Quote from autotrader:
If you are going to write your own code using existing ZIP archive libraries, then you are still no better than just using Winziip or Winrar to move your zip file contents, as your code would just be doing the same thing as what the existing programs do.
Unless Caltrader implies you read the "RAW" file and parse it yourself from scratch (which I didn't think is what he was suggesting), which means you need to know and code all the different compression / decompression algorithms yourself.
at which case I will suggest that you allow plenty of time for writing that code and back up your original file as I can tell you from experience that you can easily corrupt your zip file if you do not know what you are doing.
my AutoTrader program reads and writes to Zip files on the fly, so I know what directly accessing a Zip file is like. I write code everyday for a leading software company, and my suggestion is just a practical solution. It is your call which path you are willing to take.
autotrader