# R: Extract File from a Zip Archive

zip.file.extract {utils} | R Documentation

## Extract File from a Zip Archive

### Description

This will extract the file named `file` from the zip archive, if possible, and write it in a temporary location.

### Usage

    zip.file.extract(file, zipname = "R.zip", unzip = getOption("unzip"))

### Arguments

`file` | A file name. (If a path is given, see ‘Note’.)
`zipname` | The file name (not path) of a `zip` archive, including the `".zip"` extension if required.
`unzip` | character string: the method to be used, an empty string indicates `"internal"`.

### Details

All platforms support an `"internal"` unzip: this is the default under Windows and the fall-back under Unix if no `unzip` program was found during configuration and R_UNZIPCMD is not set.

The file will be extracted if it is in the archive and any required `unzip` utility is available. It will be extracted to the directory given by `tempdir`, overwriting any existing file of that name.

### Value

The name of the original or extracted file. Success is indicated by returning a different name.

### Note

The `"internal"` method is very simple, and will not set file dates.

This is a helper function for `help`, `example` and `data`. As such, it handles file paths in an unusual way. Any path component of `zipname` is ignored, and the path to `file` is used only to determine the directory within which to find `zipname`.

[Package utils version 2.6.0 Index]