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General Programming » Bugs & Workarounds » .NET issues     Intermediate License: The Code Project Open License (CPOL)

Bug when using the java.util.zip classes to write zip files

By Nishant Sivakumar

Describes an issue when writing a binary file into a zip file using the java.util.zip classes
.NET1.1, Dev
Posted:8 May 2004
Views:78,168
Bookmarked:22 times
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16 votes for this article.
Popularity: 5.04 Rating: 4.19 out of 5
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Introduction

I was writing a little .NET app in C# and was looking for a small library that would let me read and write zip files. That's when my first Google search gave me a link to Using the Zip Classes in the J# Class Libraries to Compress Files and Data with C#. Great! - that was my first reaction, but it didn't last too long. You can read zip files alright, but when you write zip files, if you have binary files (as you most often will), the generated zip file will be corrupt and you can't read it back. Funnily, WinZip does open it (ignoring the header errors) and the suggested solution by a Microsoftie in the one of the MS NGs was to extract all files using WinZip and then to zip it back. LOL. Why'd anyone want to use the zipping libraries at all if they had the option of bringing WinZip into the picture?

There is not even a KB article on this bug - bad! I lost about half a day when I was using these classes because I initially thought it was something wrong in my code. Anyway, this is a warning to everyone. Do not use the J# class libraries for zipping/unzipping if you are using the BCL 1.1 version. Heath Stewart (C# MVP and CodeProject Editor) has informed me that the BCL 2.0 includes zipping functionality - so that's really good news. And until that comes out, a very good free alternative to the J# classes is SharpZipLib which I very strongly recommend.

Bug demo

  1. Create a new C# console app project
  2. Add a reference to vjslib (...Microsoft.NET\Framework\v1.1.4322\vjslib.dll)
  3. Copy/paste the following code into your main cs file :-
    using System;
    using System.IO;
    using java.util.zip;
    
    class MainClass
    {
      [STAThread]
      static void Main(string[] args)
      {
        BugDemo();
      }
    
      static void BugDemo()
      {
        //Write zip file
    
        ZipOutputStream os = new ZipOutputStream(
          new java.io.FileOutputStream("test.zip"));
        ZipEntry ze = new ZipEntry("gluk.gif");
        ze.setMethod(ZipEntry.DEFLATED);
        os.putNextEntry(ze);
        java.io.FileInputStream fs = 
          new java.io.FileInputStream("gluk.gif");
        sbyte[] buff = new sbyte[1024];
        int n = 0;
    
        while ((n=fs.read(buff,0,buff.Length))>0)
        {
          os.write(buff,0,n);
        }
        fs.close();
        os.closeEntry();      
        os.close();
    
        Console.WriteLine("Okay, the zip has been written.");
    
        //Read zip file
    
        try
        {
          //Bug will occur here
    
          ZipFile zf = new ZipFile("test.zip");  
        }
        catch
        {
          Console.WriteLine("Bug confirmed!");
        }
      }
    }
  4. Now make sure you have a gluk.gif in the same folder as the executable.

  5. Compile and run.

Workaround

There is no real workaround to the problem. You can use the alternative library I mentioned above or wait for Whidbey.

License

This article, along with any associated source code and files, is licensed under The Code Project Open License (CPOL)

About the Author

Nishant Sivakumar


Member
Nish (short for Nishant) is a real nice guy who has been writing code since 1990 when he first got his hands on an 8088 with 640 KB RAM. Originally from sunny Trivandrum in India, he has been living in various places over the past few years and often thinks it’s time he settled down somewhere.

Nish has been a Microsoft Visual C++ MVP since October, 2002 - awfully nice of Microsoft, he thinks. He maintains an MVP tips and tricks web site - www.voidnish.com where you can find a consolidated list of his articles, writings and ideas on VC++, MFC, .NET and C++/CLI. Oh, and you might want to check out his blog on C++/CLI, MFC, .NET and a lot of other stuff - blog.voidnish.com.

Nish loves reading Science Fiction, P G Wodehouse and Agatha Christie, and also fancies himself to be a decent writer of sorts. He has authored a romantic comedy Summer Love and Some more Cricket as well as a programming book – Extending MFC applications with the .NET Framework.

Nish's latest book C++/CLI in Action published by Manning Publications is now available for purchase. You can read more about the book on his blog.

Despite his wife's attempts to get him into cooking, his best effort so far has been a badly done omelette. Some day, he hopes to be a good cook, and to cook a tasty dinner for his wife.
Location: United States United States

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 Msgs 1 to 22 of 22 (Total in Forum: 22) (Refresh)FirstPrevNext
Generalhow to open and read files from a zip file using jsp or java Pinmembersandhyamn20:56 8 Jun '07  
GeneralJava Zip PinmemberSanjitP23:28 11 Apr '07  
GeneralRe: Java Zip PinmemberWajeehAhmed2:30 16 Apr '07  
NewsAlternative? Pinmemberevoluzion12:02 22 Dec '06  
GeneralRe: Alternative? PinmemberBrad Bruce12:19 22 Dec '06  
GeneralVB convert procedure PinmemberAlessandro Betti7:56 17 May '06  
I use this code in VB
For Each sourceFile In astrFileNames
Dim fis As java.io.FileInputStream = New java.io.FileInputStream(sourceFile)
' File name format in zip file is:
' folder/subfolder/filename
' Let's delete drive name and replace '\' with '/':
Dim ze As java.util.zip.ZipEntry = New java.util.zip.ZipEntry(sourceFile.Substring(3).Replace("\\", "/"))
zos.putNextEntry(ze)


Dim buffer(1024) As System.SByte
Dim len As Integer

While ((len = fis.read(buffer)) >= 0)
zos.write(buffer, 0, len)
End While

zos.closeEntry()
fis.close()

Next

zos.close()
fos.close()

This code is the C# translate but didn't work fine . Specialy when there is while structure fis.read instruction didn't read a byte and len all time is 0.

Some one ca help me?

Regards
Ale
Generalon text files Pinmemberdvsr14:33 27 Dec '05  
GeneralAlternative (with code) PinmemberElmue3:30 17 Nov '05  
GeneralA fix available from M$ Pinmemberrshearer11:43 31 Aug '05  
GeneralAnother big problem Pinmembernahumtakum1:31 15 May '04  
Generalis it really corrupt? PinmemberSamJost22:11 10 May '04  
GeneralRe: is it really corrupt? PinstaffNishant S22:36 10 May '04  
GeneralRe: is it really corrupt? PinmemberSamJost22:53 10 May '04  
GeneralRe: is it really corrupt? PinstaffNishant S23:40 10 May '04  
GeneralRe: is it really corrupt? PinmemberSamJost23:44 10 May '04  
GeneralTry this code PinmemberValeri6:56 9 May '04  
GeneralRe: Try this code PinstaffNishant S7:18 9 May '04  
GeneralRe: Try this code PinsussRoberto Ballerini22:54 12 May '04  
GeneralRe: Try this code PinmemberValeri23:49 12 May '04  
GeneralWorks fine for me ? PinmemberBee Master6:36 9 May '04  
GeneralRe: Works fine for me ? PinstaffNishant S7:14 9 May '04  
GeneralRe: Works fine for me ? PinmemberBee Master6:58 11 May '04  

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Editor: Nishant Sivakumar
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