📂 Unfolder

Stop the zip-in-zip nightmare. Extract nested archives with one command.

✨ What is Unfolder?

Before Unfolder:

Extract archive A
Find archive B inside
Extract archive B
Find archive C inside
Repeat forever... 😫

With Unfolder:

Run one command
Select folder (or specify path)
Done! ✅

Unfolder automatically extracts nested archives of any depth. Got a ZIP inside a ZIP inside a ZIP? Unfolder handles it all automatically.

Perfect for:

Google Takeout exports
Nested backup archives
Bulk data downloads
Any "zip hell" situation

📦 Complete Format Support

Format	Extension	Support Type
ZIP	`.zip`	✅ Built-in (no deps)
TAR	`.tar`, `.tar.gz`, `.tgz`, `.tar.bz2`	✅ Built-in (no deps)
RAR	`.rar`	✅ Optional (rarfile)
7-Zip	`.7z`	✅ Optional (py7zr)
GZIP	`.gz`	✅ Built-in (no deps)
BZIP2	`.bz2`	✅ Built-in (no deps)

🚀 Quick Start

🐍 Python Version (Recommended)

# Interactive mode (with GUI folder selection when available):
python unfolder.py

# Direct mode (perfect for scripting):
python unfolder.py /path/to/archives

# Preview what will be extracted:
python unfolder.py /path/to/archives --dry-run

# With deletion (archives deleted AFTER all extraction completes):
python unfolder.py /path/to/archives --delete

# Flat extraction (extract all as siblings):
python unfolder.py /path/to/archives --flat

🪟 Windows Native Option

# For Windows users who prefer native 7-Zip:
.\unzipper.ps1

Requires: 7-Zip installed (free download from 7-zip.org)

NEW: Python version will automatically offer to use PowerShell script if Windows long paths are disabled!

⌨️ Command Line Options

python unfolder.py [folder] [options]

Arguments:
  folder          Path to archive folder (optional - will ask if not provided)

Options:
  --delete, -d    Delete archives after successful extraction (at end)
  --no-delete     Keep archives after extraction (default)
  --dry-run       Preview what will be extracted without extracting
  --preview       Same as --dry-run
  --nested        Extract nested archives in-place - maintains hierarchy (default)
  --hierarchy     Same as --nested
  --flat          Extract all archives as siblings (alternative mode)
  --help, -h      Show this help message
  --version, -v   Show version information

🆕 What's New in Version 3.1

🛡️ Safer Deletion

Archives are now deleted only after ALL extraction rounds complete
Prevents data loss if the process is interrupted
Clear status reporting of what was deleted

🧹 Smart Cleanup

Failed extractions are automatically cleaned up
Partial files removed if extraction fails
No more mysterious half-extracted folders

👀 Dry-Run Mode

Preview what will be extracted before running
See file sizes, paths, and structure
Perfect for large operations: --dry-run

🪟 Windows Long Path Intelligence

Automatically detects Windows long path status
Offers PowerShell fallback if long paths disabled
Clear instructions for enabling long path support
Seamless integration between Python and PowerShell versions

📁 Flexible Extraction Modes

Nested mode (default): Maintain archive hierarchy, extract in-place
Flat mode (--flat): Extract all archives as siblings
Choose the structure that works for your use case

📦 Optional Dependencies

For full format support (RAR, 7Z), install optional dependencies:

pip install py7zr rarfile

Or install from requirements file:

pip install -r requirements.txt

Without these, Unfolder still works perfectly with ZIP, TAR, GZ, and BZ2 formats.

🛠️ Installation

Method 1: Download & Run

Download the Unfolder package
Extract to any folder
Run: python unfolder.py

Method 2: Clone Repository

git clone https://github.com/your-repo/unfolder.git
cd unfolder
python unfolder.py

Method 3: Optional Dependencies

pip install -r requirements.txt

Note: Unfolder works perfectly with just ZIP/TAR formats without additional packages.

⚡ Performance

Speed: Processes ~50MB/s on modern hardware
Memory: Uses minimal RAM (streaming extraction)
Scalability: Handles thousands of nested archives
Long Paths: Smart Windows long path detection and fallback
Cross-Platform: Optimized for Windows, macOS, and Linux

💡 Use Cases

Google Takeout

takeout.zip
├── Drive.zip
│   ├── documents.zip
│   └── photos.zip
│       ├── 2021.zip
│       └── 2022.zip

Unfolder extracts everything automatically

Data Migration

Extract complex backup structures
Maintain folder organization
Clean up original archives safely

Research & Analysis

Process downloaded datasets
Handle nested compressed files
Preview before extracting with --dry-run

System Administration

Automated backup extraction
Log archive processing
Batch data processing with error recovery

🔒 Privacy & Security

100% Offline: No internet connection required
Local Processing: Your files never leave your computer
No Telemetry: We don't track or collect data
Simple Code: Full transparency in implementation
Open Source: Review the code yourself

📋 System Requirements

Minimum

Python 3.7+ (most systems have this)
Memory: 512MB RAM
Storage: 10MB free space
OS: Windows 7+, macOS 10.12+, or modern Linux

🎁 Bonus Features

Smart Extraction: Handles unlimited nesting depth
Format Detection: Automatically identifies archive types
Error Recovery: Skips corrupted files, continues extraction
Automatic Cleanup: Removes partial extractions on failure
Progress Tracking: See exactly what's being extracted
Performance Stats: Speed, timing, and size reporting
Safe Deletion: Delete archives only after ALL extraction completes
Dry-Run Preview: See what will happen before running
Cross-Platform: Works on Windows, macOS, and Linux
Long Path Support: Smart detection and PowerShell fallback
GUI Fallback: Uses system dialogs when available
Flexible Modes: Nested (default) or flat extraction structures

❓ Common Questions

Q: Does this require an internet connection?
A: No! Unfolder runs 100% offline. Your files never leave your computer.

Q: What's the difference from free tools like 7-Zip?
A: 7-Zip requires you to manually extract each nested archive. Unfolder does it all automatically with one command.

Q: Will this work on my Mac/Linux?
A: Yes! Unfolder works on Windows, macOS, and Linux. We even include a native Windows PowerShell version.

Q: Do I need to install anything?
A: Just Python 3.7+. Optional libraries (py7zr, rarfile) add RAR/7Z support but aren't required.

Q: How fast is it?
A: Approximately 50MB/s on modern hardware, with real-time progress reporting and performance statistics.

Q: Can it handle thousands of files?
A: Yes! Unfolder is designed for scalability and can process thousands of nested archives efficiently.

Q: What if an archive is corrupted?
A: Unfolder skips corrupted files, cleans up partial extractions, and continues processing the rest.

Q: What about Windows long path issues?
A: Unfolder detects long path status and offers to use the PowerShell/7-Zip version if needed. You can also enable long paths system-wide (instructions provided).

Q: When are archives deleted?
A: Only AFTER all extraction rounds complete successfully. This prevents data loss if interrupted.

Q: Can I preview before extracting?
A: Yes! Use --dry-run to see exactly what will be extracted without actually extracting anything.

☕ Support This Project

If Unfolder saved you from zip-in-zip hell, consider buying me a coffee!

📄 License

This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the LICENSE file for details.

What this means:

✅ Free to use for personal and commercial purposes
✅ Free to modify and adapt to your needs
✅ Free to distribute with your projects
✅ No warranty - use at your own risk
✅ Open source - review and contribute to the code

Perfect for both personal projects and commercial applications.

📝 Changelog

Version 3.1 (Current)

✨ Added dry-run/preview mode
🛡️ Archives now deleted only after ALL extraction completes (safer)
🧹 Automatic cleanup of failed extractions
🪟 Smart Windows long path detection with PowerShell fallback
📁 Added nested vs flat extraction modes
📊 Improved statistics and error reporting
🎯 Better command-line argument handling

Version 3.0

Initial public release
Support for ZIP, RAR, 7Z, TAR, GZ, BZ2
Recursive extraction
Optional deletion
Cross-platform support

📂 Unfolder - Finally, nested archives made simple.

Stop wrestling with nested archives. Start unfolding your files with one command.

applesauce777/unfolder