What should I do if a file won't open after being compressed?

[policemanbolt]

Hello everyone. Recently, my computer hasn't been able to open any compressed files. I am taking a class where I must compress the file to submit my homework. From my first assignment to my recent one, it keeps giving me this error: Could not open the file. The file does not exist. All these files that won't open are created from the C and C++ programming language tool Code::Blocks.

I have reset my computer, installed and uninstalled all the programs, and read and gone through most of the forums related to this issue. If someone can help, I would greatly appreciate it.

 

[Bighorn]

What did you use to compress the files? File Explorer has built-in support for compressing and decompressing/extracting .zip files, right-click of a file or group of files or a folder.

 

[Xploit Machine]

Give example of the file .. and ask the owner what application they used to compress before ..

 

[policemanbolt]

Thanks for the responses so far. I used the built-in Windows File Explorer to compress the files. I've also tried using 7-Zip, but I get the same error message with both methods. The files are mainly .cpp and .h files from my C++ projects in Code::Blocks.
The strange part is that I can open other compressed files just fine but any new ones I create give me this error. I will try to reach out to my instructor to see if there's something specific I need to do with the files before compressing them but I was hoping someone here might have had a similar experience and found a solution.

 

[UpdateU]

It sounds like there could be an issue with the file paths or names. Windows has a known limitation with file path lengths exceeding 260 characters, which can cause problems with file operations. Try moving your project folder to a location with a shorter path, like directly on your C: drive, and then compressing it again. Also, avoid using any special characters in file or folder names.

Another thing to check is the integrity of the files before compression. If there's an issue with the files themselves, they might not compress properly.

 

[BenVasghen]

You might want to check if your antivirus or security software is interfering with the compression process. These programs can block certain operations or files if they detect something suspicious so try temporarily disabling your antivirus and then compress the files again to see if that makes a difference.

 

[strezjohn124]

Another useful tool to try is WinRAR. It handles compressed files slightly differently than File Explorer and 7-Zip, and sometimes it can open files that the others can't.
And make sure your operating system is up to date. There might be a specific update or patch that addresses the issue you're experiencing.

Hope this helps, and good luck with your assignments!

 

[policemanbolt]

Hi! I managed to solve the issue. It turns out the problem was related to the file paths being too long. I moved my project folder directly to the C: drive, which significantly shortened the file path, and then I was able to compress the files without any issues.

I also updated my antivirus software and temporarily disabled it while compressing the files, just to be sure it wasn't interfering. And I ran a system update to make sure my operating system was fully up to date.

Now everything is working perfectly, and I can submit my assignments without any problems. Thanks again for all the help!