PeaZip compression tool tested

Zipped and Checked

© Lead Image © Zoya Fedorova, 123RF.com

© Lead Image © Zoya Fedorova, 123RF.com

Article from Issue 184/2016
Author(s):

Compression tools are part of any user's regular toolkit. PeaZip not only supports exotic formats, it also contributes toward the security and integrity of your data through many additional functions.

Linux has countless programs for compressing and archiving data. The major desktop environments come with their own graphical applications for this purpose, but PeaZip – a free all-rounder – facilitates the handling of archives while also ensuring the integrity of the data.

PeaZip has been available for some time from the repositories of many major distributions – for example, Mageia and other Mandriva derivatives, as well as Fedora and CentOS. Thus, you can typically use the package manager for the installation. DEB packages for 32-bit and 64-bit systems are available from the project website [1]; the archives from the same source are only suitable for 32-bit systems.

A portable variant is also available in the form of a tarball, which is not restricted to a specific system. This archive does not contain the source code for the software but the complete program, which will run no matter what distribution you have. It makes sense to copy the folder into a directory of your choice after unpacking and then run the program there by typing the peazip command at the command line. You also have the option of integrating the software into a menu, which gives you the ability to start the program at the push of a button later on.

Note that there are two variants of the program in the wild: If you use a desktop environment that builds on the Qt libraries (e.g., KDE SC or Trinity), then it makes sense to install the Qt version of PeaZip. There are also packages for Gtk2-based desktops, such as Xfce or LXDE, to support seamless integration with these environments.

Getting Started

After launching PeaZip, a clear-cut window comes up that is somewhat reminiscent of a file manager. The control that dominates the window is a button bar arranged horizontally at the top edge. It contains the icons for all the basic functions, such as creating, verifying, and unpacking archives. There is also a function for deleting individual files and a button that opens a dialog for converting files.

The file browser occupies the whole of the area below the buttons; it also displays hidden files and directories by default. In the left pane, you will find a vertically arranged button bar, which you can use to run predefined commands or switch between directories without the need to toggle between different programs (Figure 1).

Figure 1: The PeaZip program window makes it easy to compress files or decompress archives.

Compared with the previous version, the developers have modernized the PeaZip interface. Instead of large, three-dimensional buttons, it now uses a flatter design so that the program integrates seamlessly with state-of-the-art desktop environments such as KDE and Gnome. Additionally, the newer versions of the program offer very detailed options that let you customize the software's look to suit your needs, as well as modify the functionality.

Configuration

You can use the Options | Settings menu to access the configuration. The parameters are organized in five subgroups, which you can access via the vertical tabs aligned along the left edge of the window. The Archive manager and File tools are of particular interest here.

Archive manager lists an impressive number of archive types that the software supports. These are both well-known formats, such as 7Z, ARC, BZIP2, GZIP, TAR, and ZIP, as well as more exotic platform-dependent variants, such as QUAD, UPX, or WIM. There are some formats, including RAR, that PeaZip can only read and extracts. You can use this dialog to define which formats you want to use by checking or unchecking the boxes for the corresponding entries. Additionally, you can use the selection list in the Standard Format section to decide on a preferred format for creating archives. After completing the configuration options, you can save them by pressing OK at the bottom right in the window.

File tools lets you decide which algorithm the software uses to compute a checksum or a hash. This lets you check the integrity of the archives that you create. In the same tab, you also define how the program securely deletes files. Overwriting the storage areas with random data makes it more or less impossible to reconstruct the files that originally resided in them. After modifying any options you want to change, again save the configuration by pressing OK.

In the bottom-most tab, Design, you can modify the look of the entire application; additional themes are available via the Download themes for PeaZip link.

Creating an Archive

PeaZip offers several options for creating an archive. In the File menu, you can use the first entry Create archive or click on the left-hand button Add in the bar below it. This prompts the software to open what is initially an empty list, to which you can then add the files you want to archive.

Right-clicking on an element in the list pops up a context menu with options such as Add file(s) or Add folder that let you add individual files or complete directories to the archive. To do this, the program opens a file browser and lets you select the desired content. In our lab, we noticed a minor glitch: If you have added a folder, the list initially does not show you either the number of files it contains or the file sizes. If you want to see these details, you must check the Enumerate folder content box below the list.

At the bottom of the window, you can then specify where to save the archive and define the format you want to use. You can also define the compression speed and the size of the archive in the field at the bottom. This option is particularly relevant if you will be transferring large archives to other media for storage and is why PeaZip offers the capacities of popular optical media or the maximum size for single files for applications that use the FAT32 filesystem. The developers have also considered the task of mailing archives; after all, free mail services often restrict the size of attachments. You can choose from several maximum values for the results.

The Enter password/key file option below this lets you password-protect the archive and additionally secure it with two-way authentication based on a key. If you want to do this, clicking the entry will open a new window in which you enter the password for the archive and confirm your entry. If you additionally want to use a keyfile for authentication, you can load the file below the fields for the password entry. After pressing the OK button bottom right in the window, the software applies the settings.

You can then start archiving by pressing OK again (Figure 2). A progress indicator shows how the program is getting on with archiving the files. Note that not all of the options are available for all of the supported formats. For example, some formats do not offer password protection, and the compression rate is not variable for others. PeaZip takes these differences into consideration, however, and configures the dialogs to reflect the selected formats.

Figure 2: If needed, you can password-protect the compressed data to prevent unauthorized access.

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