7-Zip - A file archiver with highest compression ratio

7za [adeltux] [-] [SWITCH] <ARCHIVE_NAME> <ARGUMENTS>...

7-Zip is a file archiver with the highest compression ratio. The program supports 7z (that implements LZMA compression algorithm), ZIP, CAB, ARJ, GZIP, BZIP2, TAR, CPIO, RPM and DEB formats. Compression ratio in the new 7z format is 30-50% better than ratio in ZIP format.

7za is a stand-alone executable. 7za handles less archive formats than 7z, but does not need any others.

a

Add

d

Delete

e

Extract

l

List

t

Test

u

Update

x

eXtract with full paths

-ai[r[-|0]]{@listfile|!wildcard}

Include archives

-ax[r[-|0]]{@listfile|!wildcard}

eXclude archives

-bd

Disable percentage indicator

-i[r[-|0]]{@listfile|!wildcard}

Include filenames

-l

don't store symlinks; store the files/directories they point to (CAUTION : the scanning stage can never end because of recursive symlinks like 'ln -s .. ldir')

-m{Parameters}

Set Compression Method (see /usr/share/doc/p7zip/DOCS/MANUAL/switches/method.htm for a list of methods)

-o{Directory}

Set Output directory

-p{Password}

Set Password

-r[-|0]

Recurse subdirectories (CAUTION: this flag does not do what you think, avoid using it)

-sfx[{name}]

Create SFX archive

-si

Read data from StdIn

-so

Write data to StdOut (eg: % echo foo | 7z a dummy -tgzip -si -so > /dev/null)

-t{Type}

Type of archive

-v{Size}[b|k|m|g]

Create volumes

-u[-][p#][q#][r#][x#][y#][z#][!newArchiveName]

Update options

-w[path]

Set Working directory

-x[r[-|0]]]{@listfile|!wildcard}

Exclude filenames

-y

Assume Yes on all queries

DO NOT USE the 7-zip format for backup purpose on Linux/Unix because : - 7-zip does not store the owner/group of the file.

On Linux/Unix, in order to backup directories you must use tar : - to backup a directory : tar cf - directory | 7za a -si directory.tar.7z - to restore your backup : 7za x -so directory.tar.7z | tar xf -

If you want to send files and directories (not the owner of file) to others Unix/MacOS/Windows users, you can use the 7-zip format.

example : 7za a directory.7z directory

Do not use "-r" because this flag does not do what you think.

Do not use directory/* because of ".*" files (example : "directory/*" does not match "directory/.profile")

7za a -t7z -m0=lzma -mx=9 -mfb=64 -md=32m -ms=on archive.7z dir1

adds all files from directory "dir1" to archive archive.7z using "ultra settings"

-t7z

7z archive

-m0=lzma

lzma method

-mx=9

level of compression = 9 (Ultra)

-mfb=64

number of fast bytes for LZMA = 64

-md=32m

dictionary size = 32 megabytes

-ms=on

solid archive = on

7za a -sfx archive.exe dir1 add all files from directory "dir1" to SFX archive archive.exe (Remark : SFX archive MUST end with ".exe")

You will find more examples in /usr/share/doc/p7zip/DOCS/MANUAL.

7z(1)

Written for Debian by Mohammed Adnene Trojette.