Use Cloud Services with WinZip for sharing

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This article provides an overview of the ways to use the integration with various Cloud Services to share WinZip files.

Sharing Features

The term sharing can be applied to quite a number of actions and the definition will depend on the setting. With WinZip, sharing refers to providing one's own files to others, either directly or through a download link. WinZip sharing options include:

For any of the sharing features that include creating a download link, the file will first be uploaded to a cloud service. For an example, here are the steps WinZip takes when you use Zip and Email:

  1. Right-click a file, set of files, folder, or combination and choose Zip and Email
  2. WinZip creates a Zip file from your selection, checks its size, and determines it is over the threshold (the default is 5 MB)
  3. The Zip file is uploaded to the ZipShare folder and placed in a subfolder named according to the date and time (yyyymmdd hhmmss) on your default share service
  4. A link to the Zip file is generated and copied
  5. Simple MAPI is used to open a new email message in your default email program and the link is copied into the message

Sharing files already in the cloud

The comprehensive cloud interface in WinZip allows you to browse various cloud services you have configured. This makes it easier for you to locate files you have already uploaded and will allow you to share them. You can:

Zip and Share (WinZip Express)

The powerful WinZip Express interface can be used to share files. With WinZip Express, you will have:

SmartShare

The SmartShare feature is available starting with WinZip 19.5. This feature allows you to share a single file from an open Zip file or from a location in the Files pane without zipping that file. If you select multiple files, they will always be zipped before they are shared. How a single file is shared will depend on the type of file selected and its share destination. For example, you might start by opening a Zip file that contains a number of pictures.

Open Zip file with one picture selected

If you choose to share one picture to Social media and then choose Facebook, the picture will be posted directly to your timeline. If you choose Email and the picture is not larger than the Minimum attachment size configured in the Email tab of WinZip Options, the picture will be attached directly to your email message. Other selections will cause the picture to be uploaded to your default cloud service and then a link will be provided for your selection. You can share files of other types in this way as well. They will almost always be uploaded to the cloud providing a link for your share selection.

SmartShare can also be used from the Files pane. If you locate a file you would like to share in the File pane and select it, you will first be given only zipping options.

One file selected in the File pane

If you then click the arrow in the top right of the Files pane, as indicated in the picture above, WinZip will switch to Manage mode. In Manage mode you will now find Share Selected File options, that will work in the same way as they do in the Zip file pane.

Manage mode with Share features

Enhanced link sharing for files/folders

Enhanced sharing of the existing files and folders in your cloud services has been made available starting with WinZip 21.5. To make use of this:

  1. In the WinZip Files pane, open the cloud service where the file or folder resides that you want to share
  2. Find and select one file or one folder
  3. Right click your selction and choose Share a Cloud Link To

You will be given the same options as you find in the Actions pane. However, in this case, WinZip does not Zip the selected file or folder. Instead, it simply obtains a sharing link and enters it into your selection.

Share single existing files or folders

 

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