Need to send someone a big batch of files? Don't
attach one after another after another to your e-mail. Instead, compress the
files into one smaller, easier-to-manage file. In other words, zip them.
The Zip file format has long been used to compress
and archive data. Suppose you have, say, 50 Word documents that have a combined
size of 5MB. By zipping them, you end up with a single file that's much
smaller--maybe 1MB or even 500KB. Imagine stuffing all your clothes into a
tiny, lightweight suitcase--that's what compression does. Even better, when you
open the suitcase, everything comes out wrinkle-free.
If you're already using a utility like PKZip
or WinZip
to compress and decompress files, there's little point in changing. But did you
know Windows has zip capabilities built right in? Here's how to use them on the
fly, using the aforementioned e-mail as an example:
- Compose your e-mail message, then click Attach File (or whatever is your mail client's equivalent).
- Using the file selector that appears, find the files you want to attach. (They all need to be in the same folder.)
- Select all the files you want to zip. (To select multiple files at a time, hold down the Ctrl key while clicking each one in turn.)
- Right-click any of the selected files, then choose Send to, Compressed (zipped) folder.
- Windows will quickly compress the files and create a new, zipped file that's immediately ready to be renamed (if necessary--if not, just press Enter).
- Attach your newly created Zip file to the e-mail.
Post a Comment