Creating Compressed (Zipped) Folder using Delphi

Question

Can I create Windows XP\'s Compressed (Zipped) Folder using Delphi?

Answer 1

Take a look at this OpenSource SynZip unit. It's even faster for decompression than the default unit shipped with Delphi, and it will generate a smaller exe (crc tables are created at startup).

No external dll is needed. Works from Delphi 6 up to XE. No problem with Unicode version of Delphi. All in a single unit.

I just made some changes to handle Unicode file names inside Zip content, not only Win-Ansi charset but any Unicode chars. Feedback is welcome.

Answer 2

According to a thread in eggheadcafe, you can use CreateFile Function with FILE_FLAG_BACKUP_SEMANTICS to create a Compressed Folder.

For shell extensions route, take a look at Using Windows XP "Compressed Folder" shell extension to work with .zip files by Namespace Edanmo, which is written in VB.

I just found the similar question asked on C++. Take a look at Creating a ZIP file on Windows (XP/2003) in C/C++. I have a feeling the easiest route is buying ZipForge. See Zip a file in Delphi code sample.

Answer 3

You could use TurboPower Abbrevia which is now open source.

Answer 4

Take a look at these:

• File Compression
• FSCTL_SET_COMPRESSION

Answer 5

Some time ago, I've tried all of the Delphi compression libraries that I could find, and eventually I ended up using KaZip by Kiril Antonov.

My requirements were:

• Free;
• Open source;
• Native Delphi code;
• No external dependencies (dll, exe). My most important requirement;
• Small memory footprint;
• Easy to use;

I use it mainly to turn .kml files into .kmz, and it does that amazingly fast.

Here's an example of how I use it:

uses
  KaZip;

...

// replaces a .kml file with a .kmz file
procedure KmlToKmz(const aFileName: string);
var
  FS: TFileStream;
  KaZip:TKaZip;
  KmzFileName:TFileName;
begin
  KmzFileName := ChangeFileExt(aFileName, '.kmz');
  KaZip := TKaZip.Create(nil);
  try
    // create an empty zipfile with .kmz extension:
    FS := TFileStream.Create(KmzFileName, fmOpenReadWrite or FmCreate);
    try
      KaZip.CreateZip(FS);
    finally
      FS.Free;
    end;        

    KaZip.Open(KmzFileName); // Open the new .kmz zipfile
    KaZip.Entries.AddFile(aFileName); // add the .kml
    KaZip.Close; 
    DeleteFile(aFileName); // delete the .kml
  finally
    KaZip.Free;
  end;
end;

Answer 6

If you are using Delphi X2, just use TZipFile from System.Zip:

To Zip a folder, use:

TZipFile.ZipDirectoryContents('ZipFile.zip', 'C:\Zip\this\right\now');

To Zip files, use:

Zip := TZipFile.Create;
try
  Zip.Open('ZipFile.zip', zmWrite);

  Zip.Add('FileToBeZipped.txt');
  Zip.Add('ThisWillBeCompressedAgainForSureAndBecomeSmaller.zip');
finally
  Zip.Free;
end