Maximum number of files in a ZIP archive

[awo]

According to the PKWARE website, the maximum number of files in a ZIP archive is 262,144. How is it possible that PowerArchiver supports an “unlimited number of files” in a ZIP archive? Is PowerArchiver using a different ZIP format? Or is PKWARE wrong here?

[klumy]

PA uses an advanced ZIP format ZIp64 as far as I know

[awo]

@klumy:

PA uses an advanced ZIP format ZIp64 as far as I know

So PKZIP doesn’t use that format? Does that mean that PKZIP doesn’t understand PowerArchiver’s ZIP file format?

[spwolf]

Hi,

you are correct - limit is 262,144 files per archive, everyone writes “Unlimited” or virtually unlimited because it is considered to be hard to reach. Same goes to archive file size, which is not unlimited either but it is more than a terabyte.

PowerArchiver fully supports PkWare’s 4.5 standard, so it supports whatever that standard supports. I have to say that I wasnt even aware of actual number itself, and PkWare usually writes “virtually unlimited” in the press releases, same as WinZip.

PkWare original press release stated:

ZIP Format Enhancements Virtually Eliminate Limitations on Archive Size and Number of Files (in an Archive)

We probably should change it on our feature page to show the actual number of files supported. Thanks for pointing it out.

regards,