Contents

 To learn basics choose one of the following:

What is RAR

How to archive files

How to extract from archive

Archive types

Advanced options:

Configuration setting

Interface settings

File and archive management:

File managing commands

Archive managing commands

Selecting files

Drag and drop files

How to register your RAR:

License and ordering information


What is RAR

RAR is an extremely powerful tool which allows you to manage and control archive files.

There are several versions of RAR for a number of operating media. Currently they are: RAR for DOS, RAR for OS/2 or RAR for Windows.

RAR for Windows features:

- Standard  interface including drag-and-drop facility;

- Non-RAR archive support;

- Highly sophisticated, original compression algorithm;

- Better compression than other PC tools using 'solid' archiving;

- Authenticity verification (registered version only);

- Self-extracting archives and volumes (SFX);

- Programmatic installation SFX (currently for DOS only);

- Locking, password, disk volume labels & more ...

To start RAR for Windows do one of the following actions:

-> Click mouse twice on the RAR icon or

-> Press ENTER on it

RAR for Windows starts opening the current directory window.


How to archive files

To create new or update existant archive (add files to archive) :

     1. Select files and/or directories in RAR window.

     2.  Push Add button.

     3. As the archiving window appears do one of the following:

-> Press ENTER if you agree with a default archive name or

-> Change archive name to proper one and press ENTER.

     RAR starts archiving process.

     Press Cancel button if you want to cancel archiving files.


How to extract files from archive

To extract files from archive (unpack archive):

     1. Enter the archive file: press Enter or double-click mouse on it.

     2. Select desired files in the archive.

     3. Push Extract button.

 RAR performs extracting.

Press Cancel button if you want to cancel archiving files.


Archive types

Common RAR archive

Usualy RAR archive has .rar file extension and is created as the whole archive file without usage of  a special function (splitting to parts - volumes, SFX or solid archiving).

To extract files from common RAR archive you need to process it with RAR or unRAR utility.

Split archive (volumes)

Volumes are parts of  split  archive. This archive type is used to store large archive on several floppy disks.

To create such archive choose the needed volume size when adding files to a new archive.

First volume in sequence has common .rar files extension and next volume extensions are numerated as .r00, .r01, r02 etc.

SelF-eXtracting archive (SFX)

SFX archive is the archive module used to extract files from when executed. (SelF-eXtracting archive), usually in the form of an executable file for corresponding operating media (Windows, DOS or OS/2).

To create SFX archive push the SFX button.

Solid archive

Solid archive is packed with a special compression method which sees all files as one continuous data stream.  particularly advantageous when packing a large number of small files.

To create a solid archive push the Solid button.

Possible combinations of types:

- solid volumes

- SFX volumes

- SFX solid volumes

Managing non-RAR archive:

RAR provides a wide number of operations with non-RAR archives: view contents, extract and delete files, convert to SFX, add comments etc. Supported non-RAR archive types are .zip, .arj and .lzh.


Configuration settings
Configuration settings are available from Options menu or by pressing Ctrl-C

You may change configuration with following settings.

Compression - choose desired compression method to use:

  Store       Do not compress file when adding to archive

  Fastest    Use fastest method (least compressive)

  Fast          Use fast compression method

  Normal    Use normal (default) compression method

  Good       Use good compression method (more compressive)

  Best         Use best compression method (most compressive)

Default is Normal and is chosen as the best compromise between time taken and compression ratio achieved.  Marginally higher (0.1% - 1.5%) compression may be achieved with Good or Best, at the expense of 10% - 100% longer processing time.

Command settings - switch desired function on

Always make solid              create archive of  solid type by default

Add empty directories        add epmty directories to archive

Put  auth. verification           produce archive with AV stamp on it

Log errors to file                   record error messages to special file RAR.LOG

Working directory

The path where RAR will place temporary files.

Default comment file

If you would like a common comment added to every archive you are creating, enter the full path and name here.

File attributes mask

Choose the categories of files to be included when adding to an archive from the following:

  Read only files      Add files with 'Read-only' attribute

  System files            Add files with 'System' attribute

  Archive files            Add files with 'Archive' attribute

  Hidden files            Add files with 'Hidden' attribute


Interface settings
Interface settings are available from Options menu or by pressing Ctrl-I

You may change interface with following settings.

Sort names

Other options

Viewer

External viewer


File managing commands

Add

Move

View

Delete

Repair

Cmd line


Archive managing commands

Extract, Extract to (+Ignore paths)

Test

View

Delete

To SFX

Comment

Lock

Info

Cmd line


Selecting files

+,-,* and from menu


Drag and drop files

You can drag files from File Manager and drop it to RAR If files dropped into archive, they will be added to this archive.  Dropping files avaliable only into RAR archives, not for ZIP,ARJ nor LZH. If files dropped when no archive open, RAR asks for new archive name.

If archive dropped into RAR when no other archive open,this archive will be open and read.


License and ordering
License and ordering information

License

Ordering information


Archive information dialog

archive name

archive type: RAR,ZIP,LZH,ARJ,SFX,solid,SFX,volume


Entering archive name and parameters
Entering archive name and parameters dialog

Description of this dialog


Enter destination directory

Selecting directory for extracting files.


Enter password for extracted file

You are trying to extract encrypted file. Enter password or cancel extraction.


Enter default password

Enter password to apply with such operations as add, extract, test, view. You will be asked to type password twice to avoid typing errors.


File already exists

File already exists. You may Overwrite it, skip (No button), Rename, Overwrite all files or Quit from the current operation.


Registration

Enter you registration text and code.


Viewer

Internal viewer

External viewer

Associated program


Executing command window

Cancel Now RAR is executing command. If you wish cancel execution, push button on the command window.


Command line dialog box

In the command line dialog box you can use commands

A,M,F,U,X,E,T,D,R,S,C,K and switches -tk,-tl,-o+,-o-,-r,-y,

-x<exclude mask>,-ep,-ep1,-p<password>,-z<comment file>,

-m<method>,-v<volume size> or -v for autodetecting,-f,-u,-sfx,-s.

List files and multiple archives processing not supported.