Append Files to Existing Zip w/out Rewriting Entire Zip

Demonstrates how to use the QuickAppend method to append files to an existing .zip archive. This method works by editing the existing .zip -- it does not rewrite or recompress the contents of the existing .zip. It is the fastest way to append additional files to a pre-existing large .zip archive. Note: The QuickAppend method is new and available in the pre-release downloads, or in official releases dated after 6-October-2007.

Download Chilkat Python Library

import sys
import chilkat

zip = chilkat.CkZip()

#  Any string unlocks the component for the 1st 30-days.
success = zip.UnlockComponent("Anything for 30-day trial")
if (success != True):
    print zip.lastErrorText()
    sys.exit()

#  The NewZip method only initializes the Zip object -- it does
#  not create or write a .zip file.
success = zip.NewZip("notUsed.zip")
if (success != True):
    print zip.lastErrorText()
    sys.exit()

#  Add a reference to a file.  This is the file that will
#  be added to a pre-existing .zip archive.
#  Note: this does not read or compress the file contents --
#  it simply adds a reference to the zip object.
saveExtraPath = False
success = zip.AppendOneFileOrDir("something.dat",saveExtraPath)
if (success != True):
    print zip.lastErrorText()
    sys.exit()

#  Appends the contents of the zip object to the preExisting.zip
#  zip archive.  preExisting.zip is opened, and the files
#  referenced by this zip object are streamed in, compressed,
#  and appended to the end of the archive.
success = zip.QuickAppend("preExisting.zip")
if (success != True):
    print zip.lastErrorText()
    sys.exit()

print "Success!"

#  Note: Additional files, directory trees, or in-memory data
#  can be appended by calling AppendOneFileOrDir, AppendFiles,
#  AppendString, AppendData, etc. multiple times.
#  Whatever files and/or in-memory data that are referenced by
#  this zip object will be appended to preExisting.zip when
#  QuickAppend is called.