rar extension by default, but that can be overridden by specifying the zip extension in the archive name
Although WinRAR is shareware, it can be used on a trial basis for 40 days. Both are located in the “C:\Program Files\WinRAR” folder in the installable version. It includes two command-line tools, rar.exe and unrar.exe, where rar.exe compresses and unrar.exe uncompresses files. WinRAR is a popular and powerful archive manager that can be used from the command-line or with scripting languages such as batch files.
The information in this guide was tested on a Windows PC running Vista. This guide is an extension of a previous post, Automate Zipping Tasks using the Command-line Interface that explained the use of the command-line tools for two free compression utilities, IZArc and 7-Zip.
Depending on the level at which the encryption is applied, you may have to enter the decryption password to show the folder and file names of the archived elements.This guide describes the use of the WinRAR command-line tools (v5.01) for compressing and uncompressing files in a directory and their use in batch files (for IZArc and 7-zip, see this post). If required, 7-Zip encryption can be used for individual files or entire directory structures.
It can also extract program archives like Microsoft Cabinet, Windows Installer files and application files. The zipping program can also unzip archives with the endings.
7-Zip also allows users to zip and unzip files in the following file formats:ħ-Zip uses a powerful proprietary encryption algorithm to compress files, sacrificing compression speed for compression quality. It is purely a container format with a modular and open structure. The WinRAR alternative creates zip archives in the proprietary 7-Zip format, indicated by the file ending. In 2007, the program won SourceForge’s award as best open source project. 7-Zip is freeware for zipping and unzipping files and has been around since 1999.