2: Casting the Spell
Now that we have our batch file ready, it’s time to cast the spell and see the magic unfold. Open your command prompt by pressing the Windows key + R, typing ‘cmd’, and hitting Enter. Once the mystical realm of the command prompt unveils, navigate to the folder where you saved your batch file using the ‘cd’ command.
Once you’ve arrived at the right folder in the command prompt, utter the following charm:
:: Brace yourself before chanting this spellbinding incantation YourMagicalBatchFile.bat
Behold! The batch file will awaken and zip all the files within that folder, making them smaller and more manageable. You’ll feel the weight of the files magically lifted from your shoulders!
Step 3: Embracing the Magic
Now that your files have gone through their transformative journey, it’s time to bask in the magic you’ve created. Open the folder and marvel at the newly spawned ‘YourMagicalArchive.tar.gz’ file. This is the culmination of your wizardry, containing all your files elegantly compressed and ready to astound.
But wait, there’s more! You can also add more spells to your batch file, customizing it to suit your needs. For example, you can include commands to delete the original files after compressing them, further streamlining your organization process.
Feel free to explore the realm of batch file wizardry and experiment with different spells. The more you delve into its mysteries, the more possibilities will unfold before you.
So, my friend, embrace the power of automation and let the magic of batch files carry you to new heights of efficiency. You are now equipped with a tool that will make your file compression adventures a breeze!
If you find yourself doing the same tasks every day, you probably know how boring and time-consuming it can be, especially when you have to follow multiple steps over and over again. One of those tasks is zipping files, but the good news is that there are solutions that can automate this process for you. All you need to do is create a script file, also known as a batch file, and enter some commands. Let me show you how to automate this process using 7-Zip and IZArc.
Downloading and Installing 7-Zip and IZArc
To get started, you can download both 7-Zip and IZArc by visiting their respective download pages and selecting the option that is compatible with your device and operating system.
Installing 7-Zip
- First, open the .exe file that you downloaded from the official site.
- Next, choose a destination folder. The default location is C:\Program Files, but you can change it by clicking on the three dots.
- Click on “Install”.
- When the installation process is finished, click “Close”.
Installing IZArc
- Start by downloading the IZArc Command Line Add-On.
- Open the .exe file to begin the installation.
- Click “Next”.
- Read (or pretend to read) the License Agreement and then select “I accept the agreement”, and click “Next”.
- Choose a destination folder. The default location is in C:\Program Files, but you can change it by clicking on “Browse”.
- Click “Next”.
- Click “Install”.
- Finally, click “Finish”.
Test the Installation
Before you start, it’s important to make sure that the command prompt can find the application. If not, you’ll need to reinstall the app.
I got you covered! Here’s the rewritten content:
1. Start by hitting the Start button and typing “cmd” on your keyboard.
2. Type “cd C:\Program Files\7-zip” or “cd C:\Program Files\izarc”.
3. Type “7z” or “izarcc”.
4. If everything is working properly, you should see something like “Usage: 7z” and “Usage: izarcc”.
Create or Modify Batch Files
This guide will use pre-prepared batch files. These files will compress all the contents from a specific folder into a zipped archive. The archive’s name will include the date of compression. The batch file will also move the zipped archive to a storage folder. Optionally, it can remove the source files. The location containing the source files will be called “zipdir,” and the location where the batch file moves the archives will be called “movedir.”
Using the Batch File with 7-zip
1. Go to this link.
2. Copy and paste the text to Notepad.
3. Name the file “test7ip.bat” by right-clicking on the file, clicking Rename, and replacing “_.txt” with “.bat”.
4. Make two folders and name them “zipdir” and “movedir”.
5. Modify the paths as instructed in the script.
6. Place the files you want to compress into “zipdir”.
7. Use the command “7za a -tzip “%movedir%\%myfolder%_%TODAY%.zip” -r “%zipdir%\*.*” -mx5″.
– “7z” begins the process of compressing the files.
– “a” adds files to the compressed folder.
– “tzip” sets the compression folder type. The standard format is a zip file.
– “%movedir%\%myfolder%_%TODAY%.zip” is the name of the zipped folder.
– “%zipdir%\*.*” represents all the files in the “zipdir” folder ready for zipping.
– “mx5” sets the compression type to a zip mode with a compression level of five.
You can customize the batch file to suit your needs.
Using the Batch File with IZArc
1. Go to this link.
2. Copy and paste the text to Notepad.
3. Name the file “testizarc.bat” by right-clicking on the file, clicking Rename, and replacing “_.txt” with “.bat”.
4. Make two folders and name them “zipdir” and “movedir”.
5. Modify the paths as instructed in the script.
6. Place the files you want to compress into “zipdir”.
7. Use the command “izarcc -a -r -p -cx “%movedir%\%myfolder%_%TODAY%.zip” “%zipdir%\*.*””.
– “Izarcc” begins the process of compressing the files.
– “a” moves files to the compressed folder.
– “r” applies the algorithm to all folders in zipdir.
– “p” saves the file paths so the folder retains the same arrangement.
– “cx” modifies the compression to the highest level.
– “%movedir%\%myfolder%_%TODAY%.zip” is the name of the zipped folder.
– “%zipdir%\*.*” represents all the files in the “zipdir” folder ready for zipping.
That’s All There Is to It
As you can see, you don’t have to type any lines of code yourself. There are already prepared batch files that can handle the job for you. Just follow the guide exactly, and you’ll be zipping faster than ever before!
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6 thoughts on “How to Automatically Zip Files with a Batch File”
Hey, is there any way to add a unique password to each zip file?
Muhammad Rizwanullah Shaik says:
Hi. Is it possible to extract specific extension files from zip files located inside a folder, like extracting .mdb files?
tenpad says:
Extracting is even easier:
– Prepare the Command Processor
SETLOCAL EnableExtensions EnableDelayedExpansion
– Title 7zip commandline – extract archive
REM Uses standalone console version of 7-Zip to extract archive to
REM a user defined folder – folder will be created if it doesn’t exist.
– Set path of console version 7-Zip (change as required)
set path=”F:
