How can I view the list of files in a ZIP archive without decompressing it?
Best Answer
The less utility is capable of peeking into a zip archive. In fact, if you look at the outputs of unzip -l zipfile and less zipfile, you will find them to be identical.
First, if the zip actually doesn't have a password on it then you will be able to extract the pdf files no problem. then the issue becomes opening the pdf files with a password you forgot. Google "pdf password" and you will find some links to software that can remove the password, the one I have used costed $30.
Second, you are mentioning the zip, because you probably can't unzip it. If this is the case, then there actually is a password on the zip file. Windows natively can't recognize this. You need to install 7Zip, Winzip or WinRar. any one of them will prompt you for the password that you don't even know is there.
If you have one of those programs and the Zip file really doesn't have a password and it still won't unzip, then you still need to run a password removal tool on the zip file even though it doesn't have a password.
If none of that works, then you have a corrupted zip file. Not sure that's recoverable using basic tools.
If this is a one-time job, I suggest you put all these ZIP file in one directory, from the command line do a (assuming Windows) dir>doit.bat, then edit the batch file to unpack and pack everything from the command line.
Make sure you write your commands in such a way that the new file is created in another directory, so that the original one remains. If you use an editor with keyboard macros this is at most 15 minutes work. Test with the first two files in a separate batch file. If everything goes well, run the batch file.
Even if it takes two days to process all the ZIP files, who cares. If you have enough disk space and don't switch off your computer, you can do other things in the meantime.
Best Answer
The
lessutility is capable of peeking into aziparchive. In fact, if you look at the outputs ofunzip -l zipfileandless zipfile, you will find them to be identical.