Systems and methods for manipulating and managing computer archive files
A computer program for managing and manipulating archive zip files of a computer. The program includes a system and method for opening, creating, and modifying, and extracting zip archive files. The program is fully integrated into Microsoft Windows Explorer and is accessed via Explorer menus, toolbars, and/or drag and drop operations. An important feature of the program is the archive manager which may be used to open a zip file, create a new zip file, extract zip files, modify zip files, etc. The program is integrated into Microsoft Windows Explorer using the shell name space extension application program interface developed by Microsoft.
1 . A method for compressing a data file, said method including:
receiving a data file at a compression management application;
determining a file type of said data file; and
compressing said data file using one of a plurality of compression options available using said compression management application, wherein said one of a plurality of compression options has been pre-selected for use with said file type.
2 . The method of claim 1 wherein said plurality of compression options include zip compression options.
3 . The method of claim 2 wherein said plurality of compression options include a Deflate compression option.
4 . The method of claim 3 wherein said plurality of compression options include a first Deflate compression option operating at a first compression level and a second Deflate compression option operating at a second compression level, wherein said first compression level is different from said second compression level.
5 . The method of claim 1 wherein said plurality of compression options include a DCL Implode compression option.
6 . The method of claim 5 wherein said plurality of compression options include a first DCL Implode compression option operating at a first dictionary byte size and a second DCL Implode compression option operating at a second dictionary byte size, wherein said first dictionary byte size is different from said second dictionary byte size.
7 . The method of claim 1 wherein said plurality of compression options include a compression option wherein said data file is stored without compression.
8 . The method of claim 1 further including:
encrypting said data file using one of a plurality of encryption options, wherein said one of a plurality of encryption options had been pre-selected for use with said file type.
9 . The method of claim 8 wherein said plurality of encryption options include an asymmetric encryption option.
10 . The method of claim 9 wherein said asymmetric encryption option includes a public key based encryption option.
11 . The method of claim 10 wherein said public key based encryption option uses the X.509 format.
12 . A method for determining a compression option for use in compressing a data file, said method including:
identifying a data file using a compression management application;
determining a file type of said data file; and
using said file type to determine a compression option to apply to said data file, wherein said compression option is determined from a plurality of compression options available at said compression management application.
13 . A method for compressing a data file, said method including:
receiving a data file;
determining a file type of said data file;
using said file type to determine a compression type to apply to said data file, wherein said compression type is determined from a plurality of available compression types; and
compressing said data file using said compression type.
14 . A method for associating a file type with a compression option, said method including:
providing a file type;
providing a plurality of compression options;
associating said file type with one of said plurality of compression options to form a file type compression association; and
storing said file type compression association.