Version '08

Compress Files is an easy-to-use tool for compress, archive, encrypt files and omit Mac-specific invisible files.

Create compressed file in your preferred format
Compress Files is an universal program for Mac OS X that enable Mac users to create Zip compressed and encrypted files; XAR archive files, 7zip and 7zip crypted archives, TAR archives; Gzip compressed archives; Bzip2 compressed archives and compressed and encrypted disk images.

Omit Mac-specific invisible files
Invisible Mac-specific files can be extremely annoying when you transfer Zip files to other systems. Windows and Linux make these files visible and they could create confusion to recipients that receive your files. Compress Files lets you specify if you want to omit Finder specific information (such as the .DS_Store files) and Mac specific file attributes (such as a resource fork) when creating Zip archives.

Encrypt your personal files
For high security, you can use Compress Files to encrypt part of your hard disk through the use of an encrypted disk image protected with a password. You can then also email this disk image to other people who know the password. The image will show up as a volume on your desktop. When your Keychain is locked, or when you send that disk image file to another person, the image is secure. When your Keychain is unlocked, you can copy, move and delete files as you would on any normal hard disk.

Compress files in an easy way.
To compress a file, simply drag and drop the file you want to compress onto the Compress Files icon. If Compress Files is closed, the program will launch and compress your files. You can also compress files by dragging files into the application window. Just launch Compress Files and the window will appear. You can compress more than one file by dragging multiple items onto Compress Files window, and you can also compress larger groups of files by placing them in a folder and dragging the whole folder onto Compress File.

Read the review of Compress Files 1.0 By Dan Frakes at Macworld.com

Frequently asked questions

So Compress Files can't de-compress files?
Yes, it's correct, the tool is designed for only compress, archive and encrypt files. We suggest to use "BOMArchiveHelper.app" which is the built-in archive unpacker program in Mac OS X or StuffIt Expander and The Unarchiver free tools which are designed to handle many more formats than BOMArchiveHelper. Anyway along with the version 3.0 of Compress Files we provide the application "UnXAR" (inside the Extras folder) which is designed to decompress XAR archives. To obtain the new "Extras" folder, please download the entire pakage from our download page instead of just to upgrade via the automatic update feature.

What is the cost for the upgrade to version 3?
The upgrade is free of charge for all current registered users.

New in release 1.2 are:

New in release 2.0 are:

• This release primarily adds support for encryped Zip archives.
• You can now interrupt compressions in progress.
• Various minor code optimizations.

New in release 2.4 are:

• Added support for Eudora email client.
• Fixed a problem of archive creation when the original file was at certain locations on the disk.
• Some minor code optimizations.

New in release 3.0 are:

• Support for XAR archive format.
• Support for 7zip and crypted 7zip archives.
• Support for AppleScript.
• Spanish user interface localization.
• User interface improvements.
• Varius code optimizations.

New in release '08 are:

• Added Contextual Menu letting user access to often-used commands associated with Finder files and folders.
• Some changes to AS dictionary to improve compatibility with Mac OS X 10.5.2 Leopard.
• New Reveal buttons in Log history window.
• Added the possibility to order columns in Log History window.

System Requirements: Any Macintosh, Power Mac, iBook, PowerBook, eMac, iMac, Mac mini, MacBook, MacBook Pro and Mac Pro running Mac OS X 10.4 or newer.

Compress Files Help

Support forums


Useful links:

• BlueHarvest allows you to keep your disks and servers free of Mac "trails" [Zeroonetwenty]
• What are .DS_Store Files? [Koozie.org]
• Prevent .DS_Store file creation on network volumes [Mac OS X Hints]
• Removing .DS_Store files on Macintosh OS X? [Adobe]
• Mac OS X 10.4: How to prevent .DS_Store file creation over network connections [Apple]
• XAR in Mac OS X
• XAR - *NEW* MacOS X 10.5 package format
• XAR home page
• Xar (archiver) [Wikipedia]