Creating and Extracting Archive Files

It is important to backup your important files regularly. Some people pack their files in a zip archive and then store the zip file on a different drive or on a different machine. All these are good measures to prevent loss of your data.

To make sure your archive file is protected from unauthorized access you can also sign and encrypt the zip file before storing it.

To make the task easier iSafeguard™ provides you with an archive wizard that can be used to create three kinds of archives. For more information about these archives refer to User Manual: Working With Archives.

Note: This feature is not available in the freeware version of the software, i.e. iSafeguard™ Freeware.

Creating Archive Files

Now let's go through the steps to create a signed and encrypted archive file. To create an archive file you use the Windows Explorer context menu.

1. Start Windows Explorer
2. Select the files and folders you want to archive;
3. Click the right mouse button on the selected items;
4. Select iSafeguard and then Archive from the popup menu;

This brings up the archiving wizard as shown in the following figure. Let's follow the wizard to create a signed and encrypted archive file.

5. Click the Next button;

The archive type selection page is displayed as shown in the following figure.

6. Select Create a signed and/or encrypted archive;
7. Click the Next button;

The recipient selection page shows as following.

8. Select yourself as one of the recipients; select other people if you want them to open the archive too;
9. Click the Next button;

The signer selection page shows as following.

10. Select yourself as the archive signer;
11. Click the Next button;

The archive name selection page shows as following.

12. Select a file name for the archive;
13. Click the Next button;

Now you are ready to create the archive file.

14. Click the Next button;

Now wait for archiving to complete. If you want to cancel the task click the Cancel button.

When the archiving is done the following page shows.

15. Click the Done button to close the wizard.

Congratulation! You have just created your first PKI protected archive file. Now let's find out how to extract contents from the protected archive file.

Extracting Archive Files

As an exercise let's extract the archive we have just created.

1. Right click on the file Untitiled.xca
2. Select iSafeguard and then Extract from the popup menu

A dialog box similar to the one below shows.

3. Enter a folder name in the field Extract to folder:
4. Click Extract to extract the archive
5. Click Close to close the dialog

Now you know how to create a signed and encrypted archive file. Use the same wizard and similar steps to create self-extracting or zip archive files.