The Basics of Win-Zip

Ok, so a lot has changed since I wrote my first Win-Zip tutorial.  Win-Zip used to be free.  And a little more user friendly.  But I've also discovered that Windows can unzip files for you, without a special program.  So I'm re-writing this, trying to cover all the bases and explain the whole thing.

If you want to digi-scrap, you will need to un-zip files. If you've never done this before, don't worry -- it's not as scary as it seems.

Files are "Zipped" -- compressed -- for easier downloading.  When files are zipped, you can download SEVERAL files all at once instead of one at a time.  ('Cause dude . . . one at a time SUCKS.)  Zipped files are a little smaller and faster to download.  You have to unzip them before you use them.  When you're done un-zipping, the zipped originals don't need to be saved (unless you want to back them up for archiving -- but then you've have to unzip them again, and why waste the time?)

ANYWAY.

I explain a lot of this backwards, so you may want to read the whole thing before you start TRYING any of this.  Oh, and I explain everything with the assumption that you're working from a Windows XP operating system.  Apple users and dinosaur operating systems, sorry, can't help ya.

A zipped file has a very distinct graphic.  If you have Win-Zip on your computer, the zipped file will look like a file cabinet in a vice.  If not, it will look like a regular folder, but with a zipper on it.

Let's talk about the different ways to un-zip a file.  First, let's assume you don't have Win-Zip, but that you DO have a current enough version of Windows that your computer can unzip the file.

Right-click on the zipped file . . . in this case, I'm able to choose "Open With" and "Compressed (zipped) Folders."  This is a part of Windows for me.  (See image at right for visual.)  This immediately opened up the folder for me and I was able to just drag the extracted folder to a place on my desktop.  No problem.

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Now on to Winzip.  You might already have WinZip on your computer.  (If you do, this first explaination will probably apply to you.)  If not, you can go to WinZip.com to download an evaluation version.  This is version 10.0 -- if you have this one, the second explaination will apply to you.

This first explaination is for version 9.0, which was free a year or two ago.  How do you know if you have 9.0?  Well, this is the first screen I see when I double-click on a zipped file (see right.) 

Before you start unzipping files, create a new folder on your desktop: right-click on your desktop and choose "New" and "Folder."  Name this folder starting with a captial A, something like "ANew" or "AFiles" or "AToday."  Just trust me.  I'll tell you why in a second.  (Here's a screenshot of what it looks like to right-click on the desktop to choose "New" and "Folder.")

If you have Winzip installed on your computer, to unzip a file, simply double-click on the zipped file. It will automatically open WinZip to a welcome screen.  Click "next" to continue.  It will ask if you want to save the file you're working with to a favorites folder -- click "no."  Now it should ask "What do you want to do?" and the default answer is "unzip or install from [file name.]"  Click "next" for this, too.  OKAY PAY ATTENTION.  You want to decide where the file is going to unzip to.  So although the new screen should say "Click 'Unzip Now' to unzip to the selected folder" --  Don't click it yet! You don't want it to unzip to a default folder, because then you have to go looking for it.  So click the button that says "select different folder . . ." (see image below.) You're now given the option to look around in your computer for where to save your new files.  You should be able to see your "ANew" folder in the "folders and disk drives:" window. 

Select your "ANew" folder and hit "ok."  Now you're taken back to the original "Click 'Unzip Now' to unzip to the selected folder" screen.  One more decision to make: if you want the folder with your unzipped files to open after unzipping, make sure there's a check in the box "Display file icons after unzipping" (shown at right with a circle.)  WinZip will extract your files and then open the folder they've been extracted to. You can now click "Unzip Now."  Make sure your file unzipped correctly to the location you designated, then close the folder and close out of Winzip.  Then you can delete the file you just unzipped, and choose what you will unzip next.

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The current version is 11.0, which has an evaluation version for free at WinZip.com .

After reading the above explaination, I'm trusting that you can experiment and figure it out.  :)  It's pretty self-explainatory.

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MORE THOUGHTS:

* When you're downloading new elements and given the choice where to save your file, save it on your desktop or to a folder on your desktop just for new downloads.  After you extract the files, you can delete the zipped download.  This helps you keep track of new downloads and what has been unzipped and taken care of. *

Sometimes when you download a file, you're not given the option of where to save it.  It saves SOMEWHERE to your computer, and you're left wondering where.  It's probably in your Temporary Internet Files.  To find your temporary files, open "My Computer" on your desktop, then the "C:Local Disk" drive.  Next choose "Documents & Settings" and "Default user" or "xpguest" (or whatever screenname you use on your computer windows sign-in.)  From here, open "Local Settings" and then "Temporary Internet Files."  If you've been browsing the internet alot, there will probably be a ton of files here.  I would recommend cleaning out your Temporary Internet Files BEFORE you go to download, so they downloads are easier to find if they end up here.  And really?  You need to do it regularly anyway.

Ok, so to clean up the Temporary Internet Files.  Open "My Computer," then RIGHT CLICK the "C:Local Disk" drive.  This will give you a pop-up menu.  Choose "Properties" at the bottom.  The general tab will show you a pie graph of your computer's capacity.  Next to the pie is a "Disk Clean-up" button.  Click it and it opens a new screen.  This will show you all the useless crap your computer is holding on to for no good reason.  Click "ok" to clean these up, and watch how your free space on the pie graph increases!  Do this from time to time to keep your computer running smoothly.

Now on to Winzip.  You might already have WinZip on your computer.  (If you do, this first explaination will probably apply to you.)  If not, you can go to WinZip.com to download an evaluation version.  This is version 10.0 -- if you have this one, the second explaination will apply to you.

This first explaination is for version 9.0, which was free a year or two ago.  How do you know if you have 9.0?  Well, this is the first screen I see when I double-click on a zipped file (see right.) 

Before you start unzipping files, create a new folder on your desktop: right-click on your desktop and choose "New" and "Folder."  Name this folder starting with a captial A, something like "ANew" or "AFiles" or "AToday."  Just trust me.  I'll tell you why in a second.  (Here's a screenshot of what it looks like to right-click on the desktop to choose "New" and "Folder.")

If you have Winzip installed on your computer, to unzip a file, simply double-click on the zipped file. It will automatically open WinZip to a welcome screen.  Click "next" to continue.  It will ask if you want to save the file you're working with to a favorites folder -- click "no."  Now it should ask "What do you want to do?" and the default answer is "unzip or install from [file name.]"  Click "next" for this, too.  OKAY PAY ATTENTION.  You want to decide where the file is going to unzip to.  So although the new screen should say "Click 'Unzip Now' to unzip to the selected folder" --  Don't click it yet! You don't want it to unzip to a default folder, because then you have to go looking for it.  So click the button that says "select different folder . . ." (see image below.) You're now given the option to look around in your computer for where to save your new files.  You should be able to see your "ANew" folder in the "folders and disk drives:" window. 

Select your "ANew" folder and hit "ok."  Now you're taken back to the original "Click 'Unzip Now' to unzip to the selected folder" screen.  One more decision to make: if you want the folder with your unzipped files to open after unzipping, make sure there's a check in the box "Display file icons after unzipping" (shown at right with a circle.)  WinZip will extract your files and then open the folder they've been extracted to. You can now click "Unzip Now."  Make sure your file unzipped correctly to the location you designated, then close the folder and close out of Winzip.  Then you can delete the file you just unzipped, and choose what you will unzip next.

- - - - - - - - - -

The current version is 11.0, which has an evaluation version for free at WinZip.com .

After reading the above explaination, I'm trusting that you can experiment and figure it out.  :)  It's pretty self-explainatory.

- - - - - - - - - -

MORE THOUGHTS:

* When you're downloading new elements and given the choice where to save your file, save it on your desktop or to a folder on your desktop just for new downloads.  After you extract the files, you can delete the zipped download.  This helps you keep track of new downloads and what has been unzipped and taken care of. *

Sometimes when you download a file, you're not given the option of where to save it.  It saves SOMEWHERE to your computer, and you're left wondering where.  It's probably in your Temporary Internet Files.  To find your temporary files, open "My Computer" on your desktop, then the "C:Local Disk" drive.  Next choose "Documents & Settings" and "Default user" or "xpguest" (or whatever screenname you use on your computer windows sign-in.)  From here, open "Local Settings" and then "Temporary Internet Files."  If you've been browsing the internet alot, there will probably be a ton of files here.  I would recommend cleaning out your Temporary Internet Files BEFORE you go to download, so they downloads are easier to find if they end up here.  And really?  You need to do it regularly anyway.

Ok, so to clean up the Temporary Internet Files.  Open "My Computer," then RIGHT CLICK the "C:Local Disk" drive.  This will give you a pop-up menu.  Choose "Properties" at the bottom.  The general tab will show you a pie graph of your computer's capacity.  Next to the pie is a "Disk Clean-up" button.  Click it and it opens a new screen.  This will show you all the useless crap your computer is holding on to for no good reason.  Click "ok" to clean these up, and watch how your free space on the pie graph increases!  Do this from time to time to keep your computer running smoothly.

Comments

[Chrissy]

I'm not a "digi-scrapper," but wanted to thank you for the super helpful info on using WinZip.

[Offsite Data Backup]

I might try this digi-scrapping thing! It sounds fun. Thanks for sharing