Zip Files In C#

[Doug]

Hi,

I need to write some functionality in C# that will zip files. I've
been doing some reading of previous posts and saw some good info but
I'm bound by the following restrictions:

1) I may not be able to use a third party tool - we have some
restrictions on this.
2) I can't use J#.
3) I don't have Visual Studio .NET 2005 (we're currently still using
1.1).

Is there some way I can write code myself in C# with 1.1 and be able to
zip files? Or do my restrictions pretty much prevent me from doing
this?

[Marc Gravell]

If this was me, I'd want to have #1 *very* well defined:

I may not be able to use a third party tool - we have some
restrictions on this.

It isn't clear what this means... bought-in? CLR only?

The CLR offers a few /stream/ compression classes, but not zip, which
is a more complex structure of multiple compressed streams along with
file headers. SharbZipLib would be the obvious choice here; the license
is fairly open. Else perhaps Process.Start to existing command-line
tools (e.g. the aging pkzip, what else?)...

Otherwise, you are going to be writing (and testing) a lot of very risk
stuff. And why?

Sorry I don't have a better answer,

Marc

[Greg Young]

zsharplib is open source implementation that you could atleast copy if it is
still considerred "3rd party"

http://www.icsharpcode.net/OpenSource/SharpZipLib/

Cheers,

Greg Young
MVP - C#
http://codebetter.com/blogs/gregyoung
"Doug" <dn******@dtgnet.comwrote in message
news:11**********************@b28g2000cwb.googlegr oups.com...

Hi,

I need to write some functionality in C# that will zip files. I've
been doing some reading of previous posts and saw some good info but
I'm bound by the following restrictions:

1) I may not be able to use a third party tool - we have some
restrictions on this.
2) I can't use J#.
3) I don't have Visual Studio .NET 2005 (we're currently still using
1.1).

Is there some way I can write code myself in C# with 1.1 and be able to
zip files? Or do my restrictions pretty much prevent me from doing
this?

[Marc Gravell]

Darn - proved myself wrong already:

http://www.codeproject.com/csharp/de...select=1253354

This seems to use PInvoke and the Win32 API; personally I'd find
SharpZipLib more friendly.

Marc

[Shawn Wildermuth (C# MVP)]

Hello Doug,

There are a number of 3rd party tools (some even free...like beer), but I
can't suggest any until I understand your restrictions on 3rd party tools.
I am not sure it can be done without a 3rd party component. You can do
compression but probably not in the .zip format.
Thanks,
Shawn Wildermuth
Speaker, Author and C# MVP
http://adoguy.com

Hi,

I need to write some functionality in C# that will zip files. I've
been doing some reading of previous posts and saw some good info but
I'm bound by the following restrictions:

1) I may not be able to use a third party tool - we have some
restrictions on this.
2) I can't use J#.
3) I don't have Visual Studio .NET 2005 (we're currently still using
1.1).
Is there some way I can write code myself in C# with 1.1 and be able
to zip files? Or do my restrictions pretty much prevent me from doing
this?

[Doug]

Shawn/Marc - We can use third party tools but we're pretty limited, it
requires a pretty heavy research process to get approval for them (it
took me nearly a year to get NUnit approved!!) So I'm a little
hesitant to use third party tools unless I have no other option.

Greg, you had mentioned copying the code from zSharpLib. Is that okay
to do? I am not familiar with all the rules involved with open source
code.

Marc - I had read the codeproject.com article you referenced, but I
couldn't determine what reference to add to get the "Shell32" code to
work?

[Jon Skeet [C# MVP]]

Shawn Wildermuth <sw*********@newsgroup.nospamwrote:

There are a number of 3rd party tools (some even free...like beer), but I
can't suggest any until I understand your restrictions on 3rd party tools.
I am not sure it can be done without a 3rd party component. You can do
compression but probably not in the .zip format.

Well, there's nothing to stop the OP from performing the same level of
implementation that the SharpZipLib team did. It will, however, take a
very long time and is unlikely to end up as well tested as SharpZipLib
(just through being used by fewer people).

--
Jon Skeet - <sk***@pobox.com>
http://www.pobox.com/~skeet Blog: http://www.msmvps.com/jon.skeet
If replying to the group, please do not mail me too

[Marc Gravell]

To quote from the article:

"To make this code work, you will also need to set a reference to a COM
library. In the References window, go to the COM tab and select the
library labeled 'Microsoft Shell Controls And Automation'."

Marc

[Barry Kelly]

Shawn Wildermuth (C# MVP) <sw*********@newsgroup.nospamwrote:

Hello Doug,

There are a number of 3rd party tools (some even free...like beer), but I
can't suggest any until I understand your restrictions on 3rd party tools.
I am not sure it can be done without a 3rd party component. You can do
compression but probably not in the .zip format.

Of course it can be done without a 3rd party component - one can always
roll one's own - it's just a question of economic efficiency!

Zip files use 'gzip' (available through GZipStream) compression
internally, but they also have header and directory information that
need to be maintained. It's the management of the headers and
directories that .NET doesn't have natively.

-- Barry

--
http://barrkel.blogspot.com/

[Greg Young]

I think it would be better to question the policy of making you rewrite open
source code as there is no good reason why you wouldn't use it as is ... A
3rd party control argument can be made in regards to buying controls or in
using controls that are not open source as you may end up at the mercy of
whoever is maintaining it but with open source ... you have source.

Cheers,

Greg
"Doug" <dn******@dtgnet.comwrote in message
news:11**********************@h48g2000cwc.googlegr oups.com...

Shawn/Marc - We can use third party tools but we're pretty limited, it
requires a pretty heavy research process to get approval for them (it
took me nearly a year to get NUnit approved!!) So I'm a little
hesitant to use third party tools unless I have no other option.

Greg, you had mentioned copying the code from zSharpLib. Is that okay
to do? I am not familiar with all the rules involved with open source
code.

Marc - I had read the codeproject.com article you referenced, but I
couldn't determine what reference to add to get the "Shell32" code to
work?

[Dennis Passmore]

Why not just install C1Zip into the Gac and use it.

ComponentOne Zip for .NET
Zip for .NET Setup Files

It is a free download from

http://helpcentral.componentone.com/...gzipfornet.htm

[Stefano \WildHeart\ Lanzavecchia]

"Dennis Passmore" <de*****@dpassmore.comwrote in message
news:%2****************@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...

Why not just install C1Zip into the Gac and use it.

ComponentOne Zip for .NET
Zip for .NET Setup Files

It is a free download from

http://helpcentral.componentone.com/...gzipfornet.htm

Free the download, not the product. The trial version puts up banners when
used without a license.
--
WildHeart'2k5