The way compression software operates is by scanning file data and looking for recurring patterns using mathematical equations.
Subsequently, the software substitutes these recurring patterns with more compact data segments, or code.
Files that are compressed typically finish in .zip, .sit, or .tar. These are referred to as extensions, and they represent various compression formats and software kinds that are used to compress files.
One method of file compression that prevents data loss is lossless compression.
Files can be reduced by up to 80% by using lossy compression.
A compressed file needs to be first decompressed in order to be used.
Software like WinZip is required in order to decompress a .zip file.
Compressed files, also known as archived or zipped files, frequently occupy less space than the original files because they combine numerous different files into a single, sizable archive.
You need to use an archiving program to extract the files from the archive before you can read or use all the individual files and programs.
The built-in Windows utility is sufficient for zipping and unzipping the majority of files; however, if you come across a compressed format that the built-in Windows tools are unable to support, you can attempt one of the following programs:
- [Program A]
- [Program B]
- [Program C]
Let’s investigate what occurs during file decompression.
- A new folder of the same name is created when you extract files from a zipped folder. This new folder holds the files. There’s also the compressed (zipped) version.
- On your PC, right-click the compressed folder. Select ‘Extract All…’ to launch the extraction wizard.
- Press [Next >].
- To locate the location where you want to save the files, click [Browse…].
- Press [Next >].
- Press [Finish].
- Right-click the compressed folder and select [Delete] to remove the compressed version.
Let’s investigate if quality is decreased by compression and decompression.
- When a file is decompressed, lossless compression reconstructs and restores the original file data.
- Compared to lossless compression, lossy compression significantly reduces file size.
- Text, sound, and image compression are the three main uses for lossless compression.
- The primary uses of lossy compression are for audio, video, and image compression.
- The ability to maintain file quality while reducing file size is the main advantage of lossless compression.
- The most notable benefit of lossy compression is the significantly smaller file size that it produces.
- When it comes to deciding between lossy and lossless compression, there is no "best" or "right" response.