AUTOMATE UNZIPPING

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Michael Abrams
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AUTOMATE UNZIPPING

Post by Michael Abrams »

Hi everyone,

I really dislike when my IT dept says they can't do something, when historically they just don't know how.

I have a zip file on the network server. Within this zip file, are 5 layers of encryption until you get down to the actual text file.

I manually click through this file and then rename the text file. There are about 30 zip files I do this with.

(Notice the word MANUALLY).

Is there a process that my IT folks could use to automate this process? I googled this but can't find the answer.

I would appreciate it if someone had a link to a page that could help me help IT.

Thank you so much - if you need more detail, please let me know.

Michael

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John Gray
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Re: AUTOMATE UNZIPPING

Post by John Gray »

Do you mean that
unzip(unzip(unzip(unzip(unzip(multi-zipped-file))))) => text file
?
If so, use your choice of unzip program in this way...

Is the password for each level of zipped file the same?

I hesitate to ask WHY the multi-zipped files are constructed in this way!
John Gray

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Michael Abrams
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Re: AUTOMATE UNZIPPING

Post by Michael Abrams »

Do you mean that
unzip(unzip(unzip(unzip(unzip(multi-zipped-file))))) => text file
Yes

Is the password for each level of zipped file the same?
There are no passwords

I hesitate to ask WHY the multi-zipped files are constructed in this way!
It is from a healthplan. They have sent them this way for 10-15 years :scratch:

Thanks for any ideas.

Michael

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Michael Abrams
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Re: AUTOMATE UNZIPPING

Post by Michael Abrams »

Maybe there is an app out there that does this? I am baffled.

Michael

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Rudi
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Re: AUTOMATE UNZIPPING

Post by Rudi »

Have you contacted the supplier of this multi-zip file and (1) queried why it is zipped 5 times or (2) requested that it only be zipped once?
If these is no passwords, surely it is not for security purposes.

I'm use 7-Zip. If I have a multi-zipped file (Test.txt) that is zipped 3 times, then I can double click on the outer zip, and using 7-Zip, simply double click on each sub-level zip (like double clicking through a series of sub directories in file explorer). When I get to the actual file, I can simply extract it. It is not required that one unzip each individual zipped layer before extracting the file?
7zFM_2019-03-05_06-16-54.jpg
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Regards,
Rudi

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Michael Abrams
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Re: AUTOMATE UNZIPPING

Post by Michael Abrams »

Rudi,

I misled you all.

The original file is zipped. After unzipping it, I have to click a folder, then another then another then another to get to the text file.

Then I have to uniquely name the text file.

These are files downloaded from the health plans secure portal. We have asked them why for 10 years and "that's how we do it" is the canned answer.

For a place that pushes automation, this one seems to have them stumped.
But... I call it job security.

Thanks ALL !

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Rudi
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Re: AUTOMATE UNZIPPING

Post by Rudi »

Unix/Linux seem to have useful switches connected to unzipping files, in order to unzip only files and not the folder system. I have not seen this option presented for Windows OS, but maybe there are switches that I'm not aware about?

An alternative suggestion is to unzip the main folder of each of the zip files into a single folder (In other words do not double click to navigate through the folder levels)
Once you have the main folders from all the zip files unpacked into a single folder, use Windows search to expose the files. (See the screen shot below).
20190305_65.jpg
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Regards,
Rudi

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Michael Abrams
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Re: AUTOMATE UNZIPPING

Post by Michael Abrams »

Looks interesting - I will give it a try!

Thank you Rudi !

jolas
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Re: AUTOMATE UNZIPPING

Post by jolas »

If you enable View>>Flat View in 7-zip then you will have easy access to the file you are looking for without unzipping it.
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Argus
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Re: AUTOMATE UNZIPPING

Post by Argus »

Excellent, jolas!

(Especially if there is only one file, or if they have different names.)
(It seems those creating the zip files are a bit lazy, including the folder structure when it's not necessary.)
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Michael Abrams
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Re: AUTOMATE UNZIPPING

Post by Michael Abrams »

WOW ! Thank you for that.

Let's see how that works out !

Much appreciated.