How to compress (zip) files/folders in Thunar

[brvcf]

In Windows I can right click,a folder and send to compressed folder. According to various on-line references I should be able to do the same in Thunar. But there is no such option in the context menu. Thunar-archive-plugin, Zip, pZip, etc are installed Mint 18.3 XFCE 64 bit

[phd21]

Hi brvcf,

Usually in all Linux Mint editions you can right-click a file and or folder and choose compress to create an archive file of that.

You could try installing "p7zip-full" from the "Synaptic Package Manager (SPM)" then restart the file manager.

Hope this helps ...

[ajgreeny]

A right click in thunar will normally offer a "Create archive" option which opens a dialogue box where you choose either to create a newly named archive, or add to an existing archive file.

Do you not see that?

[brvcf]

there is no option in the right click (context) menu
p7Zip-Full is installed

[karlchen]

Hello, brvcf.

Linux Mint 18.1 xfce here. Thunar v1.6.11.
If I right-click on a directory name, the context menu will hold an item labelled "Create archive ...".
If I right-click on a file name, the context menu will hold an item labelled "Create archive ...".
The item "Create Archive ..." will be the last item but one in the list, right above "Properties".

HTH,
Karl

[MrEen]

Maybe a necessary component was accidentally deleted? What does apt policy thunar-archive-plugin return?

[br1anstorm]

I guess the issue may be in part a problem of unclear wording. I wonder if the OP was confused when he could not find a "Compress" option in the right-click menu.

Not everyone would realise, or be aware, that the "Create Archive" option in Thunar's right-click dropdown menu is in fact what other file managers call the "Compress" option.

Thus when you right-click on a folder, or file, in Thunar, you see the option "Create Archive". What hasn't been spelled out in the answers so far is that if you click on that, a popup window opens with the heading "Compress". Then in the box adjacent to the folder or filename selected, there is a further dropdown menu offering a number of different compression formats - including .7z and .zip.

I have Mint 19.1 XFCE, and I have not - as far as I recall - had to add any plugins or additional software from Synaptic in order to have these compression options available in Thunar.

[karlchen]

The software package thunar-archive-plugin should be present on any Linux Mint 18.x / 19.x xfce installation, I assume.
This is why MrEen asked whether it were still present or had been deleted by accident perhaps.

[MrEen]

I have Mint 19.1 XFCE, and I have not - as far as I recall - had to add any plugins or additional software from Synaptic in order to have these compression options available in Thunar.

I'm using 18.3. I didn't install thunar-archive-plugin myself, but it is installed on my system:

Code: Select all

scott@scott-HP ~ $ apt policy thunar-archive-plugin
thunar-archive-plugin:
  Installed: 0.3.1-4
  Candidate: 0.3.1-4
  Version table:
 *** 0.3.1-4 500
        500 http://mirrors.advancedhosters.com/ubuntu xenial/universe amd64 Packages
        100 /var/lib/dpkg/status

I would assume it's built into the Mint .iso but I could be wrong. I see it's part of the xfce4-goodies package, and I thought I had installed that, but it's not presently installed here and I don't recall uninstalling it.

[brvcf]

thunar-archive-plugin is installed. My results same as MrEen.
No "Create archive" item on context menu.

BUT: I just though of something. I was trying to do this on a folder in a shared network folder on a Windows 10 machine.

Just for the heck of it I tried right click on a local folder and I do get the "Create Archive" option.

Apparently although Thunar has no problem reading and writing to the network folder and therefore should be able to create an archive, it decides not to give the option. Can't think of a good reason why.

[Stefano_IT]

@ajgreeny
I can't even create archives directly from Thunar (Thunar 1.6.11)
I also get:
Installed: 0.3.1-4
Candidate: 0.3.1-4

I have same Mint (18.3 XFCE) with P7zip full installed and if I click on a folder or on a file I see in the menu: compress (with possibility to insert also a password)
I have P7zip full installed and if I click on a folder or on a file I see in the menu: compress (with possibility to insert also a password)
https://goodies.xfce.org/_media/project ... rchive.png

After selecting them I can compress a text file or a folder but otherwise I don't see in Thunar the possibility to do anything else.
If I don't select any file in the right contextual menu I don't see any entry: compress.

I have been using P7zip for a long time and I can also open files with a .zip or .7z password created on Windows
I would like to try Peazip, it seems very valid. But I never understood why it is not available in the program manager.

[MrEen]

thunar-archive-plugin is installed. My results same as MrEen.
No "Create archive" item on context menu.

BUT: I just though of something. I was trying to do this on a folder in a shared network folder on a Windows 10 machine.

Just for the heck of it I tried right click on a local folder and I do get the "Create Archive" option.

Apparently although Thunar has no problem reading and writing to the network folder and therefore should be able to create an archive, it decides not to give the option. Can't think of a good reason why.

Very useful info. According to the first post here, Thunar disables Custom Actions and some other things from the Context Menu when in Network folders. The poster has created a script to work around the issue that is available here. I have not looked at the script myself, and don't know if it'll help with creating archives. Just giving an option. I did check to make sure it didn't use gksu(do) so users of 19.x may have success with it as well.

EDIT: On a quick view of what's there, this will patch Thunar. You really should ensure you've made a (Timeshift) backup before trying it.