# How can I get this file to open? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 4, 2005, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-get-this-file-to-open/302387 "2005-05-04T16:35:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Contrapuntal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Contrapuntal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrapuntal)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2005, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-get-this-file-to-open/302387/1 "2005-05-04T16:35:58Z")
\*\* Diebenkorn Woman Striped D+.zip \*\* I am fairly ignorant about these computer thingys. The message I am getting is “file not supported” or “suitable graphics importer could not be found.” ---
**Author:** ![Uvula\_Donor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e19adc/32.png) [@Uvula\_Donor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uvula_Donor)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2005, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-get-this-file-to-open/302387/2 "2005-05-04T16:39:36Z")
The .zip extension means it’s a zipfile - a compressed archive. You’ll need an uncompressing program to open it; if you run Windows, WinZip will do it. (If you don’t run Windows, sorry, I don’t know what over OSes use for uncompressing zip archives.) ---
**Author:** ![Contrapuntal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Contrapuntal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrapuntal)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2005, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-get-this-file-to-open/302387/3 "2005-05-04T16:41:47Z")
> [@Uvula Donor](#): > > The .zip extension means it’s a zipfile - a compressed archive. You’ll need an uncompressing program to open it; if you run Windows, WinZip will do it. (If you don’t run Windows, sorry, I don’t know what over OSes use for uncompressing zip archives.) I have Windows. Thanks for the info. ---
**Author:** ![Contrapuntal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Contrapuntal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrapuntal)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2005, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-get-this-file-to-open/302387/4 "2005-05-04T17:21:15Z")
Wel I’ve downloaded winzip and it tells me “does not appear to be a valid archive”. What next? ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2005, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-get-this-file-to-open/302387/5 "2005-05-04T17:24:02Z")
Is it a legitimate file and not some strange virus? Try renaming it with only letters, no spaces. ---
**Author:** ![Danalan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/76d3ee/32.png) [@Danalan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Danalan)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2005, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-get-this-file-to-open/302387/6 "2005-05-04T17:26:40Z")
IIRC, the + on a zip file means the file is encrypted. You should be asked for the password by Winzip. If Winzip is saying the file is corrupted, you might try ‘fixing’ the file, a tool within Winzip. If that doesn’t work, you’ll have to try downloading the file again – your copy is incomplete, or scrambled. In any case, you’ll still need the password. ---
**Author:** ![Contrapuntal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Contrapuntal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrapuntal)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2005, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-get-this-file-to-open/302387/7 "2005-05-04T17:31:38Z")
I have downloaded it again. Winzip has unzipped it, without asking for a password, but will not open it. ---
**Author:** ![Contrapuntal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Contrapuntal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrapuntal)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2005, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-get-this-file-to-open/302387/8 "2005-05-04T17:33:06Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > Is it a legitimate file and not some strange virus? > Try renaming it with only letters, no spaces. It is a photograph sent by email from a reputable source. The virus checker does not kick in so I assume it to be virus free. ---
**Author:** ![UncleBeer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/977dab/32.png) [@UncleBeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleBeer)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2005, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-get-this-file-to-open/302387/9 "2005-05-04T18:04:12Z")
> [@](#): > > Winzip has unzipped it, without asking for a password, but will not open it. Eh? If winzip has unzipped (meaning decompressed) the file, its job is done. You will now find the unzipped file . . . somewhere . . . wherever you asked winzip to put it. Go find the new resulting file and open it with whatever application supports that file format. If it’s a picture, the new file probably has a .jpg extension. Jpg’s can be displayed in many applications. ---
**Author:** ![Contrapuntal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Contrapuntal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrapuntal)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2005, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-get-this-file-to-open/302387/10 "2005-05-04T19:00:19Z")
> [@UncleBeer](#): > > Eh? If winzip has unzipped (meaning decompressed) the file, its job is done. You will now find the unzipped file . . . somewhere . . . wherever you asked winzip to put it. Go find the new resulting file and open it with whatever application supports that file format. If it’s a picture, the new file probably has a .jpg extension. Jpg’s can be displayed in many applications. When I do that I get the message “does not appear to be a valid archive.” ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2005, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-get-this-file-to-open/302387/11 "2005-05-04T20:14:58Z")
> [@Contrapuntal](#): > > When I do that I get the message “does not appear to be a valid archive.” What’s the name of the file you’re double-clicking on? It sounds like you’ve never actually unzipped the file if it continues to say “Does not appear to be a valid archive.” For example, if I have a .jpg (call it image1.jpg) saved as a zip file (although there’s no good reason I could think of for zipping a JPEG, except if you’re transmitting multiple photos in a folder), it might be named archive.zip. When I unzip archive.zip, the program should ask me where I would like to unzip the file. When it unzips, the resulting file will be my original, image1.jpg, in whatever folder I saved it in. So, you will have two files left over after the unzipping process: the original archive.zip and the unzipped image1.jpg. ---
**Author:** ![UncleBeer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/977dab/32.png) [@UncleBeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleBeer)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2005, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-get-this-file-to-open/302387/12 "2005-05-04T21:01:03Z")
> [@](#): > > What’s the name of the file you’re double-clicking on? It sounds like you’ve never actually unzipped the file if it continues to say “Does not appear to be a valid archive.” Either that, or Contrapuntal has some screwed up file associations. ---
**Author:** ![Contrapuntal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Contrapuntal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrapuntal)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2005, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-get-this-file-to-open/302387/13 "2005-05-04T21:09:58Z")
OK I almost have it sorted out now. I have to tell Winzip to open the file in Picture Viewer. After I choose Picture Viewer I am supposed to check the “always open in this program” box, but the box is not highlighted and will not let me check it. Any thoughts? ---
**Author:** ![Dog80](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/6bbea6/32.png) [@Dog80](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dog80)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2005, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-get-this-file-to-open/302387/14 "2005-05-04T21:13:44Z")
I suspect it is a file with a double extension. Go to **Control Panel** , **Folder Options** , click on the tab **View** and see if **“Hide extensions for known file types”** is checked. If so, uncheck it and then click on **“Apply to All folders”** and then click OK. Now you will be able to see the real file extension. ---
**Author:** ![Contrapuntal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Contrapuntal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrapuntal)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2005, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-get-this-file-to-open/302387/15 "2005-05-04T21:17:39Z")
> [@Dog80](#): > > I suspect it is a file with a double extension. > > Go to **Control Panel** , **Folder Options** , click on the tab **View** and see if **“Hide extensions for known file types”** is checked. If so, uncheck it and then click on **“Apply to All folders”** and then click OK. Now you will be able to see the real file extension. Unfortunately, it is already unchecked. ---
**Author:** ![Dog80](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/6bbea6/32.png) [@Dog80](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dog80)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2005, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-get-this-file-to-open/302387/16 "2005-05-04T21:34:52Z")
> [@Contrapuntal](#): > > OK I almost have it sorted out now. I have to tell Winzip to open the file in Picture Viewer. After I choose Picture Viewer I am supposed to check the “always open in this program” box, but the box is not highlighted and will not let me check it. Any thoughts? You can try to drag-and-drop the file from the Winzip window somewhere on the Desktop. Then, when you double-click the file, it will open with the default Windows program. ---
**Author:** ![nivlac](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/3bc359/32.png) [@nivlac](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nivlac)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2005, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-get-this-file-to-open/302387/17 "2005-05-04T21:39:40Z")
**OR** you might just have a corrupted file, and nothing you do will let you open it satisfactorily. If someone sent this to you, ask him/her to send you an unzipped version if possible. ---
**Author:** ![Contrapuntal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Contrapuntal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrapuntal)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2005, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-get-this-file-to-open/302387/18 "2005-05-04T21:41:53Z")
> [@Dog80](#): > > You can try to drag-and-drop the file from the Winzip window somewhere on the Desktop. Then, when you double-click the file, it will open with the default Windows program. That does it! Well, sorta. If I drag it to the Desktop it still asks me what program to use, but if I drag it to a window in Explorer, it opens right up. I still don’t know why I cannot set a default program that works when I click on the file. Thanks, \*\*Dog80 \*\* and the rest of you folks.