Compress-ZipArchive.md

external help file	Module Name	online version	schema
PSCompression-help.xml	PSCompression	https://github.com/santisq/PSCompression	2.0.0

Compress-ZipArchive

SYNOPSIS

The Compress-ZipArchive cmdlet creates a compressed, or zipped, archive file from one or more specified files or directories. It aims to overcome a few limitations of Compress-Archive while keeping similar pipeline capabilities.

SYNTAX

Path

Compress-ZipArchive
    [-Path] <String[]>
    -Destination <String>
    [-CompressionLevel <CompressionLevel>]
    [-Update]
    [-Force]
    [-Exclude <String[]>]
    [-PassThru]
    [<CommonParameters>]

LiteralPath

Compress-ZipArchive
    -LiteralPath <String[]>
    -Destination <String>
    [-CompressionLevel <CompressionLevel>]
    [-Update]
    [-Force]
    [-Exclude <String[]>]
    [-PassThru]
    [<CommonParameters>]

DESCRIPTION

PowerShell cmdlet that overcomes the limitation that the built-in cmdlet Compress-Archive has:

The Compress-Archive cmdlet uses the Microsoft .NET API System.IO.Compression.ZipArchive to compress files. The maximum file size is 2 GB because there's a limitation of the underlying API.

The easy workaround would be to use the ZipFile.CreateFromDirectory Method.

However, there are 3 limitations while using this method:

1. The source must be a directory, a single file cannot be compressed.
2. All files (recursively) on the source folder will be compressed, we can't pick / filter files to compress.
3. It's not possible to Update the entries of an existing Zip Archive.

This cmdlet should be able to handle compression same as ZipFile.CreateFromDirectory Method but also allow filtering files and folders to compress while keeping the file / folder structure untouched.

EXAMPLES

Example 1: Compress all .ext files from a specific folder

Get-ChildItem .\path -Recurse -Filter *.ext |
    Compress-ZipArchive -Destination dest.zip

Example 2: Compress all .txt files contained in all folders in the Current Directory

Compress-ZipArchive .\*\*.txt -Destination dest.zip

Example 3: Compress all .ext and .ext2 from a specific folder

Compress-ZipArchive .\*.ext, .\*.ext2 -Destination dest.zip

Example 4: Compress a folder using Fastest Compression Level

Compress-ZipArchive .\path -Destination myPath.zip -CompressionLevel Fastest

Example 5: Compressing all directories in .\Path

Get-ChildItem .\path -Recurse -Directory |
    Compress-ZipArchive -Destination dest.zip

Example 6: Replacing an existing Zip Archive

Demonstrates the use of -Force parameter switch.

Compress-ZipArchive -Path .\path -Destination dest.zip -Force

Example 7: Adding and updating new entries to an existing Zip Archive

Demonstrates the use of -Update parameter switch.

Get-ChildItem .\path -Recurse -Directory |
    Compress-ZipArchive -Destination dest.zip -Update

Example 8: Exclude files and folders from source

Compress-ZipArchive .\path -Destination myPath.zip -Exclude *.xyz, *\test\*

This example shows how to compress all items in path excluding all files having a .xyz extension and excluding a folder with name test and all its child items.

Tip

The -Exclude parameter supports wildcard patterns, exclusion patterns are tested against the items .FullName property.

PARAMETERS

-Path

Specifies the path or paths to the files that you want to add to the archive zipped file. To specify multiple paths, and include files in multiple locations, use commas to separate the paths.

This parameter accepts wildcard characters. Wildcard characters allow you to add all files in a directory to your archive file.

Tip

Using wildcards with a root directory affects the archive's contents:

• To create an archive that includes the root directory, and all its files and subdirectories, specify the root directory in the Path without wildcards. For example: -Path C:\Reference
• To create an archive that excludes the root directory, but zips all its files and subdirectories, use the asterisk (*) wildcard. For example: -Path C:\Reference\*
• To create an archive that only zips the files in the root directory, use the star-dot-star (*.*) wildcard. Subdirectories of the root aren't included in the archive. For example: -Path C:\Reference\*.*

Type: String[]
Parameter Sets: Path
Aliases:

Required: True
Position: 0
Default value: None
Accept pipeline input: True (ByValue)
Accept wildcard characters: True

-LiteralPath

Specifies the path or paths to the files that you want to add to the archive zipped file. Unlike the Path -Parameter, the value of -LiteralPath is used exactly as it's typed. No characters are interpreted as wildcards

Type: String[]
Parameter Sets: LiteralPath
Aliases: PSPath

Required: True
Position: Named
Default value: None
Accept pipeline input: True (ByPropertyName)
Accept wildcard characters: False

-Destination

This parameter is required and specifies the path to the archive output file. The destination should include the name of the zipped file, and either the absolute or relative path to the zipped file.

Note

If the file name does not have an extension, the cmdlet appends the .zip file name extension.

Type: String
Parameter Sets: (All)
Aliases: DestinationPath

Required: True
Position: 1
Default value: None
Accept pipeline input: False
Accept wildcard characters: False

-CompressionLevel

Specifies values that indicate whether a compression operation emphasizes speed or compression size. See CompressionLevel Enum for details.

Type: CompressionLevel
Parameter Sets: (All)
Aliases:
Accepted values: Optimal, Fastest, NoCompression, SmallestSize

Required: False
Position: Named
Default value: Optimal
Accept pipeline input: False
Accept wildcard characters: False

-Exclude

Specifies an array of one or more string patterns to be matched as the cmdlet gets child items. Any matching item is excluded from the created zip archive. Wildcard characters are accepted.

Note

Patterns are tested against the object's .FullName property.

Type: String[]
Parameter Sets: (All)
Aliases:

Required: False
Position: Named
Default value: None
Accept pipeline input: False
Accept wildcard characters: True

-Update

Updates the specified archive by replacing older file versions in the archive with newer file versions that have the same names. You can also use this parameter to add files to an existing archive.

Note

If -Force and -Update are used together this cmdlet will add or update entries.

Type: SwitchParameter
Parameter Sets: (All)
Aliases:

Required: False
Position: Named
Default value: False
Accept pipeline input: False
Accept wildcard characters: False

-Force

Overwrites the destination archive if exists otherwise it creates a new one. All Zip entries are lost.

Note

If -Force and -Update are used together this cmdlet will add or update entries.

Type: SwitchParameter
Parameter Sets: PathWithForce, LiteralPathWithForce
Aliases:

Required: True
Position: Named
Default value: False
Accept pipeline input: False
Accept wildcard characters: False

-PassThru

Outputs the object representing the compressed file. The cmdlet produces no output by default.

Type: SwitchParameter
Parameter Sets: (All)
Aliases:

Required: False
Position: Named
Default value: False
Accept pipeline input: False
Accept wildcard characters: False

CommonParameters

This cmdlet supports the common parameters. For more information, see about_CommonParameters.

INPUTS

String

You can pipe a string that contains a path to one or more files. Output from Get-ChildItem or Get-Item can be piped to this cmdlet.

OUTPUTS

None

By default, this cmdlet produces no output.

FileInfo

When the -PassThru switch is used this cmdlet outputs the FileInfo instance representing the compressed file.

NOTES

This cmdlet was initially posted to address this Stack Overflow question. Another question in the same site pointed out another limitation with the native cmdlet, it can't compress if another process has a handle on a file. To overcome this issue, and also to emulate explorer's behavior when compressing files used by another process, the cmdlet defaults to FileShare 'ReadWrite, Delete' when opening a FileStream.