Sample code for 30+ languages & platforms
SQL Server

Recursively Add Files to a ZIP Using AppendFilesEx

See more Zip Examples

This example demonstrates how to use the AppendFilesEx method to recursively add files from the local filesystem to a ZIP archive while controlling how directory paths and special filesystem attributes are handled.

The example:

  • Recursively scans a directory tree for files
  • Demonstrates how the saveExtraPath argument affects the paths stored within the ZIP archive
  • Includes hidden files
  • Excludes files having the Windows System attribute
  • Shows how local filesystem paths are transformed into ZIP entry paths

The AppendFilesEx method adds references to files in the local filesystem. The files are not actually read or compressed until a Write* method is called.

This method is cross-platform and works on Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, and other supported operating systems.

Some arguments are Windows-specific:

  • archiveOnly applies only to the Windows Archive attribute
  • includeSystem applies only to the Windows System attribute

On non-Windows operating systems, these Windows-specific options are simply ignored.

Suppose the local filesystem contains the following directory tree:

c:/project/files/docs/readme.txt
c:/project/files/docs/manual.pdf
c:/project/files/images/logo.png

And suppose the following call is made:

zip.AppendFilesEx("c:/project/files",_TRUE_,saveExtraPath,_FALSE_,_TRUE_,_FALSE_);

If saveExtraPath = _TRUE_, the following paths are stored in the ZIP archive:

project/files/docs/readme.txt
project/files/docs/manual.pdf
project/files/images/logo.png

In this case, the extra leading path information from the filePattern is preserved in the ZIP.

If saveExtraPath = _FALSE_, the following paths are stored in the ZIP archive instead:

docs/readme.txt
docs/manual.pdf
images/logo.png

In this case, the leading project/files portion of the path is not stored in the ZIP archive.

Chilkat SQL Server Downloads

SQL Server
-- Important: See this note about string length limitations for strings returned by sp_OAMethod calls.
--
CREATE PROCEDURE ChilkatSample
AS
BEGIN
    DECLARE @hr int
    -- Important: Do not use nvarchar(max).  See the warning about using nvarchar(max).
    DECLARE @sTmp0 nvarchar(4000)
    DECLARE @success int
    SELECT @success = 0

    DECLARE @zip int
    EXEC @hr = sp_OACreate 'Chilkat.Zip', @zip OUT
    IF @hr <> 0
    BEGIN
        PRINT 'Failed to create ActiveX component'
        RETURN
    END

    EXEC sp_OAMethod @zip, 'NewZip', @success OUT, 'appendFilesEx.zip'
    IF @success = 0
      BEGIN
        EXEC sp_OAGetProperty @zip, 'LastErrorText', @sTmp0 OUT
        PRINT @sTmp0
        EXEC @hr = sp_OADestroy @zip
        RETURN
      END

    -- Recursively include all files beneath c:/project/files.
    DECLARE @recurse int
    SELECT @recurse = 1

    -- 
    -- The saveExtraPath argument controls whether the extra leading path
    -- information from the filePattern is included in the stored ZIP paths.
    -- 
    -- For example, suppose the local filesystem contains:
    -- 
    --     c:/project/files/docs/readme.txt
    --     c:/project/files/docs/manual.pdf
    --     c:/project/files/images/logo.png
    -- 
    -- And suppose AppendFilesEx is called with:
    -- 
    --     "c:/project/files"
    -- 
    -- If saveExtraPath = 1, the ZIP stores:
    -- 
    --     project/files/docs/readme.txt
    --     project/files/docs/manual.pdf
    --     project/files/images/logo.png
    -- 
    -- In this case, the extra path information from the filePattern is preserved.
    -- 
    -- ----------------------------------------------------------------
    -- 
    -- If saveExtraPath = 0, the ZIP stores paths relative to the
    -- directory specified by the filePattern:
    -- 
    --     docs/readme.txt
    --     docs/manual.pdf
    --     images/logo.png
    -- 
    -- In this case, the leading "project/files" path is not stored in the ZIP.

    -- ----------------------------------------------------------------
    -- Preserve extra path information within the ZIP archive.
    DECLARE @saveExtraPath int
    SELECT @saveExtraPath = 1

    -- Do not require the Windows archive attribute.
    DECLARE @archiveOnly int
    SELECT @archiveOnly = 0

    -- Include hidden files.
    DECLARE @includeHidden int
    SELECT @includeHidden = 1

    -- Exclude files having the Windows System attribute.
    DECLARE @includeSystem int
    SELECT @includeSystem = 0

    EXEC sp_OAMethod @zip, 'AppendFilesEx', @success OUT, 'c:/project/files', @recurse, @saveExtraPath, @archiveOnly, @includeHidden, @includeSystem

    IF @success = 0
      BEGIN
        EXEC sp_OAGetProperty @zip, 'LastErrorText', @sTmp0 OUT
        PRINT @sTmp0
        EXEC @hr = sp_OADestroy @zip
        RETURN
      END

    -- Write the ZIP archive to disk.
    EXEC sp_OAMethod @zip, 'WriteZipAndClose', @success OUT
    IF @success = 0
      BEGIN
        EXEC sp_OAGetProperty @zip, 'LastErrorText', @sTmp0 OUT
        PRINT @sTmp0
        EXEC @hr = sp_OADestroy @zip
        RETURN
      END


    PRINT 'ZIP archive created successfully.'

    EXEC @hr = sp_OADestroy @zip


END
GO