How to zip files using powershell - my own solution

• richlion2

  SSCrazy

  Points: 2484

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  May 11, 2017 at 7:57 am

  #321316

  Hello,
  as I struggled all day today to find out how to zip folders using Powershell I decided to post my solution, just in case anyone has any problems using Google as a source. The latter provides tons of solutions, but very often snippets and incomplete instructions. Overall I visited probably around 20-30 web pages.I won't mention MS documentation, so much confusion in names, version, compatibility, etc. So here is what you need:
  1) It's best to install .net 4.5 (or something above 4.0) using the full version. You probably need to search for the file NDP452-KB2901907-x86-x64-AllOS-ENU.exe
  2) Upgrade Powershell from 2.0 to 3.0 - this is actually part of the Windows Management Framework 4.0, download here:
  https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=40855
  Make sure you read the System Requirements.

  3) Write the PS script that will accept 2 parameters, 1) input folder to be zipped 2) result .zip file:
  
# ========================================================================================================
# Script : pc_compress.ps1
# Descr. : Zip script for Powershell
# Author : Richlion2
# Date : 11/05/2017
#
# Prereq.: this script will zip some files. For this to work you may need .Net 4.5.2 and Powershell 3.0,
#    found under Windows Management Framework 4.0
#
# [System.IO.Compression.ZipFile]::CreateFromDirectory($cdir , $cdest , 0 , $false)
# $cdir is the directory you want to zip.
# $cdest is the name of the zipfile you want to create.
# $Compressionlevel can be set to Optimal, Fastest or NoCompression. => use 0
# $includeBaseDir can be $true or $false.
# ========================================================================================================

  Param(
[string]$cdir,
[string]$cdest
)

  # Adds a Microsoft .NET Framework type (a class) to a Windows PowerShell session.

  Add-Type -assembly "system.io.compression"
Add-Type -assembly "system.io.compression.filesystem"

  # To use .NET for zipping you first need to load the class assembly:
[System.Reflection.Assembly]::LoadWithPartialName("System.IO.Compression.FileSystem")

  # Make sure you don't create the ZIP file inside the folder being zipped, you will get
# this message:
# "The process cannot access the file 'c:\adm\adm.zip' because it is being used by another process."

  # Delete the old zip file first
Remove-Item $cdest -force

  [System.IO.Compression.ZipFile]::CreateFromDirectory($cdir , $cdest , 0 , $false)

  4) Call your script directly from a CMD window or write a command prompt script:
  
@echo off
c:
cd \adm
powershell -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -command "& c:\adm\ps_compress.ps1 c:\adm\ c:\temp\adm.zip"

  REM Or
REM powershell -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -command "& c:\adm\ps_compress.ps1 -cdir c:\adm\ -cdest c:\temp\adm.zip"

  This will zip c:\adm into c:\temp\adm.zip

  I hope this helps.
  Richard