Purchasing digital downloads can be a great experience and
for the vast majority, they work out just fine. Sometimes though, those innocent looking files refuse to unzip for no obvious reason. They are a mystery just waiting to be solved.
In the meantime, it's annoying, it's
irritating and it can make life difficult. Hopefully today, we can try to take away some of that mystery and shed some light on these necessary but sometimes devious little files!
To Zip Or Not To
Zip...that is the question!
Basically, when you need to condense a collection of
different files into one larger file, you'll need to zip them up. It's a bit
like when you go shopping. If you buy a selection of cereal boxes, you can
stack them up quite nicely and carry them around. But when you have to buy eggs
and milk and bread etc., then you're going to need to get some kind of bag to
carry them all home in. The zip file is a similar concept. It keeps them all
together so they don't end up floating around in cyber space.
How do I open the Zip
file?
Once you download the zip file, you have to open it to get
to all its contents. On a Mac, the files will open automatically when you click
on the 'downloads' file. On a PC, you'll need to make sure you have zip opening
software installed on your computer before you can actually open a zip file.
You can download some of them for free and they work perfectly well.
Just make sure your software is always
updated so that errors don't occur. Once your software is installed or updated,
you should be able to open your zip file and its contents will be displayed and
available for you to use.
Help! The zip file
won't open for me!
You'll know that your zip file is not opening when you:
- -
get an error message saying the zip file won't
open because.....(it will give you a reason that only a technologically
advanced alien can understand)
- -
it won't open because it claims to be 'password
protected'
- -
only certain files are there but the ones you
really want are missing
Common Issues
The most common problem we hear about at Educlips, is that
the cover .jpeg image, the TOU .pdf and the Educlips icon are there, but the
clipart files are not. And more often than not, the solution is simpler than
you would think. You just have to scroll down to the bottom of the file and those
cheeky little files are all hiding there!
Password Protection?
We NEVER password protect our clipart files. The clipart is
organized, saved and uploaded in the same way every time so when your computer
tells you a password is required before you can open it, it could be that your
computer's security settings are trying
to prevent unwanted, virus ridden files from entering your computer.
You can also try opening files in a new browser. Strangely,
this sometimes works.
The Mystery
It's obviously very difficult for us to know why your
computer is not downloading the clipart you have bought because we can't see
your screen and don't know what you have installed on it. Certain programs may
prevent you from downloading particular types of files.
You WILL get your
clipart....by hook or by crook!
We can however, guarantee that you will get what you paid
for and often will send an unzipped link via email to the clipart set you
purchased, which sidesteps the issues customers might be having. We will do
everything we can to help you get your clipart set and will always aim to reply
to your email as soon as we can.
Finally....
We can't claim to be technical gurus and would not try to
give you technical advice but we do aim to get the clipart to you once you have
purchased it.
So, I hope this helps with some of your zip file issues.
Feel free to contact us via the CONTACT page on this blog or via the CONTACT
button in the top menu of at www.edu-clips.com.
Educlips is having a mid-October sale, which will run from 18th-19th October so it begins shortly!
Educlips is having a mid-October sale, which will run from 18th-19th October so it begins shortly!
