Convert 7Z to Z

Understanding 7z and z file formats

7z is a popular compressed archive format developed by the 7-Zip project. It uses advanced compression algorithms, such as LZMA and LZMA2, to achieve high compression ratios. 7z files can contain multiple files and folders, and support strong AES-256 encryption.

Z files, on the other hand, are compressed files created using the UNIX compress utility. The .z format is older and less efficient than modern formats like 7z, but it is still used in some legacy UNIX and Linux systems for compatibility.

Why convert 7z to z?

Converting a 7z archive to a z file may be necessary for compatibility with older UNIX systems or specific software that only supports the .z format. However, keep in mind that the .z format only supports single files, so you must extract the contents of the 7z archive and compress each file individually to .z.

How to convert 7z to z

1. Extract the 7z archive: Use a tool like 7-Zip (Windows) or p7zip (Linux/macOS) to extract the contents of your 7z file.
2. Compress files to .z format: Use the UNIX compress command to convert each extracted file to .z. Open a terminal and run:
   compress filename
   This will create filename.z.

Recommended software for conversion

• 7-Zip (Windows): Free and open-source tool for extracting 7z files. Menu: File → Open to extract.
• p7zip (Linux/macOS): Command-line version of 7-Zip. Extract with: 7z x archive.7z
• compress (UNIX/Linux): Native command-line tool for creating .z files. Run: compress filename

Summary

To convert a 7z archive to z files, first extract the 7z archive, then use the compress utility to create .z files from each extracted file. This process ensures compatibility with legacy UNIX systems that require the .z format.