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Question

reading self-extracting zip files


jdh
Contributor
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Has anyone had any success reading directly from a self-extracting zip file (.exe)?

 

 

I'm trying to automate the processing of a regularly occurring delivery that comes as a self-extracting zip file and I would like to avoid the step of manually extracting it.

7 replies

takashi
Influencer
  • January 26, 2016

I don't think there is a way to read contents of a self-extracting file directly. If the file can be extracted with just executing it from a command line (without showing dialog boxes), the SystemCaller might be helpful to extract it automatically.


jdh
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  • January 26, 2016
takashi wrote:

I don't think there is a way to read contents of a self-extracting file directly. If the file can be extracted with just executing it from a command line (without showing dialog boxes), the SystemCaller might be helpful to extract it automatically.

I'm working on that now. I'm trying to find a switch that doesn't expect a user response for Overwrite existing files.

 

 

Interestingly enough, if I rename the .exe to .zip (not an option for production) FME will read it directly.

takashi
Influencer
  • January 28, 2016
jdh wrote:

I'm working on that now. I'm trying to find a switch that doesn't expect a user response for Overwrite existing files.

 

 

Interestingly enough, if I rename the .exe to .zip (not an option for production) FME will read it directly.

Interesting, but I couldn't read a self-extracting file though changed the extension to .zip. Probably depending on the application which was used to create the file.


mark2atsafe
Safer
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  • Safer
  • January 28, 2016
jdh wrote:

I'm working on that now. I'm trying to find a switch that doesn't expect a user response for Overwrite existing files.

 

 

Interestingly enough, if I rename the .exe to .zip (not an option for production) FME will read it directly.

The Winzip tool apparently has an option to overwrite without prompting: http://kb.winzip.com/kb/entry/115/


erik_jan
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  • January 28, 2016
jdh wrote:

I'm working on that now. I'm trying to find a switch that doesn't expect a user response for Overwrite existing files.

 

 

Interestingly enough, if I rename the .exe to .zip (not an option for production) FME will read it directly.

7-Zip has a switch (-y) to assume Yes for all questions. And 7-Zip is freeware and can be used on a command line, so it can be used in the SystemCaller.


jdh
Contributor
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  • January 28, 2016

I was able to use the SystemCaller to extract the file with a /Overwrite switch.

 

 

I have no idea what application was used to create the archive but it was not Winzip, because none of the Winzip switches worked.

erik_jan
Contributor
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  • January 28, 2016

This discussion lead me to adding an idea to the list:

Adding UNZIP functionality to the File Copy Writer.

In combination with the Directory and File Path reader this would allow for unzipping multiple files using FME.


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