Installing A++ ZIP

Run included install.exe file and click on the Install button. Please close Outlook or Exchange Client prior to installing A++ ZIP.

Uninstalling A++ ZIP

When you should not use A++ ZIP

As much as I like A++ ZIP, there are circumstances when you are better off without it: if you are using remote folders (Exchange server) over a slow modem link - in this case since A++ ZIP needs to read and write attachments from your folders, you might end up with more network traffic.

Note that any other configuration is fine - Exchange server over a local area network, or local personal folders with any kind of connection.

Using A++ ZIP

A++ ZIP does not require any special setup or maintenance. If, however, you do need to change the default settings, go to Tools | Options menu in Outlook or Exchange client and select Compress tab from the Options dialog box:

Enable compression - enables outgoing attachments compression.

Always prompt - upon sending a message, the user is always prompted whether A++ ZIP should compress the attachments.
The dialog box (see below) is automatically dismissed after 30 seconds and the attachments are compressed.

Excluded file types... - lets you specify what file types will be excluded from compression when sent:

Excluded address types - when a recipient in a message has a specified type, the attachment will not be compressed. By default, the following address types are excluded: FAX, MSA, MSFAX, SNADS, TELEX, X500.

Excluded addresses - lets you specify addresses or names of recipients that will not receive compressed attachments. For example, if you specify hotmail.com as an excluded address and Smith as an excluded name, no recipient whose address contains "hotmail.com" or display name contains "Smith" will receive a compressed attachment.

Minimum compression ratio - lets you specify a minimum compression ratio for an attachment to be included as a ZIP file, e.g. if you set minimum compression ratio to 5%, and the file you are about to send can only be compressed to 96% of its original size, the file will not be zipped, just sent as it is.

Compression level - specify how tightly A++ ZIP will try to compress the attachments. Higher compression level requires more time, but since compression starts when you drop the file on your message and continues in the background while you still do something else, there is no reason to change the compression ratio from its default value, "High". Even when set on "High", compression of 1Mb file takes only about 2 sec.

Enable decompression - enables decompression of the incoming attachments. Decompression is transparent, you will never see a ZIP file, just its decompressed contents. However, if incoming ZIP file contains any path information (i.e. file name is SomeDir\FileName.Ext, not just FileName.Ext), it will not be decompressed: A++ ZIP has no idea whether that path information is important, it is better left to you, the user, to decide.

"File | Decompress attachments" menu item

To decompress attachments in any Outlook's folder, select message(s) with the attachments you want decompressed, and click "File | Decompress attachments" menu item. If selected messages have no ZIP attachments, this menu item is disabled.

Automatic install

To roll out several copies of A++ ZIP with minimum user interaction, edit install.ini file (included in the installation) and add the following lines:

[Secure]
UserName=YourRegistrationNameHere
RegID=YourRegistrationIDHere

[Install]
Dir=
Silent=0

UserName and RegID are the user name you used to register your copy of A++ ZIP and registration ID you have received from the registration site (ShareIt!). Make sure you enter your user name exactly as you have entered it when registering.

By default, A++ ZIP is installed into C:\Program Files\A++ ZIP directory, to install to a different directory, specify its name in the Dir value in install.ini. If Silent=1, then the installation is performed silently, and the user is presented only with a dialog box informing him or her about the success or failure of the installation; this dialog box is automatically dismissed after 5 seconds