An archiver, technically known as a file archiver, is a computer program which brings a number of files together in one (or several) archive files. Archives are usually reduced in size by crafty algorithms. An archiver helps you to transport or store files in easier way. There are several archivers, which with the help of archive formats provide you with the facility to reduce the size of archive without losing any data. This process is known as the lossless data compression and it is most frequently used for transferring huge number of files through Internet.
An effective archiver takes a list of files that you will transfer and compresses the contents in a sequential order. In this process of compressing and putting the files in a sequential order, an archiver requires only certain information about names and total size of the original files. The process of creating an archive file is commonly known as archiving or packing and reconstruction of the files in their original form is known as unarchiving or extracting or unpacking.
Today, we have an array of applications available for archiving files. At the same time you need to remember certain factors that will help you to choose the right archiver. The most effective archiver will consist of the following factors:
- File formats that your archiver will support: You must be very careful while choosing an archiver for you. It should support the file format that you use. ZIP is the most widely known format but you can also encounter problems if you download files with diverse range of format. The RAR format is definitely a good archiver from this perspective and it is capable of opening and compressing files with all any kind of known formats.
- Ratio of Compression: Certain archivers help you to produce smaller files and others give you the freedom to select the level of compression and format of the compressed file. People sometime choose such an archiver that provides great compression facility but at a quite slow rate. Try to avoid such an archiver, otherwise in time of necessity you may face great trouble. Always go for an archiver which will give you effective compressing facility and, at the same time, you can have the liberty to set the speed of archiving manually.
Though ZIP is perhaps the most popular form of archives, the RAR file extension are also equally efficient and often produce smaller files. If you find that creating a ZIP archive is taking longer than you expected, consider WinRar as an alternative. Conversely, if you encounter a .rar archive that you don’t know how to open, perhaps a rar file converter will be a solution. Various sites have provided you with the facility to download free rar converters. So, choose the right archiver for you now and set yourself all ready for working smart.
