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Zip & Rar program

Asked by Mouldy Punk,

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Grand Master

Alladaskill17

Posted
Posted

winRAR is free...??

oh, and even with the trial you get everything, and when expired...after the register message comes up just click ok, or whatever, and you can continue to use the program. Though, the register message comes up everytime winRAR is used after trial expiration, but hey, its free and works well...

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Community Regular

boynamedfoo

Posted
Posted

I don't think many -- if any -- free programs, other than WinRAR, will allow you to create RAR archives. Many will be able to extract files from RAR archives though.

I've never found the need to create RAR archives when others such as 7-Zip, Tar, and plain old ZIP, will suffice.

TUGZip is my favourite program. You can create archives using about ten different compression formats with it.

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Explorer

loopnine

Posted
Posted

I don't think many -- if any -- free programs, other than WinRAR, will allow you to create RAR archives. Many will be able to extract files from RAR archives though.

I've never found the need to create RAR archives when others such as 7-Zip, Tar, and plain old ZIP, will suffice.

TUGZip is my favourite program. You can create archives using about ten different compression formats with it.

I use TUGZip to, and it is VERY good. I even think it is better than WinRAR...

I just have to add that it actually can compress rar-archives with a plugin (that is official).

My second choice in packaging (TUGZip is the first) is FILzip, so that is sure worth checking out to, and than use the one you like best :)

Good luck

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Apprentice

Eternally1027

Posted
Posted

I have used both TugZip and 7-Zip. TugZip has a better UI. However, I've noticed 7-Zip to run better under certain conditions (heavy load, tricky formats, handling corrupted files, etc.).

Both are very, very good programs and either would serve you well. Hats off to those developers for their efforts.

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Mentor

Night.Hawk

Posted
Posted

Another vote for Tugzip. Cannot understand what would make people use anything else....

And another. TugZip all the way. :yes:

@sundayx No, WinRAR isn't free, but the trial lasts [virtually] forever. When it expires a message pops up each time you open it, but you can still use it by just pressing Ok.

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Veteran

Tokar

Posted
Posted

Well...WinRAR isn't free at heart, but you can use it well past the trial period. Whats nicer is that it won't bother you like WinZIP does. You can freely extract and compress using the context menu items without being bothered. Its only when you use the interface that you are presented with a window asking you to pay up, which you can easily click out of.

However if trial software which doesn't expire isn't your thing, you have a few choices in my eyes:

ZipGenius

TUGZip

7Zip

In terms of interface:

1-ZipGenius

2-TUGZip

3-7Zip

In terms of features:

1-TUGZip (I only rate it higher than ZipGenius because you can use plugins to let it compress RAR and ACE filetypes...otherwise ZipGenius is much better with features)

2-ZipGenius

3-7Zip

In terms of all the file types it can create:

1-ZipGenius (RPM and FrontPage Packages it can create...that is like...the ULTRA "WTF?" factor)

2-TUGZip

3-7Zip

ZipGenius does 7zip better than 7zip itself.

7zip compresses the files into a 7z file, and winrar cant read the individual compression of each file inside the 7z file.

ZipGenius, using the same 7zip dll file, compresses to a 7z file and winrar can read the compression of each file no problem.

I think that ZipGenius will probably give you most, if not all the same features you have come to enjoy in WinRAR...and is therefore the best free archiving program you can get.

Thats not to say TUGZip or 7Zip are bad. I just think that ZipGenius is better.

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Veteran

Tokar

Posted
Posted

Zipgenius won't even extract when you just drag the file away from it, it's interface is complete crap, except that it's skinnable I believe. Tugzip can extract .iso and compress to .rar. Zipgenius and 7zip can only do one of those.

TUGzip can't do it natively. It requires that you install WinRAR and copy over the RAR.exe executable.

Just because a program can DO .iso extraction doesn't mean you will actually use it.

I know WinRAR does it, but I have never once used it.

Its interface is awesome, I'm not sure what you are smoking. Its more XP-ntaive than TUGzip.

Mind I note I have tried and used both programs...

Give me a minute to find some info and I will have a complete list of all the archive types these programs support reading and extracting.

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Veteran

Tokar

Posted
Posted (edited)

OK this is quite amazing...

I have an old excel comparison of zip programs...

I have to update the compression data (since I did the test in late September and new versions of the software have surfaced since...besides the data not including ZipGenius. I only found the program a week ago), but the first sheet is the tell all which is a comparison of what each program supports in terms of what it can extract from and what it can compress to. I just added ZipGenius to that sheet a few minutes ago. The results are astonishing.

ZipGenius literally smokes all the programs...

Totals, Extraction:

1) ZipGenius - 45 file formats

2) TUGZip - 28 file formats

T-3) WinACE - 20 file formats

T-3) WinZIP - 20 file formats

5) WinRAR - 16 file formats

6) 7-Zip - 14 file formats

7) Windows XP - 1 file format (ZIP)

Totals, Compression:

1) ZipGenius - 23 file formats

2) TUGZip - 13 file formats

3) WinACE - 8 file formats

4) 7-Zip - 5 file formats

T-6) WinRAR - 2 file formats

T-6) WinZIP - 2 file formats

7) Windows XP - 1 file format (ZIP)

Here, see for yourself: comparison_formatsupdated.zip

I installed each program, and checked out what file types the OPEN window (for extraction) and NEW window (for compression) would let me choose between.

ZipGenius can extract ISO and RAR, but can't create either. TUGZip can't create them either, but RAR creation can be done only if you copy over the RAR.exe file as I said. I know you can UNINSTALL WinRAR, but its one extra program you have to go out of your way to get if you want the RAR compression feature. But ZipGenius makes is all back by supporting the compression and extraction of more file formats.

ZipGenius can read and write RPM, read and write Frontpage Web Packages (FWP), read Windows Media Player skin packages (WMZ), WinAMP 3 skin packages (WAL), FireFox XPI's, and it can create ARJ and ARC, all of which TUGZip can't do.

Edited by Tokar
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Apprentice

Mystiq

Posted
Posted

I had IZArc for awhile and it worked nicely, but had some issues with rather big 7z file not uncompressing at all. Though the same file uncompressed with no problems with 7zip. Also i like the IZArc icon. :)

Currently testing out Tugzip. So far so good. Just hope i can change than icon. :)

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Collaborator

zipgenius

Posted
Posted
Zipgenius won't even extract when you just drag the file away from it...

Are you really sure? ;)

You don't have to install winrar. You can uninstall it after you have a copy of rar.exe. I also used both programs. What bothers me is that you can't select what to extract and just drag and drop them wherever (in zipgenius). Plus tugzip is extremely fast, from what I've seen.

Which version of ZipGenius are you running?

OK this is quite amazing...

I have an old excel comparison of zip programs...

I have to update the compression data (since I did the test in late September and new versions of the software have surfaced since...besides the data not including ZipGenius. I only found the program a week ago), but the first sheet is the tell all which is a comparison of what each program supports in terms of what it can extract from and what it can compress to. I just added ZipGenius to that sheet a few minutes ago. The results are astonishing.

ZipGenius literally smokes all the programs...

Thank you :D

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