Never seen this before, right click to compress a folder, and it says an error occured while compressing. Any ideas why? thanks!

Open Console and see if there are any clues in the Console Mesages

first guess would be it's trying to save the compressed file in the same folder, and doesn't have write access. (disk image or DVD maybe?)

thanks guys, JOe, I not a consul or terminal guy, so I would have to been spoon fed on that.

The folder has read write, and the folder it's in as well. it's just a folder of logos -- about 70mb.

drag a copy of the folder and try to compress the copy

try to compress individual files or groups of files

check for odd characters and symbols in filenames

V
copy trick did not work,
Individual files don't seem to compress in this logo area for some reason.
Don't see bad text/ characters.

find a small one and upload it for us to try

if necessary, make a folder to put the one item in, and then use disk utility to create a compressed disk image of the folder

V
if you have private email I could send this folder, did not understand the disc utility thing

if you click on my username there on the left you can send me a pm, with your email address

PMs are disabled. Click on your name and try it; you'll see.

indeed they are! I don't see an option to turn mine on... is it just turned off for all of FTM? Owell my AIM/iChat id is there anyway.

Yes, it is, just as it was in the MacFixIt forums, and for the same reason (resource hogging).

Virtual,
how to I send to you? not conversant with email chat. would need an email.

probably simples to catch me on AIM/iChat per my profile

Don't aim, don't chat, this is a folder anyway.

Don't get no help?

Sometimes when technically oriented persons are dialoging with someone who is less technically oriented, a communications problem arises because we have a different understanding of what is meant by the same words. For example although they are too often used interchangeably archiving and compression are technically not the same thing. In an earlier post you said I am not sure what you mean by a "logo area" and it occurs to me this might be a clue to your problem. (Please answer each question individually as each is asked to elicit a specific piece of information that may have a bearing on your problem.)

1. By logo area are you referring to a particular folder represented by an icon or is this a folder where you store logo images?
2. What kind of files are in the folder you are trying to compress? Ie. what is the file extension for the files in the folder?
3. By any chance does this folder have a file extension in its name and if so what is it?
4. Where exactly is this folder located? If you do not know
   1. Open a FInder window and select the folder you are trying to compress
   2. On the menu bar at the top of your screen click on View > Show path Bar (if it says Hide Path Bar skip this step)
   3. Look at the bottom frame of the Finder window and you will see each of the folders in the path to the file.
   4. Tell us what the entire path is.
5. Exactly what procedure are you following to compress the files, step-by-step so we can all be sure we are on the same page?
6. By any chance do you have Stuffit installed on your Mac?

thanks Joe,
the logos are .psds
They are about 4 folders deep in. Easily found.
I do right click -- "compress"
I have stuffit expander 10.0.1

"Please answer each question individually as each is asked to elicit a specific piece of information that may have a bearing on your problem."

Edit: That includes ALL!!! parts of each question, e.g. 4./d.

You present yourself as an exemplary practitioner of your avocation!

It is respected, although sometimes rather difficult to comprehend.

the capitalized italic red seems to be popular today...

1 - folder where I store logos
2-psd
3-no
4-external HD, called 3rd, Stationary, Logos
5-right click, compress
6-yes

1. okay, no issues there
2. I don't know of any issues with psd files per se but in general compression does not work well with any graphics files. In fact it is not uncommon for compression algorithms to produce a larger file when run against a graphic image.
3. Is the external drive formatted Mac OS Extended or something else? If you don't know follow this step by step procedure to find out:
   1. Open Disk Utility
   2. In the left hand pane of the DU window select the volume on the external drive -- that is the indented icon named 3rd
   3. Look at the bottom frame of the DU window where it says format:
   4. what does it say?
4. I had to ask, just in case you were doing something unusual
5. You said earlier that you have Stuffit Expander installed, that is NOT the same thing as Stuffit itself. Which is it, Stuffit, Stuffit Expander, or both?

How big is the directory and all the included files you are trying to compress? I just ran across an item that indicates the theoretical max for zip compression is 4GB and above 750MB the error rate increases significantly. I doubt that is your problem but with no other leads, I feel it is at least worth asking.

Have you tried moving the folder to another location, even another drive, and seeing if it will compress in the new location?

Joe,
stuffit expander.
70 mb.
Moved it to desktop, same issue,
3rd hd is Mac journaled, dang, we can't catch a break!