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Using Zip Files

Zip files are "archives" used for distributing and storing files. Zip files contain one or more files. Usually the files "archived" in a Zip are compressed to save space. Zip files make it easy to group files and make transporting and copying files faster. Because WebCT's File Manager function only allows you to upload or download one file at a time, a ZIP program is an essential time saver for WebCT designers.

WinZip for Windows costs $29 for a single license and the evaluation copy can be downloaded from http://www.winzip.com. Although, Aladdin Expander and StuffIt Lite are common compression programs for the Macintosh, the format is different from the ZIP format required for uploading and "unzipping" in WebCT. ZipIt is a Macintosh program that zips and unzips archives in a format fully compatible with PKZip for the IBM and zip implementations on other systems. Macintosh users who want to create zipped archives of files for uploading to WebCT can use ZipIt. You can download the shareware program ZipIt for the Macintosh at http://www.maczipit.com/. The cost to register ZipIt is $15.

If you are new to WebCT and the zip format, the information below provides directions for WebCT, Windows and Macintosh platforms.

Creating a Zip file in WebCT

You might want to create a ZIP file of the contents in a WebCT directory so you could update the pages. For example, you have the files on your computer in the office but you want to work on the files from home. You do not have a disk with the files but the latest version in in your WebCT directory.

From the course homepage, select File Manager.

Click on the sub directory that contains the files that you wish to zip.
Mark the desired files in the Files Frame (you can check All to select all the files in the directory).
Click Zip.
The File Manager Frame changes into the Zip Frame.
Type a filename for the new zipped file. If you do not add the zip extension the zip program automatically adds .zip to the end of the name.
Click Continue, a status report displays the success or failure of the zip process. At the bottom of this report, you will find another Continue button. Click Continue again to return to the File Manager Frame.

Note: You cannot create a zip file in the [WEBCT BUILT-IN FILES] directory.

Unzipping in WebCT

This operation allows you to unzip the contents of a zipped file that has been uploaded to WebCT.

Click on the [sub]directory that contains the zipped file
Mark the zip file
Click Unzip
The File Manager Frame changes into the Unzip Frame
Next select the Destination Directory to hold the "extracted" files by clicking the down arrow and selecting a directory name. When the correct directory is showing, click Continue.

A status report displays the success or failure of the unzip process. At the bottom of this report, you will find another Continue button. Click Continue again to return to the File Manager Frame.

Note: You cannot unzip a file to the [WEBCT BUILT-IN FILES] directory.
The only way you can get a zipped file into WebCT is by uploading the file or zipping existing files.

Windows Zip Files

Zipping Files Using Windows WinZip

Start WinZip
Click the New toolbar button
Select the directory for the zip file
Type in a name for the zip file and then click OK
Open the directory containing the files you want to zip
Once the files are displayed, select the files and any subfolders (use the keyboard shortcut Control-A to select all files)
Click the Add toolbar button
Close WinZip by selecting Exit in the File menu

Unzipping Files Using Windows WinZip

Start WinZip
Click the Open toolbar button
Select the file you want to unzip and then click Open
Click on the files you want to unzip or select all by choosing Select All from the Actions menu
Click the Extract toolbar button
Select the directory where you want the contents of the zip file to go
Click Extract to unzip the file
Close WinZip by selecting Exit in the File menu

Macintosh Zip Files

Zipping Files Using Macintosh Zipit

Start Zipit
Make sure the Compression preferences are set as follows: From the File menu, select Preferences and select Compression... Mark the following:
- Archive File Type: Zip
- Use Macbinary: Never
- Default compression: Implosion
Make sure the Miscellaneous preferences are set as follows.
From the File menu, point to Preferences and select Miscellaneous...
- Convert all filenames to PC-compatible format : Unchecked
From the Zip menu select Add...
Select a file you want to add then click Add (you can select all files with Add All )
Click Done
If a warning displays about not using MacBinary encoding, click No
From the File menu, select Save
Type in a name for your zip file then click Save

Unzipping files using Zipit

Start Zipit
From the File menu, select Open
Select the file you want to unzip and then click Open
Select the files you want to expand (select all by selecting Select All from the Edit menu)
From the Zip menu select Extract... Choose a folder to extract the files into then click Save All