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Create a self-extracting archive

ZIPBlackbox supports creation of self-extracting protected archives, which are basically Windows PE executable files with all the data embedded in them. The self-extracting option is useful where you need to send a file to a system which has no ZIP software installed. SFX files contain all the ZIP functionality needed to process the data, and are capable of unpacking data themselves without using any third-party software.

Creating self-extracted archives is virtually no different to creation of generic files and is performed with the same TElZIPWriter class. In addition to settings you normally tune-up (algorithms, file name, timestamp), you will also need to adjust the following properties:

1. Provide the unpacking part ('the stub') via StubSource and StubName properties. The stub is essentially the compiled OpenPGP decryption code. Normally you provide a stub residing in a file (choose TSBZIPStubSource.ssFile as StubSource) or in a stream (TSBZIPStubSource.ssStream).

   ZipWriter.StubSource = SBArcZIP.TSBZIPStubSource.ssFile;
   ZipWriter.StubName = @"C:\zip\sbconstb.exe"; // the default console stub provided with SecureBlackbox
   

   If you set StubSource to ssStream, you need to handle TElZIPWriter.OnGetStubStream event.
2. Set SFXEnabled property to true:

   ZipWriter.SFXEnabled = true;
   

3. Additionally, you can finish the appearance of your executable by providing title and copyright strings:

   ZipWriter.SFXCopyright = "(C) Doors and Witches, Inc.";
   ZipWriter.SFXTitle = "Doors and Witches";
   

   How To articles about Zip file operations

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