Modify file compression¶
Source files are compressed into the package using 7-Zip.
Storing path information¶
If your source files are coming from different source folders, then the path in addition to the filename of each file should be stored within the archive. When a file is unpacked, the folder corresponding to the stored path is first created and then the file is placed in it.
To allow Paquet Builder to store path information within the archive, turn on the option "Store Path Information".
When this option is activated, Paquet Builder will store the entire path information for each file (full directory but without the drive letter).
Example 1:
If the source file was "C:\My Documents And Settings\Alpha\My Documents\My Results\Report 26.pdf", the stored path would be "My Documents And Settings\Alpha\My Documents\My Results" for the "Report 26.pdf" file.
When extracting this file, the package would first create the folder "%DESTPATH%\My Documents And Settings\Alpha\My Documents\My Results\" where %DESTPATH% is the destination path selected by the end user, and then place the file in that folder.
Now you may only want to store a "part" of the file path, in other words a path relative to a root folder. In this case, you need to activate the "Use Paths Relative To" option and specify a root folder. See the following example:
Example 2:
Our source file is still "C:\My Documents And Settings\Alpha\My Documents\My Results\Report 26.pdf". If you choose "C:\My Documents And Settings\Alpha\My Documents\" as the root folder, Paquet Builder will only store the path relative to it, in other words: *"My Results*".
When extracting this file, the package would create the folder *"%DESTPATH%\My Results*" and then place the "Report 26.pdf" file in that folder. The path to the root folder has been "cut off" when storing path information.
This option will work fine if all source files are in sub-folders of the root folder (i.e. the path for each file begins with the path to the root folder). Otherwise if a file is not in a sub-folder of the root folder, its entire path information will be stored.
It is important to store path information if your source files contain files with the same filename but in different folders.
Compression level and properties¶
Compression Level¶
Paquet Builder provides you with five options:
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the Store option will store the files inside the archive without compressing them.
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Fast compresses the fastest possible (really compresses, does not only store).
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Normal offers a fast and good compression.
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Maximum and Ultra offer one of the best compression ratio: they easily beat ZIP, CAB, RAR3, ACE, ARJ, SQX and other compression algorithms. Using Maximum is recommended.
Note: using 7z-Ultra level requires 350 MB of RAM at least! Decompression also requires a lot of RAM.
Create a solid archive¶
If it is enabled, the 7-Zip encoder creates an archive in solid mode: all files will be compressed as one continuous data stream. Usually compressing to solid archive improves compression ratio. Highly recommended if you create Self-Extracting packages.
Use LZMA2 instead of LZMA compression method¶
LZMA2 supports multithreaded compression and decompression, and therefore is faster on machines with several CPU cores. You can specify the number of CPU threads that will be dedicated to compression when building your package.
Compress archive header¶
File information and metadata stored in archive is also compressed.
Custom 7-Zip parameters¶
This field can let you override compression parameters passed to the 7-Zip encoder. Only for advanced users who know how the 7za command line module works. Parameters should be separated by |
For instance,
-m0=BCJ2 -m1=LZMA2:d24
should be converted to:
0|BCJ2|1|LZMA2:d24