Open Radar

 
Summary:
Finder's "Compress" feature drops the resource fork from files, thus corrupting them and losing their data.  

For example, a Finder .textClipping created prior to Sierra which stored the data in the resource fork, when compressed with the Sierra or High Sierra Finder, will result in the file in the Archive having 0Kb of data as the resource fork, hence the file's data is lost.

Steps to Reproduce:
1 - locate a file with a resource fork, such as an older .textClipping file
2 - select file in Finder
3 - Right click said file
4 - Select "Compress" from the contextual menu
5 - open resulting zip file

Expected Results:
File contents remain intact, decompressed file includes data which was all stored in resource fork

Actual Results:
Data is lost, resource fork missing.

Version/Build:
verified in macOS 10.12, macOS 10.13

Configuration:
Mac Pro macOS 10.12 & MacBook Pro macOS 10.13

Notes:
File corruption / data loss impacts not only clipping files in the finder but older home movies stored in QuickTime format. Small example attached as DSCF1054

Because of gross inefficiencies of the Finder when copying or moving large folders full of files (like app bundles, etc.), compression of those folders into a zip archive provides significantly faster transfer between disks or across networks even if the files are largely incompressible.

Impact:
Personal impact includes the corruption of home movies transferred from tape to .mov format of children in early years. I found collections of corrupted movies this while I was digging up old movies of my daughter when she was tiny... she graduates high school this year.

Congratulations, you made my wife cry.