# zipping a file by command line **URL:** \ **Category:** macOS\ **Created:** [April 16, 2019, 6:11am UTC](https://forum.xojo.com/t/zipping-a-file-by-command-line/48174 "2019-04-16T06:11:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Martin\_T](https://forum.xojo.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/m/a88e57/32.png) [@Martin\_T](https://forum.xojo.com/u/Martin_T)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2019, 5:25pm UTC](https://forum.xojo.com/t/zipping-a-file-by-command-line/48174/21 "2019-04-16T17:25:07Z")
I come across a very strange behavior here with Xojo. I have inserted comments in the relevant places! Replace the code in PushButton1.Action in my [project](https://www.dropbox.com/s/dpc5081xb7v3aql/Zip%20Files.xojo_binary_project?dl=0) from above with the following: [code]#If TargetMacOS Or TargetLinux Dim dialog As New SaveAsDialog Dim output As FolderItem = dialog.ShowModalWithin(Self) If output \<\> Nil Then ``` TempFolder = SpecialFolder.Desktop.Child("foo") TempFolder.CreateAsFolder CreateTempFolder(TempFolder) Dim command, inputPath, outputPath As String inputPath = """" + TempFolder.NativePath + """" outputPath = """" + output.NativePath + """" ' This doesn't work correctly. The extra folder "Users/..." will be included. ' command = "cd " + inputPath + "; zip -r -q " + outputPath + " " + inputPath + " *" ' This works correctly, but with a weird command string. ' You can also see it on the Xojo Syntax highlightning. command = "cd """ + TempFolder.NativePath + """; zip -r -q """ +_ output.NativePath + """ "" + TempFolder.NativePath + "" *" Shell1.Execute(command) ``` End If #EndIf[/code] ---
**Author:** ![Emile\_Schwarz](https://forum.xojo.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/e/90ced4/32.png) [@Emile\_Schwarz](https://forum.xojo.com/u/Emile_Schwarz)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2019, 6:47pm UTC](https://forum.xojo.com/t/zipping-a-file-by-command-line/48174/22 "2019-04-16T18:47:18Z")
Are-you sure about the number of quotes ? ` inputPath = """" + TempFolder.NativePath + """" outputPath = """" + output.NativePath + """"` 4 quotes means 2 quotes (an empty string. Later, 3 quotes + 1 space + 2 quotes ??? This does not makes sense to me. Of course, I may be wrong. ---
**Author:** ![Martin\_T](https://forum.xojo.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/m/a88e57/32.png) [@Martin\_T](https://forum.xojo.com/u/Martin_T)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2019, 7:43pm UTC](https://forum.xojo.com/t/zipping-a-file-by-command-line/48174/23 "2019-04-16T19:43:58Z")
@Emile Schwarz Did you tried my code? If you wanna add quotes into a string, you need to uses a double quote to get one quote. I modified the command string and now it works fine: ```auto command = "cd " + inputPath + "; zip -r -q " + outputPath + " *" ``` ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_Jones](https://forum.xojo.com/user_avatar/forum.xojo.com/tim_jones/32/8627_2.png) [@Tim\_Jones](https://forum.xojo.com/u/Tim_Jones)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2019, 8:39pm UTC](https://forum.xojo.com/t/zipping-a-file-by-command-line/48174/24 "2019-04-16T20:39:06Z")
[quote=432888:@Martin Trippensee]@Emile Schwarz Did you tried my code? If you wanna add quotes into a string, you need to uses a double quote to get one quote. I modified the command string and now it works fine: ```auto command = "cd " + inputPath + "; zip -r -q " + outputPath + " *" ``` I just got back to my desk and was going to send that. Good discovery. ---
**Author:** ![Emile\_Schwarz](https://forum.xojo.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/e/90ced4/32.png) [@Emile\_Schwarz](https://forum.xojo.com/u/Emile_Schwarz)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2019, 8:59am UTC](https://forum.xojo.com/t/zipping-a-file-by-command-line/48174/25 "2019-04-17T08:59:58Z")
> [@432888:@Martin Trippensee](#): > > you need to uses a double quote Yes, I know, but four quotes ? ---
**Author:** ![Stéphane\_Mons](https://forum.xojo.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/f07891/32.png) [@Stéphane\_Mons](https://forum.xojo.com/u/St%C3%A9phane_Mons)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2019, 9:08am UTC](https://forum.xojo.com/t/zipping-a-file-by-command-line/48174/26 "2019-04-17T09:08:56Z")
@Emile Schwarz — It’s weird, I know: 1. The first quote opens the string 2. The 2 quotes inside mean one quote only (i.e. Chr(34)) 3. The last quote ends the string literal ---
**Author:** ![Emile\_Schwarz](https://forum.xojo.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/e/90ced4/32.png) [@Emile\_Schwarz](https://forum.xojo.com/u/Emile_Schwarz)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2019, 9:19am UTC](https://forum.xojo.com/t/zipping-a-file-by-command-line/48174/27 "2019-04-17T09:19:23Z")
☹ ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_Jones](https://forum.xojo.com/user_avatar/forum.xojo.com/tim_jones/32/8627_2.png) [@Tim\_Jones](https://forum.xojo.com/u/Tim_Jones)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2019, 4:30pm UTC](https://forum.xojo.com/t/zipping-a-file-by-command-line/48174/28 "2019-04-17T16:30:57Z")
You could also use ChrB(34), but most of us find the “” mechanism more legible (once we know how it works). ---
**Author:** ![system](https://forum.xojo.com/uploads/default/original/1X/455b4dcc0e61630e9f81940004ddffa49c432a46.png) [@system](https://forum.xojo.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2020, 7:37pm UTC](https://forum.xojo.com/t/zipping-a-file-by-command-line/48174/29 "2020-10-29T19:37:22Z")
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