Unpacking Your Essentials: How to Extract Files and Folders in WebHostingM cPanel Print

Learn how to extract files or folders using cPanel File Manager for efficient management of your website's data. Follow these step-by-step instructions to navigate through the File Manager interface and perform extractions effortlessly.

Ever downloaded a compressed file (like a .zip or .tar.gz) containing your website's essential files? cPanel File Manager simplifies the process of managing your website's files and folders. Extracting compressed files or folders is a common task, and this guide walks you through the process using both the graphical interface and command line commands.

What is a Compressed File?

Imagine a suitcase filled with clothes for a trip. To save space, you compress the clothes into a smaller bag.

A compressed file works similarly, packing multiple files or folders into a single archive to save storage space during transfer or download.

The tar Utility: A Powerful Tool for Archiving

While cPanel offers a user-friendly File Manager interface, advanced users might prefer the command line. The tar utility is a powerful tool for archiving and extracting files. The provided code snippets showcase how to use tar for extraction (remember to replace /path/to/foo.tgz with the actual path to your compressed file).

Why Extract Files?

There are several reasons why you might need to extract files on your website:

• You downloaded a website backup that needs to be restored.
• You downloaded a theme or plugin for your website that's in a compressed format.
• You received a package of files from a developer that needs to be extracted for use on your website.

Why Is This Important?

Extracting files or folders is essential for accessing and utilizing website resources efficiently. Whether you're uploading website backups, installing scripts, or transferring files, knowing how to extract compressed archives ensures smooth website operations and content management.

Extracting Files with cPanel's File Manager

Crucially Important: Before making any changes to your website's files, create a full backup of your account. This acts as a safety net in case anything goes wrong during the extraction process.

Now, let's get down to business!

1. Log in to cPanel and navigate to the "Files" section.

2. Click on the "File Manager" icon.

3. Locate the compressed file you want to extract. Use the directory structure on the left side of the File Manager to navigate to the correct folder.

4. Click once on the compressed file to highlight it.

5. Look for the "Extract" button in the top toolbar of the File Manager. It typically resembles a zipper icon. Click on this button.

6. A pop-up window may appear allowing you to specify the destination folder for the extracted files. In most cases, you can leave the default option selected.

7. Click "Extract File(s)".

Yup! Your compressed file has now been extracted, and its contents are accessible within the chosen directory.

Advanced Users: Command Line Extraction with tar

This guide equips you, the command-line aficionado, with the essential tools to manage archives and extracted files efficiently. Buckle up as we delve into the power of tar and explore advanced techniques for compression, decompression, and archive manipulation.

1. Unveiling the tar Command: A Swiss Army Knife for Archives

• Core Functionality: tar (Tape ARchiver) is a versatile command for creating, extracting, listing, and manipulating archive files (typically .tar). It excels at bundling multiple files and directories into a single, compressed package.
• Basic Syntax:

tar [options] [archive_name] [files/folders]

Explanation:

• tar: Invokes the tar command.
• [options]: Optional flags to customize behavior (e.g., compression, extraction).
• [archive_name]: The name of the archive file (optional, defaults to tar.out).
• [files/folders]: Specifies files/folders to archive or extract (optional, defaults to all in the current directory for extraction).

Common Options:

• -c: Create a new archive.
• -x: Extract files from an archive.
• -v: Provide verbose output, listing files as they are processed.
• -z: Compress the archive using gzip (resulting in a .tar.gz extension).
• -f: Specify the name of the archive file.

Example: Creating a Compressed Archive:

tar -czvf project_archive.tar.gz project_files/

This command creates a compressed archive named project_archive.tar.gz containing all files within the project_files directory.

2. Beyond the Basics: Advanced tar Techniques

3. Decompressing Beyond tar.gz: The Power of unzip

While tar handles various archive formats (including .tar.gz), the unzip command specifically caters to ZIP archives (.zip).

• Decompressing a ZIP Archive:

unzip archive.zip

This extracts the contents of the archive.zip file into the current directory.

• Specifying Extraction Path: Similar to tar, use the -d option with unzip to define the extraction location.

unzip archive.zip -d /path/to/extraction/directory

• Listing ZIP Contents: The -l option displays a detailed listing of files within the ZIP archive.

unzip -l archive.zip

Remember:

• Mastering these commands empowers you to manage archives efficiently. Refer to the command man pages (man tar and man unzip) for detailed information on all available options and functionalities.
• Practice makes perfect! Experiment with these commands in a dev environment (Vagrant is a great tool) and explore their capabilities to streamline your workflow.

WebHostingM Support Is Here to Help!

Remember: If you ever encounter issues or have questions specific to your WebHostingM account, or encounter any challenges that require assistance, simply submit a ticket and our friendly engineers will be happy to help you resolve any challenges you may face.

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