How to upload a compressed file with many small files

FTP is so time consuming for 1000 small files

[jetteroheller]

I would like to put all files for FTP upload in one compressed file and give after the FTP a command to expand out of the archive all the small files.

What compression programs are usualy available on an apache server?

How would I give the command to expand?

[Caterham]

What compression programs are usualy available on an apache server?

The Apache HTTP Server is a software component. I think you're looking for a red hat/debian/suse server to name a few linux distributions. May be you'd like to post in the "Linux, Unix, and *nix like Operating Systems" forum category?

How would I give the command to expand?

e.g via SSH if you'd like to access such a program. Scripting languages are providing commands to execute a program as well (exec() as used in perl and php).

A scripting language compiled with zip support (I'm thinking of php and zlib) may provide a way to unzip via a script without using an external program as well. The PEAR framework may useful classes.

A script-based solution through a webserver is subject to a configured script max execution time.