How to Install 7-Zip on Manjaro Linux

7-Zip is a free and open-source file archiver software developed by Igor Pavlov in 1999. It has gained popularity over the years as one of the best compression software due to its high compression ratio and support for a wide range of archive file formats. Individuals and organizations have widely adopted 7-Zip for its ability to compress files to a smaller size, saving storage space and reducing transfer times. In addition, it is known for its ease of use, reliability, and cross-platform compatibility.

One of the main reasons for 7-Zip’s popularity is its high compression ratio. The software uses various compression algorithms such as LZMA, LZMA2, and PPMd, enabling it to compress files much smaller than other file compression software. For example, 7-Zip can compress files up to 70% smaller than the original size, making it a valuable tool for anyone dealing with large files, particularly those who work with images, videos, and other multimedia files.

Moreover, 7-Zip supports various archive file formats, including popular formats like ZIP, RAR, GZIP, TAR, and ISO. It also supports its 7z format, considered one of the most efficient archive formats. Additionally, 7-Zip has multi-threaded compression capabilities that use multiple processors or cores, resulting in faster compression and decompression times.

This guide will demonstrate installing 7-Zip on Manjaro Linux using the command line terminal, the AUR (Arch User Repository) helper, and the Pamac AUR helper, simplifying installing and updating software from the AUR repository. Following the steps outlined in this guide, you can install and start using 7-Zip on your Manjaro Linux system in no time.

Step 1: Update Manjaro Linux

Installing the 7-Zip on your Manjaro Linux computer requires updating your system and installing all available package upgrades. This ensures that your system remains well-maintained and avoids potential issues during installation.

To update your Manjaro system, run the command “sudo pacman -Syu” in the terminal.

sudo pacman -Syu

However, this command may not update all packages if you haven’t updated your system in a while. In such cases, perform a full database dump by running “sudo pacman -Syyu.”

sudo pacman -Syyu

It is also recommended to update Pamac, Manjaro’s package manager, using the following commands:

sudo pamac checkupdates -a
sudo pamac upgrade -a

Occasionally, issues with GPG keys becoming invalid or corrupted can arise when updating packages with Pacman. If you encounter this issue, try the following commands as a troubleshooting step:

sudo pacman -S archlinux-keyring manjaro-keyring
sudo pacman-key --populate archlinux manjaro

If the above commands fail to resolve the issue, you can try the following steps as a last resort:

sudo rm -r /etc/pacman.d/gnupg
sudo pacman-key --init
sudo pacman-key --populate manjaro
sudo pacman-key --populate archlinux
sudo pacman -Syvv manjaro-keyring

After performing these steps, repeat the update process by running “sudo pacman -Syu” to ensure your system is up-to-date and ready to install on the 7-Zip desktop.

Step 2: Enable AUR for pamac AUR Helper

The Arch User Repository (AUR) is a community-driven repository of user-contributed packages for Arch-based Linux distributions, including Manjaro. AUR provides users access to a vast array of software unavailable in the official repositories, making it an essential tool for Manjaro users.

However, by default, AUR is disabled on Manjaro Linux to ensure the system’s stability and security. To enable AUR, you will need to edit the Pacman configuration file. The simplest way to do this is by using the following sed command:

"sudo sed -Ei '/EnableAUR/s/^#//' /etc/pamac.conf"

This command uses sed to find the “EnableAUR” line in the “pamac.conf” file and remove the “#” at the beginning of the line. This enables AUR, allowing you to install software packages directly from the AUR repository.

Step 3: Install 7-Zip

After enabling AUR on your Manjaro system, you can now take advantage of a wide range of previously unavailable software options. Installing software from AUR is simple and can be accomplished using the pamac package-management helper in the command terminal.

For example, to install 7-Zip using pamac, execute the following command:

pamac build 7-zip

This command instructs pamac to download and install the 7-Zip package from AUR. Pamac will prompt you to review the package details before installing.

It is important to note that the installation process may take some time, depending on the package size and your internet connection speed. Additionally, it is recommended to review the package’s details and user reviews before installing it to avoid potential issues.

Example 7-Zip Terminal Commands

Using the 7-Zip terminal commands is a quick and efficient way to manage and compress files on Linux. Here are ten commonly used 7-Zip terminal commands that can help you to accomplish your tasks easily.

1. Extract a File

To extract a file from an archive, use the following command:

7z x filename.zip

This command extracts the file in the current working directory. The “x” flag indicates that you want to extract the archive’s contents.

2. Extract to a Specific Directory

To extract a file to a specific directory, use the following command:

7z x filename.zip -o/path/to/directory

3. Create an Archive

To create an archive of the specified files, use the following command:

7z a archive.7z file1 file2 file3

This command creates a new archive with the specified files. The “a” flag indicates that you want to create a new archive.

4. Compress with Maximum Compression

To compress the specified files with maximum compression, use the following command:

7z a -t7z -m0=lzma -mx=9 -mfb=64 -md=32m -ms=on archive.7z file1 file2 file3

This command compresses the specified files with maximum compression. The “-m0=lzma” flag indicates that you want to use the LZMA compression method, and the “-mx=9” flag sets the compression level to the maximum.

5. Extract with Full Paths

To extract the file with full paths, use the following command:

7z x filename.zip -o/path/to/extract -r

This command extracts the file with full paths. The “-r” flag indicates that you want to extract the entire directory tree.

6. List Archive Contents

To list the contents of the archive without extracting them, use the following command:

7z l filename.zip

This command lists the contents of the archive. The “l” flag stands for “list.”

7. Test Archive Integrity

To test the integrity of the archive, use the following command:

7z t filename.zip

This command tests the archive’s integrity to ensure all files can be extracted. The “t” flag stands for “test.”

8. Set Password for Archive

To set a password for the archive, use the following command:

7z a archive.7z file1 file2 file3 -p

This command sets a password for the archive. The “-p” flag indicates you want to set a password.

9. Add Files to an Existing Archive

To add files to an existing archive, use the following command:

7z u archive.7z file4 file5

This command adds files to an existing archive. The “u” flag stands for “update.”

10. Delete Files from an Archive

To delete files from an archive, use the following command:

7z d archive.7z file1 file2

This command deletes files from an archive. The “d” flag stands for “delete.”

Utilizing these 7-Zip terminal commands allows you to manage your files and archives on Linux effectively. These straightforward and user-friendly commands are ideal for novice and intermediate Linux users. However, these commands are just examples of the capabilities of 7-Zip.

Additional Tips

Update 7-Zip

Keeping 7-Zip up-to-date is essential to ensure that you can access the latest features and bug fixes. Fortunately, updating 7-Zip on your Manjaro system is a straightforward process that can be accomplished using the following terminal commands:

First, open the terminal and run the following command to check for available updates for all installed packages, including 7-Zip:

sudo pamac checkupdates -a

This command will display a list of available updates for your system. It will be included in the list if an update for 7-Zip is available.

Next, run the following command to install any available updates for all installed packages, including 7-Zip:

sudo pamac upgrade -a

This command will prompt you to review the updates and confirm the installation process.

Remove (Uninstall) 7-Zip

If you no longer need 7-Zip installed on your Manjaro system, you can easily remove it by running the following command in the terminal:

pamac remove 7-zip

This command will completely remove the 7-Zip package from your system.

To clean up any unused files or packages that may be taking up space on your system, you can use the following commands:

pamac remove -o

This command removes any orphaned packages no longer needed on your system. Orphaned packages are packages that were installed as dependencies but are no longer needed by any other package.

pamac clean -uv -k 0

This command cleans the package cache and removes any unneeded packages, keeping only the latest version of each package. The “-uv” flag stands for “uninstalled and no longer required by any package,” and the “-k 0” flag tells Pamac to keep only the latest version of each package.

pamac clean -v -k 2

This command cleans the package cache and removes any unneeded packages, keeping the latest two versions of each package. The “-v” flag stands for “uninstalled and no longer required by any package,” and the “-k 2” flag tells Pamac to keep the latest two versions of each package.

If you previously enabled the AUR on your Manjaro system and later decided that you no longer want to use it, you can disable it by running the following command:

"sudo sed -Ei '/EnableAUR/s/^/#/' /etc/pamac.conf"

This command comments out the “EnableAUR” line in the pamac.conf file, effectively disabling the AUR. Disabling the AUR can help ensure the stability and security of your Manjaro system.

Conclusion

In conclusion, 7-Zip is a powerful and versatile file-archiving tool that Linux users widely use to compress and manage files. By learning how to use the various 7-Zip terminal commands, you can efficiently perform common tasks such as extracting files, creating archives, and compressing files. In addition, knowing how to keep 7-Zip up-to-date, remove it from your system, and disable the AUR can help you maintain a stable and secure Manjaro system. Whether you are a novice or an intermediate Linux user, mastering 7-Zip and its terminal commands can help you improve your workflow and get the most out of your system.

FAQs on 7-Zip with Manjaro Linux