Problems with zip files - Archive Utility - Monterey 12.4

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AndrewNZ2068 Author

Level 1

14 points

Problems with zip files - Archive Utility - Monterey 12.4

Hi all,

I'm experiencing problems with Archive Utility in macOS Monterey 12.4.

Using that app, I can compress folders using any of the options it offers in preferences. I'd like to use 'Zip archive' most though, as I want the zipped folder to be opened by Windows users as well as Macs.

However, regardless of what format I choose to compress the folder to (Zip archive, compressed archive, regular archive, Apple Archive, or Apple Encrypted Archive), I then can't decompress (or unzip) the folder to make the folder contents available.

Instead I get this error message, every time.

At first I thought this was a problem created by the online platforms I was trying to store the file on (Google Drive, Dropbox, Wordpress, GitHub), but now that I can't even open them on my Mac immediately after creating them, it makes me think something else is going on.

I've also tried compressing the folder using YemuZip, which enables creation of zipped folders that don't contain the hidden resource fork files that display for, but are useless to, Windows users. Can't unzip those either.

I'm *not* interested in suggestions to install Unarchiver or some other utility, or to use Terminal. I know how to use those, and the zipped folders do open when I use Unarchiver. What I want is to created a zipped folder that people can unzip using the built in Archive Utility, or to find out whether this is a bug that is occurring to others.

In case it is relevant, the folder I'm compressing contains a .rtf Read Me file created using TextEdit, and a MS Excel 2021 .xltx template spreadsheet file.

Looking forward to the helpful advice I've received here in the past. Thanks.

Mac Studio, macOS 12.4

Posted on May 30, 2022 4:59 PM

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Answer 1

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AndrewNZ2068 Author

Level 1

14 points

May 30, 2022 5:51 PM in response to AndrewNZ2068

An update:

I couldn't unzip the folder on other Macs (both a MacMini running Catalina and a 2018 MacBook Pro also running Monterey 12.4). However, a friend on a Windows machine could open it OK.

However, I think I may have found the root of the problem - the .xltx template spreadsheet file. When I tried compressing a folder with the ReadMe and a normal .xlsx spreadsheet, it would unzip perfectly well. This suggests that there's no macOS bug or Archive Utility bug, but a problem with Microsoft's .xltx file format, at least with Excel 2021.

I'm not skilled enough to work out what it might be, but it does at least suggest another route of enquiry.

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Answer 2

AndrewNZ2068 Author

Level 1

14 points

May 30, 2022 7:52 PM in response to AndrewNZ2068

OK, so in a further twist, I could decompress the folder, even with an xltx template file inside, but only if the folder name was all lowercase. When I included upper case characters in the folder name (prior to compressing it), I received the 'Unable to expand' error message.

Going to chalk this one up to a macOS / Archive Utility bug after all.

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Answer 3

May 30, 2022 7:08 PM in response to AndrewNZ2068

AndrewNZ2068 wrote:

An update:

I couldn't unzip the folder on other Macs (both a MacMini running Catalina and a 2018 MacBook Pro also running Monterey 12.4). However, a friend on a Windows machine could open it OK.

However, I think I may have found the root of the problem - the .xltx template spreadsheet file. When I tried compressing a folder with the ReadMe and a normal .xlsx spreadsheet, it would unzip perfectly well. This suggests that there's no macOS bug or Archive Utility bug, but a problem with Microsoft's .xltx file format, at least with Excel 2021.