Zip and Unzip File in Powershell 4

Question

I am using Windows Server 2012 R2 (64 bit). I have powershell version 4 available in it. I am trying to zip and unzip files. When I try Write-Zip command, it throws me following error:

Write-Zip : The term 'Write-Zip' is not recognized as the name of a cmdlet, function, script file, or operable program. Check the spelling of the name, or if a path was included, verify that the path is correct and try again.

What should I do to fix it? Do I need to install zip/winrar in the server? Or is there any other command do zip/unzip files?

Fajardo

I need to zip a folder. This folder has lot of subfolders and files. Can someone tell me how can I zip it in powershell as well as in windows command line (cmd) – Fajardo

Answer 1

Write-Zip seems to be part of http://pscx.codeplex.com/ that require a separate installation before you can use it.

However, if you just want to create a Zip archive from a folder, you could just run

$source = "c:\temp\source"
$archive = "c:\temp\archive.zip"

Add-Type -assembly "system.io.compression.filesystem"
[io.compression.zipfile]::CreateFromDirectory($source, $archive)

This utilizes the CreateFromDirectory method from the .NET Framework class ZipFile. It creates a zip archive from the files located inside the $source folder and creates an archive as defined in the $archive variable. Note, ZipFile class was introduced in .NET Framework 4.5

Silverstein

This answers the question exactly and works well without needing to upgrade or install any additional software. Great answer. – Adulterer

Answer 2

You can use custom powershell object New-Object -ComObject Shell.Application and copy the file with flags to unzip.

$filePath = "foo.zip"
$shell = New-Object -ComObject Shell.Application
$zipFile = $shell.NameSpace($filePath)
$destinationFolder = $shell.NameSpace("C:\Program Files\WindowsPowerShell\Modules")

$copyFlags = 0x00
$copyFlags += 0x04 # Hide progress dialogs
$copyFlags += 0x10 # Overwrite existing files

$destinationFolder.CopyHere($zipFile.Items(), $copyFlags)

Credit source https://github.com/hashicorp/best-practices/blob/master/packer/scripts/windows/install_windows_updates.ps1#L12-L22

This does not work with windows 'core' edition. If possible, upgrade to powershell 5 and use Expand Archive since it is much simpler.

Difference

Answer 3

If you can upgrade to PowerShell V5 (https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=50395), it has them natively. https://richardspowershellblog.wordpress.com/2014/10/25/powershell-5-zip-and-unzip/

For PowerShell version 4, you may be able to use this search http://www.powershellgallery.com/items?q=zip&x=0&y=0. This also looks to do what you are looking for: https://www.powershellgallery.com/packages/Microsoft.PowerShell.Archive/1.0.1.0

To install the modules, you need to type:

install-module -name <module name>

• powershellgallery.com is a free to upload site. Please check and understand module before running it.

Hope this helps. Thanks, Tim.

Different

Hi Tim, Thanks a lot for the response. But when I execute "Install-Module" command, it throws the same error as "Write-Zip" command that this cmd is not recognized. – Fajardo

Hi Raji, sorry. Just checked, you need PowerShell V5 to install from poweshellgallery.com. Or, use the MSI installer listed in this URL. msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/gallery/… – Different

Answer 4

Should work under PS4. SeeAdd-Zip and New-Zipfunctions

[CmdletBinding()]
Param(
 [Parameter(Mandatory=$True)]
 [ValidateScript({Test-Path -Path $_ })]
 [string]$sourceDirectory,

 [Parameter(Mandatory=$True)]
 [ValidateScript({-not(Test-Path -Path $_ -PathType Leaf)})]
 [string]$destinationFile,

 [Parameter(Mandatory=$True)]
 [int]$noOlderThanHours
 ) 

 function New-Zip
 { 
     param([string]$zipfilename)
     set-content $zipfilename ("PK" + [char]5 + [char]6 + ("$([char]0)" * 18))
     (dir $zipfilename).IsReadOnly = $false
 }

 function Add-Zip
 {
    param([string]$zipfilename) 

    if(-not (test-path($zipfilename)))
    {
      set-content $zipfilename ("PK" + [char]5 + [char]6 + ("$([char]0)" * 18))
      (dir $zipfilename).IsReadOnly = $false    

    }

    $shellApplication = new-object -com shell.application
    $zipPackage = $shellApplication.NameSpace($zipfilename)


      foreach($file in $input) 
      { 
          $zipPackage.CopyHere($file.FullName)
          Start-sleep -milliseconds 500
      }
 }

$oldest = (Get-Date) - (New-TimeSpan -Hours $noOlderThanHours)

$filesToZip = dir $sourceDirectory -Recurse | Where-Object {$_.lastwritetime -gt $oldest}

 Write-Host Going to zip following files 

 $filesToZip | foreach {Write-Host $_.FullName}



$filesToZip| Add-Zip $destinationFile

Gunsel

Answer 5

Write-Zip installation could have been performed incorrectly. An incorrect manual edit of the environment parameter PSModulePath may cause it:

Bad (original) value:

PSModulePath = %SystemRoot%\system32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\Modules\;C:\Program Files (x86)\PowerShell Community Extensions\Pscx3\;C:\Program Files\Intel\

Good value (which fixed the problem):

PSModulePath = C:\Program Files (x86)\PowerShell Community Extensions\Pscx3\;%SystemRoot%\system32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\Modules\;C:\Program Files\Intel\

Joshuajoshuah