Files that contain the extension Z are associated with multiple programs and applications which include UNIX, InstallShield, and Zero Compiler. Z files contain data and information related to the program that created them.
If the Z file extension is created by UNIX, it is a compressed file type that contains data and files which have been merged together and compressed to save disk space and for the purpose of backup, storage, and restoration. The file extension Z is used with the UNIX operating system.
The extension associated with InstallShield is a compressed file type that contains source code and scripts for installing and uninstalling programs and applications. The files are created by InstallShield and used with programs which are created with InstallShield technology. InstallShield is designed for software developers who create the installation files and uninstallation files in programs and applications that use the InstallShield technology.
Z files that are related to Zero Compiler are part of the Zero programming language which is used with Windows, Mac, and Linux to extend objects and executable files (EXE). This is a source code file type that is created in ASCII plain text and is used by programmers and developers.
How to Open Z Files
Since Z files are associated with multiple programs and applications, double click on the file to see if it will automatically open in a default program you have installed on your PC. Z files can consist of different file types, so you may already have a compression utility program which will open them.
If the file is created by UNIX and you use Windows, you can open it with any compression utility program such as WinRAR and 7-Zip. Other compression utility programs that also work well include Smith Micro StuffIt Deluxe 2010 and Corel WinZip 16 Pro.
For Mac OS X, you can open UNIX-based Z files using Smith Micro StuffIt Deluxe 2011 or Dare to be Creative Archiver. You can also use Unarchiver, which is an open source compression utility program.
If you use the Linux operating system, you can open UNIX-based Z files with gzip, unpack, or Archive Manager, which are open source compression utility programs.
Z file extensions associated with Install Shield can be opened using the InstallShield program. InstallShield is available as a free trial download on the Flexera Software website and will open Z files in Windows. InstallShield is not designed for a typical PC user who has difficulty installing an application in Windows. It will help you open and view the contents of a Z file; however, if you are not a software developer, there really is no reason to open this type of file.
If the Z file is related to Zero Compiler, you can open it using the Zero Compiler program, which is available as a free download on the Zero website and is distributed under the GNU General Public License v2. If you are not a programmer or developer, there is really no reason to open this type of Z file. However, if for some reason you want to view the contents of a Z file, you can open it using any text editing program such as Notepad or WordPad for Windows, Apple TextEdit for Mac, or gEdit and Nano Editor for Linux.
