zip problem

[Vlad_11]

Hi, I have freshly installed zip, that returnes me :

## zip test
zip error: Nothing to do! (test.zip)

Our systems say that everything is just fine.
Thanks
V.

[Kent Ostby]

A google search reveals some causes for this which may or may not be your case:

32 bit zip trying to manipulate files needing the 64 bit stat structures (due to being large files):

http://lists.wku.edu/pipermail/info-zip/2002-November/000101.html

Recursing directories (not on a unix box):

http://codeguru.earthweb.com/vb/links/comments/269.shtml

Are there any other messages other then the "nothing to do!" ?

[doug mielke]

just in case the example is literal.
Since there is a 'test' command, naming a file 'test' could give unexpected results.

[Vlad_11]

Thanks, all
It's not about literal "test", tried another name. Pretty sure it's 32 vs 64 problem.
Anybody can advice how to research/solve it.

Thanks
val

[Vlad_11]

There are not any other messages on output:

Just:
=====================================
$ zip file3
zip error: Nothing to do! (file3.zip)
=====================================

echo $?=12

Thanks all
Vlad

[Bhuvaneswari Selvaraj]

zip when u give a parameter assumes that u r trying to unzip a file. It here tries to unzip a test.zip which is not there.

try creating a test.zip file and then give zip test.

If u want to create a zip file, give zip test followed by few files that u want to zip. or you can use pkzip or gzip.

[Vlad_11]

thanks, Bhuvaneswari

Yes , it works fine for 2 files, man pages quite confusing for me, can I compress a single file with ZIP ? Glabal task to make compressed file OK for windows.

Thanks all
V

[Bhuvaneswari Selvaraj · Accepted solution]

You need to give

zip test.zip filename

or zip filename test.zip

either one of this will work, I am not sure. Try the first one, that should work, if not try the second one. One of them will surely work.

[Umapathy S]

Vlad,
Zip can compress the file(s) and directories. In the unix world gzip and tar are used.

tar is used to archive files (meant not only for tapes) and gzip compress the tarred file which can be easily moved across.

check the man pages of tar and gzip.

HTH,
Umapathy

[Bhuvaneswari Selvaraj]

If u r working with Unix gzip/gunzip and tar/untar are the first choice.

If you are using windows, then you can use zip. zip has a GUI I think.

Files that you compress using gzip can be unzipped on a windows system using pkunzip.