1

I want to create a ZIP archive of a directory without going into the directory itself, and not include that directory

Zip the contents of a folder without including the folder itself - This post guides to changed the current directory and then create the archive. But, as stated earlier, i do not want to change the current directory.

This is the structure of the directory that I want to archive

parentdir/
parentdir/dir1/
parentdir/dir1/file1.txt
parentdir/dir1/file2.txt
parentdir/dir2/
parentdir/dir2/file1.txt
parentdir/dir2/file2.txt

And the desired archive would contain

dir1/
dir1/file1.txt
dir1/file2.txt
dir2/
dir2/file1.txt
dir2/file2.txt

If I use the command

zip -r output.zip parentdir/

this includes the parentdir as well in the archive.

Is there any flag that allows us to create an archive without the parentdir ? I do not want to change the current directory to the parentdir. I cannot also use the -j flag,since I do not want to junk the rest of the paths. Can i accomplish this from any directory?

Community
  • 1
Kenpachi
  • 129
  • 5
  • 3
    (1) Your constraint sounds arbitrary — like “I need to get dressed, but I don’t want to open the closet door (where my clothes are) or reach into the closet.”  If you explained the *basis* (reason) for your stipulation, (a) you might get more sympathy (and, consequently, more effort and more/better answers), and (b) it might turn out to be an [XY Problem](http://meta.stackexchange.com/q/66377/271976), and we might be able to solve your *real* issue.  (2) If not going into the directory itself is an essential part of the problem statement, you should probably mention it in the question title. – G-Man Says 'Reinstate Monica' Aug 13 '15 at 18:43

1 Answers1

5

I'm not aware of such a flag to zip. You say:

I do want to change the current directory to the parentdir

by which I assume you mean you do not want to change to the parentdir. Under that assumption, I would use:

(cd parentdir; zip -r ../output.zip .)
Jeff Schaller
  • 66,199
  • 35
  • 114
  • 250
  • Sorry about that.. The intended phrase was "I do not want to change the current directory to the parentdir" . – Kenpachi Aug 13 '15 at 16:37