File: APPNOTE.TXT - .ZIP File Format Specification
Version: 4.5
Revised: 11/01/2001
Copyright (c) 1989 - 2001 PKWARE Inc., All Rights Reserved.
Disclaimer
----------
Although PKWARE will attempt to supply current and accurate
information relating to its file formats, algorithms, and the
subject programs, the possibility of error can not be eliminated.
PKWARE therefore expressly disclaims any warranty that the
information contained in the associated materials relating to the
subject programs and/or the format of the files created or
accessed by the subject programs and/or the algorithms used by
the subject programs, or any other matter, is current, correct or
accurate as delivered. Any risk of damage due to any possible
inaccurate information is assumed by the user of the information.
Furthermore, the information relating to the subject programs
and/or the file formats created or accessed by the subject
programs and/or the algorithms used by the subject programs is
subject to change without notice.
General Format of a .ZIP file
-----------------------------
Files stored in arbitrary order. Large .ZIP files can span multiple
diskette media or be split into user-defined segment sizes.
Overall .ZIP file format:
[local file header 1]
[file data 1]
[data descriptor 1]
.
.
.
[local file header n]
[file data n]
[data descriptor n]
[central directory]
[zip64 end of central directory record]
[zip64 end of central directory locator]
[end of central directory record]
A. Local file header:
local file header signature 4 bytes (0x04034b50)
version needed to extract 2 bytes
general purpose bit flag 2 bytes
compression method 2 bytes
last mod file time 2 bytes
last mod file date 2 bytes
crc-32 4 bytes
compressed size 4 bytes
uncompressed size 4 bytes
file name length 2 bytes
extra field length 2 bytes
file name (variable size)
extra field (variable size)
B. File data
Immediately following the local header for a file
is the compressed or stored data for the file.
The series of [local file header][file data][data
descriptor] repeats for each file in the .ZIP archive.
C. Data descriptor:
crc-32 4 bytes
compressed size 4 bytes
uncompressed size 4 bytes
This descriptor exists only if bit 3 of the general
purpose bit flag is set (see below). It is byte aligned
and immediately follows the last byte of compressed data.
This descriptor is used only when it was not possible to
seek in the output .ZIP file, e.g., when the output .ZIP file
was standard output or a non seekable device. For Zip64 format
archives, the compressed and uncompressed sizes are 8 bytes each.
D. Central directory structure:
[file header 1]
.
.
.
[file header n]
[digital signature]
File header:
central file header signature 4 bytes (0x02014b50)
version made by 2 bytes
version needed to extract 2 bytes
general purpose bit flag 2 bytes
compression method 2 bytes
last mod file time 2 bytes
last mod file date 2 bytes
crc-32 4 bytes
compressed size 4 bytes
uncompressed size 4 bytes
file name length 2 bytes
extra field length 2 bytes
file comment length 2 bytes
disk number start 2 bytes
internal file attributes 2 bytes
external file attributes 4 bytes
relative offset of local header 4 bytes
file name (variable size)
extra field (variable size)
file comment (variable size)
Digital signature:
header signature 4 bytes (0x05054b50)
size of data 2 bytes
signature data (variable size)
E. Zip64 end of central directory record
zip64 end of central dir
signature 4 bytes (0x06064b50)
size of zip64 end of central
directory record 8 bytes
version made by 2 bytes
version needed to extract 2 bytes
number of this disk 4 bytes
number of the disk with the
start of the central directory 4 bytes
total number of entries in the
central directory on this disk 8 bytes
total number of entries in the
central directory 8 bytes
size of the central directory 8 bytes
offset of start of central
directory with respect to
the starting disk number 8 bytes
zip64 extensible data sector (variable size)
F. Zip64 end of central directory locator
zip64 end of central dir locator
signature 4 bytes (0x07064b50)
number of the disk with the
start of the zip64 end of
central directory 4 bytes
relative offset of the zip64
end of central directory record 8 bytes
total number of disks 4 bytes
G. End of central directory record:
end of central dir signature 4 bytes (0x06054b50)
number of this disk 2 bytes
number of the disk with the
start of the central directory 2 bytes
total number of entries in the
central directory on this disk 2 bytes
total number of entries in
the central directory 2 bytes
size of the central directory 4 bytes
offset of start of central
directory with respect to
the starting disk number 4 bytes
.ZIP file comment length 2 bytes
.ZIP file comment (variable size)
H. Explanation of fields:
version made by (2 bytes)
The upper byte indicates the compatibility of the file
attribute information. If the external file attributes
are compatible with MS-DOS and can be read by PKZIP for
DOS version 2.04g then this value will be zero. If these
attributes are not compatible, then this value will
identify the host system on which the attributes are
compatible. Software can use this information to determine
the line record format for text files etc. The current
mappings are:
0 - MS-DOS and OS/2 (FAT / VFAT / FAT32 file systems)
1 - Amiga 2 - OpenVMS
3 - Unix 4 - VM/CMS
5 - Atari ST 6 - OS/2 H.P.F.S.
7 - Macintosh 8 - Z-System
9 - CP/M 10 - Windows NTFS
11 - MVS 12 - VSE
13 - Acorn Risc 14 - VFAT
15 - alternate MVS 16 - BeOS
17 - Tandem
18 thru 255 - unused
The lower byte indicates the version number of the
software used to encode the file. The value/10
indicates the major version number, and the value
mod 10 is the minor version number.
version needed to extract (2 bytes)
The minimum software version needed to extract the
file, mapped as above. For Zip64 format archives,
this value should not be less than 45.
general purpose bit flag: (2 bytes)
Bit 0: If set, indicates that the file is encrypted.
(For Method 6 - Imploding)
Bit 1: If the compression method used was type 6,
Imploding, then this bit, if set, indicates
an 8K sliding dictionary was used. If clear,
then a 4K sliding dictionary was used.
Bit 2: If the compression method used was type 6,
Imploding, then this bit, if set, indicates
3 Shannon-Fano trees were used to encode the
sliding dictionary output. If clear, then 2
Shannon-Fano trees were used.
(For Methods 8 and 9 - Deflating)
Bit 2 Bit 1
0 0 Normal (-en) compression option was used.
0 1 Maximum (-exx/-ex) compression option was used.
1 0 Fast (-ef) compression option was used.
1 1 Super Fast (-es) compression option was used.
Note: Bits 1 and 2 are undefined if the compression
method is any other.
Bit 3: If this bit is set, the fields crc-32, compressed
size and uncompressed size are set to zero in the
local header. The correct values are put in the
data descriptor immediately following the compressed
data. (Note: PKZIP version 2.04g for DOS only
recognizes this bit for method 8 compression, newer
versions of PKZIP recognize this bit for any
compression method.)
Bit 4: Reserved for use with method 8, for enhanced
deflating.
Bit 5: If this bit is set, this indicates that the file is
compressed patched data. (Note: Requires PKZIP
version 2.70 or greater)
Bit 6: Currently unused.
Bit 7: Currently unused.
Bit 8: Currently unused.
Bit 9: Currently unused.
Bit 10: Currently unused.
Bit 11: Currently unused.
Bit 12: Reserved by PKWARE for enhanced compression.
Bit 13: Reserved by PKWARE.
Bit 14: Reserved by PKWARE.
Bit 15: Reserved by PKWARE.
compression method: (2 bytes)
(see accompanying documentation for algorithm
descriptions)
0 - The file is stored (no compression)
1 - The file is Shrunk
2 - The file is Reduced with compression factor 1
3 - The file is Reduced with compression factor 2
4 - The file is Reduced with compression factor 3
5 - The file is Reduced with compression factor 4
6 - The file is Imploded
7 - Reserved for Tokenizing compression algorithm
8 - The file is Deflated
9 - Enhanced Deflating using Deflate64(tm)
10 - PKWARE Date Compression Library Imploding
date and time fields: (2 bytes each)
The date and time are encoded in standard MS-DOS format.
If input came from standard input, the date and time are
those at which compression was started for this data.
CRC-32: (4 bytes)
The CRC-32 algorithm was generously contributed by
David Schwaderer and can be found in his excellent
book "C Programmers Guide to NetBIOS" published by
Howard W. Sams & Co. Inc. The 'magic number' for
the CRC is 0xdebb20e3. The proper CRC pre and post
conditioning is used, meaning that the CRC register
is pre-conditioned with all ones (a starting value
of 0xffffffff) and the value is post-conditioned by
taking the one's complement of the CRC residual.
If bit 3 of the general purpose flag is set, this
field is set to zer