How to use the command 'unrar' (with examples)
The ‘unrar’ command is a utility used to extract files from RAR archives. It provides various options to extract, test integrity, and list files inside RAR archives.
Use case 1: Extract files with original directory structure
Code:
unrar x compressed.rar
Motivation:
Extracting files with the original directory structure is useful when you want to preserve the organization and hierarchy of the files within the archive.
Explanation:
- ‘unrar’: The command itself.
- ‘x’: The ‘x’ argument specifies that files should be extracted from the archive.
- ‘compressed.rar’: The name of the RAR archive file to be extracted.
Example output:
Extracting /path/to/compressed/file1.txt
Extracting /path/to/compressed/folder/file2.txt
Extracting /path/to/compressed/folder/file3.txt
Use case 2: Extract files to a specified path with the original directory structure
Code:
unrar x compressed.rar path/to/extract
Motivation:
Sometimes, it is necessary to extract files to a specific location rather than the current directory. This can be useful when you want to organize the extracted files in a separate folder.
Explanation:
- ‘unrar’: The command itself.
- ‘x’: The ‘x’ argument specifies that files should be extracted from the archive.
- ‘compressed.rar’: The name of the RAR archive file to be extracted.
- ‘path/to/extract’: The path where the files will be extracted to, while preserving the original directory structure.
Example output:
Extracting path/to/extract/file1.txt
Extracting path/to/extract/folder/file2.txt
Extracting path/to/extract/folder/file3.txt
Use case 3: Extract files into current directory, losing directory structure in the archive
Code:
unrar e compressed.rar
Motivation:
Extracting files into the current directory without preserving the directory structure can be useful when you only need the individual files and don’t want to deal with multiple nested folders.
Explanation:
- ‘unrar’: The command itself.
- ’e’: The ’e’ argument specifies that files should be extracted from the archive.
- ‘compressed.rar’: The name of the RAR archive file to be extracted.
Example output:
Extracting file1.txt
Extracting file2.txt
Extracting file3.txt
Use case 4: Test integrity of each file inside the archive file
Code:
unrar t compressed.rar
Motivation:
Testing the integrity of each file in the archive ensures that the files have not been corrupted during the archiving process. This is crucial when working with important or sensitive files.
Explanation:
- ‘unrar’: The command itself.
- ’t’: The ’t’ argument specifies that the integrity of the files in the archive should be tested.
- ‘compressed.rar’: The name of the RAR archive file to be tested.
Example output:
Testing integrity of file1.txt - OK
Testing integrity of file2.txt - OK
Testing integrity of file3.txt - OK
Use case 5: List files inside the archive file without decompressing it
Code:
unrar l compressed.rar
Motivation:
Listing files inside an archive without actually decompressing them can provide a quick overview of the contents of the archive. This can be useful for inspecting large archives or determining which files are included.
Explanation:
- ‘unrar’: The command itself.
- ’l’: The ’l’ argument specifies that the files inside the archive should be listed without decompressing them.
- ‘compressed.rar’: The name of the RAR archive file to be listed.
Example output:
Path/To/File1.txt
Path/To/Folder/File2.txt
Path/To/Folder/File3.txt
Conclusion:
The ‘unrar’ command is a versatile utility for extracting, testing, and listing files within RAR archives. By understanding its various use cases and options, users can effectively manage and work with RAR files.
