File Compression And Archiving - Red Hat ENTERPRISE LINUX 3 - STEP BY STEP GUIDE Manual

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4.3. File Compression and Archiving

Sometimes it is useful to store a group of files in one file so that they can be backed up, easily
transferred to another directory, or even transferred to a different computer. It is also sometimes useful
to compress files into one file so that they use less disk space and download faster via the Internet.
It is important to understand the distinction between an archive file and a compressed file. An archive
file is a collection of files and directories that are stored in one file. The archive file is not compressed
— it uses the same amount of disk space as all the individual files and directories combined. A
compressed file is a collection of files and directories that are stored in one file and stored in a way that
uses less disk space than all the individual files and directories combined. If you do not have enough
disk space on your computer, you can compress files that you do not use very often or files that you
want to save but do not use anymore. You can even create an archive file and then compress it to save
disk space.
Note
An archive file is not compressed, but a compressed file can be an archive file.
4.3.1. Using File Roller
Red Hat Enterprise Linux includes a graphical utility called File Roller that can compress, decom-
press, and archive files and directories. File Roller supports common UNIX and Linux file compres-
sion and archiving formats and has a simple interface and extensive help documentation if you need
it. It is also integrated into the desktop environment and graphical file manager to make working with
archived files easier.
To start File Roller click Main Menu => Accessories => File Roller. You can also start File Roller
from a shell prompt by typing
Tip
If you are using a file manager (such as Nautilus), you can double-click the file you wish to unar-
chive or decompress to start File Roller. The File Roller browser window appears with the decom-
pressed/unarchived file in a folder for you to extract or browse.
. Figure 4-1 shows File Roller in action.
file-roller
Chapter 4. Managing Files and Directories