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wj-rar2zip

Convert RAR archives to ZIP format, preserving all file timestamps.

wj-rar2zip recursively scans a directory for .rar files and converts each one to a .zip in the same location. Internal file timestamps are preserved, and the resulting ZIP file's filesystem timestamp matches the original RAR file.

Why

RAR is a proprietary format that requires special tools to open. ZIP is universally supported across all operating systems. If you have a collection of old RAR archives, converting them to ZIP makes them accessible everywhere without needing RAR-specific software.

Features

  • Recursive scanning — finds all .rar files under a directory tree
  • Timestamp preservation — internal file dates are copied into the ZIP, and the ZIP file's filesystem timestamp matches the original RAR
  • Optional cleanup — --delete removes the original RAR after conversion
  • Dry run — --dry-run previews what would be converted

Installation

pip install wj-rar2zip

Quick Start

Convert all RAR files under a directory:

wj-rar2zip /path/to/archives

Preview what would be converted:

wj-rar2zip --dry-run /path/to/archives

About

wj-rar2zip is developed by WaterJuice and released into the public domain under the Unlicense.