ZIP FILE HEADER
Ever wondered what was in the zip file header? Here it is, straight
from the Pkware homepage. Have Fun!
Ian Campbell
A. Local file header:
------------------
local file header signature 4 bytes (0x04034b50)
version needed to extract 2 bytes
general purpose bit flag 2 bytes
compression method 2 bytes
last mod file time 2 bytes
last mod file date 2 bytes
crc-32 4 bytes
compressed size 4 bytes
uncompressed size 4 bytes
filename length 2 bytes
extra field length 2 bytes
filename (variable size)
extra field (variable size)
B. Data descriptor:
----------------
crc-32 4 bytes
compressed size 4 bytes
uncompressed size 4 bytes
This descriptor exists only if bit 3 of the general
purpose bit flag is set (see below). It is byte aligned
and immediately follows the last byte of compressed data.
C. Central directory structure:
----------------------------
[file header] . . . end of central dir record
file header:
central file header signature 4 bytes (0x02014b50)
version made by 2 bytes
version needed to extract 2 bytes
general purpose bit flag 2 bytes
compression method 2 bytes
last mod file time 2 bytes
last mod file date 2 bytes
crc-32 4 bytes
compressed size 4 bytes
uncompressed size 4 bytes
filename length 2 bytes
extra field length 2 bytes
file comment length 2 bytes
disk number start 2 bytes
internal file attributes 2 bytes
external file attributes 4 bytes
relative offset of local header 4 bytes
filename (variable size)
extra field (variable size)
file comment (variable size)
End of central dir record:
end of central dir signature 4 bytes (0x06054b50)
number of this disk 2 bytes
number of the disk with the
start of the central directory 2 bytes
total number of entries in
the central dir on this disk 2 bytes
total number of entries in
the central dir 2 bytes
size of the central directory 4 bytes
offset of start of central
directory with respect to
the starting disk number 4 bytes
zipfile comment length 2 bytes
zipfile comment (variable size)