-sfx (Create SFX archive) switch

Creates self extracting archive.

Syntax

-sfx[{SFX_Module}]
{SFX_Module}

Specifies the SFX module that will be combined with the archive. This module must be placed in the same directory as the 7z.exe. If {SFX_Module} is not assigned, 7-Zip will use standard console SFX module 7zCon.sfx.

SFX_Module Description
7z.sfx Windows version.
7zCon.sfx Console version.
7zS.sfx Windows version for installers.
7zSD.sfx Windows version for installers (uses MSVCRT.dll).

All SFX modules are uncompressed. You can use UPX program (http://upx.sourceforge.net) to compresss such modules. After compressing by the UPX program, the size of the sfx module will be reduced to 40-50% of its original size.

SFX modules for installers

SFX modules for installers are included in an external package (7z_extra). You can download these modules from www.7-zip.org. SFX modules for installers (7zS.sfx and 7zSD.sfx) allow you to create your own installation program. Such a module extracts the archive to the user's temp folder, and runs a specified program, and removes the temp files after the program finishes. A self-extracting archive for installers must be created as joining 3 files: SFX_Module, Installer_Config, 7z_Archive. In addition, an optional file, Installer_Config, is allowed. You can use the following command to create an installer self-extracting archive:

copy /b 7zS.sfx + config.txt + archive.7z archive.exe

An optimally small installation package size can be achieved, if the installation files are uncompressed before including them in the 7z archive.

-y switch for installer module specifies quiet mode extraction.

Installer Config file format

This config file contains commands for the Installer. The file begins with the string ;!@Install@!UTF-8! and ends with ;!@InstallEnd@!. The file must be written in UTF-8 encoding. The file contains any or all these string pairs:

ID_String="Value"

ID_String Description
Title Title for messages
BeginPrompt Begin Prompt message
Progress Value can be "yes" or "no". Default value is "yes".
RunProgram Command for executing. Default value is "setup.exe". Substring %%T will be replaced with path to temporary folder, where files were extracted
Directory Directory prefix for "RunProgram". Default value is ".\\"
ExecuteFile Name of file for executing
ExecuteParameters Parameters for "ExecuteFile"

You may omit any pair.

There are two ways to run a installation program: RunProgram and ExecuteFile. Use RunProgram, if you want to run a program from the .7z archive. Use ExecuteFile, if you want to open a document from the .7z archive, or if you want to execute a command from Windows.

If you use RunProgram, and if you specify empty directory prefix: Directory="", the system searches for the executable file in the following sequence:

  1. The directory from which the application (installer) loaded.
  2. The temporary folder, where files were extracted.
  3. The Windows system directory.

Config file Examples

;!@Install@!UTF-8!
Title="7-Zip 4.00"
BeginPrompt="Do you want to install the 7-Zip 4.00?"
RunProgram="setup.exe"
;!@InstallEnd@!


;!@Install@!UTF-8!
Title="7-Zip 4.00"
BeginPrompt="Do you want to install the 7-Zip 4.00?"
ExecuteFile="7zip.msi"
;!@InstallEnd@!


;!@Install@!UTF-8!
Title="7-Zip 4.01 Update"
BeginPrompt="Do you want to install the 7-Zip 4.01 Update?"
ExecuteFile="msiexec.exe"
ExecuteParameters="/i 7zip.msi REINSTALL=ALL REINSTALLMODE=vomus"
;!@InstallEnd@!

Examples

7z a -sfx a.exe *.txt

adds *.txt files to self extracting archive a.exe using the default console SFX module.

7z a -sfx7z.sfx a.exe *

adds all files to self extracting archive a.exe with module 7z.sfx using windows version of SFX mudule.

Commands that can be used with this switch

a (Add), d (Delete), u (Update),