xref: /freebsd/usr.bin/compress/doc/README (revision 0ac341f145426f1f0d00b64d35f19fada2be635c)
1
2	@(#)README	8.1 (Berkeley) 6/9/93
3  $FreeBSD$
4
5Compress version 4.0 improvements over 3.0:
6	o compress() speedup (10-50%) by changing division hash to xor
7	o decompress() speedup (5-10%)
8	o Memory requirements reduced (3-30%)
9	o Stack requirements reduced to less than 4kb
10	o Removed 'Big+Fast' compress code (FBITS) because of compress speedup
11    	o Portability mods for Z8000 and PC/XT (but not zeus 3.2)
12	o Default to 'quiet' mode
13	o Unification of 'force' flags
14	o Manual page overhaul
15	o Portability enhancement for M_XENIX
16	o Removed text on #else and #endif
17	o Added "-V" switch to print version and options
18	o Added #defines for SIGNED_COMPARE_SLOW
19	o Added Makefile and "usermem" program
20	o Removed all floating point computations
21	o New programs: [deleted]
22
23The "usermem" script attempts to determine the maximum process size.  Some
24editing of the script may be necessary (see the comments).  [It should work
25fine on 4.3 BSD.] If you can't get it to work at all, just create file
26"USERMEM" containing the maximum process size in decimal.
27
28The following preprocessor symbols control the compilation of "compress.c":
29
30	o USERMEM		Maximum process memory on the system
31	o SACREDMEM		Amount to reserve for other processes
32	o SIGNED_COMPARE_SLOW	Unsigned compare instructions are faster
33	o NO_UCHAR		Don't use "unsigned char" types
34	o BITS			Overrules default set by USERMEM-SACREDMEM
35	o vax			Generate inline assembler
36	o interdata		Defines SIGNED_COMPARE_SLOW
37	o M_XENIX		Makes arrays < 65536 bytes each
38	o pdp11			BITS=12, NO_UCHAR
39	o z8000			BITS=12
40	o pcxt			BITS=12
41	o BSD4_2		Allow long filenames ( > 14 characters) &
42				Call setlinebuf(stderr)
43
44The difference "usermem-sacredmem" determines the maximum BITS that can be
45specified with the "-b" flag.
46
47memory: at least		BITS
48------  -- -----                ----
49     433,484			 16
50     229,600			 15
51     127,536			 14
52      73,464			 13
53           0			 12
54
55The default is BITS=16.
56
57The maximum bits can be overruled by specifying "-DBITS=bits" at
58compilation time.
59
60WARNING: files compressed on a large machine with more bits than allowed by
61a version of compress on a smaller machine cannot be decompressed!  Use the
62"-b12" flag to generate a file on a large machine that can be uncompressed
63on a 16-bit machine.
64
65The output of compress 4.0 is fully compatible with that of compress 3.0.
66In other words, the output of compress 4.0 may be fed into uncompress 3.0 or
67the output of compress 3.0 may be fed into uncompress 4.0.
68
69The output of compress 4.0 not compatible with that of
70compress 2.0.  However, compress 4.0 still accepts the output of
71compress 2.0.  To generate output that is compatible with compress
722.0, use the undocumented "-C" flag.
73
74	-from mod.sources, submitted by vax135!petsd!joe (Joe Orost), 8/1/85
75--------------------------------
76
77Enclosed is compress version 3.0 with the following changes:
78
791.	"Block" compression is performed.  After the BITS run out, the
80	compression ratio is checked every so often.  If it is decreasing,
81	the table is cleared and a new set of substrings are generated.
82
83	This makes the output of compress 3.0 not compatible with that of
84	compress 2.0.  However, compress 3.0 still accepts the output of
85	compress 2.0.  To generate output that is compatible with compress
86	2.0, use the undocumented "-C" flag.
87
882.	A quiet "-q" flag has been added for use by the news system.
89
903.	The character chaining has been deleted and the program now uses
91	hashing.  This improves the speed of the program, especially
92	during decompression.  Other speed improvements have been made,
93	such as using putc() instead of fwrite().
94
954.	A large table is used on large machines when a relatively small
96	number of bits is specified.  This saves much time when compressing
97	for a 16-bit machine on a 32-bit virtual machine.  Note that the
98	speed improvement only occurs when the input file is > 30000
99	characters, and the -b BITS is less than or equal to the cutoff
100	described below.
101
102Most of these changes were made by James A. Woods (ames!jaw).  Thank you
103James!
104
105To compile compress:
106
107	cc -O -DUSERMEM=usermem -o compress compress.c
108
109Where "usermem" is the amount of physical user memory available (in bytes).
110If any physical memory is to be reserved for other processes, put in
111"-DSACREDMEM sacredmem", where "sacredmem" is the amount to be reserved.
112
113The difference "usermem-sacredmem" determines the maximum BITS that can be
114specified, and the cutoff bits where the large+fast table is used.
115
116memory: at least		BITS		cutoff
117------  -- -----                ----            ------
118   4,718,592 			 16		  13
119   2,621,440 			 16		  12
120   1,572,864			 16		  11
121   1,048,576			 16		  10
122     631,808			 16               --
123     329,728			 15               --
124     178,176			 14		  --
125      99,328			 13		  --
126           0			 12		  --
127
128The default memory size is 750,000 which gives a maximum BITS=16 and no
129large+fast table.
130
131The maximum bits can be overruled by specifying "-DBITS=bits" at
132compilation time.
133
134If your machine doesn't support unsigned characters, define "NO_UCHAR"
135when compiling.
136
137If your machine has "int" as 16-bits, define "SHORT_INT" when compiling.
138
139After compilation, move "compress" to a standard executable location, such
140as /usr/local.  Then:
141	cd /usr/local
142	ln compress uncompress
143	ln compress zcat
144
145On machines that have a fixed stack size (such as Perkin-Elmer), set the
146stack to at least 12kb.  ("setstack compress 12" on Perkin-Elmer).
147
148Next, install the manual (compress.l).
149	cp compress.l /usr/man/manl
150	cd /usr/man/manl
151	ln compress.l uncompress.l
152	ln compress.l zcat.l
153
154		- or -
155
156	cp compress.l /usr/man/man1/compress.1
157	cd /usr/man/man1
158	ln compress.1 uncompress.1
159	ln compress.1 zcat.1
160
161					regards,
162					petsd!joe
163
164Here is a note from the net:
165
166>From hplabs!pesnta!amd!turtlevax!ken Sat Jan  5 03:35:20 1985
167Path: ames!hplabs!pesnta!amd!turtlevax!ken
168From: ken@turtlevax.UUCP (Ken Turkowski)
169Newsgroups: net.sources
170Subject: Re: Compress release 3.0 : sample Makefile
171Organization: CADLINC, Inc. @ Menlo Park, CA
172
173In the compress 3.0 source recently posted to mod.sources, there is a
174#define variable which can be set for optimum performance on a machine
175with a large amount of memory.  A program (usermem) to calculate the
176usable amount of physical user memory is enclosed, as well as a sample
1774.2BSD Vax Makefile for compress.
178
179Here is the README file from the previous version of compress (2.0):
180
181>Enclosed is compress.c version 2.0 with the following bugs fixed:
182>
183>1.	The packed files produced by compress are different on different
184>	machines and dependent on the vax sysgen option.
185>		The bug was in the different byte/bit ordering on the
186>		various machines.  This has been fixed.
187>
188>		This version is NOT compatible with the original vax posting
189>		unless the '-DCOMPATIBLE' option is specified to the C
190>		compiler.  The original posting has a bug which I fixed,
191>		causing incompatible files.  I recommend you NOT to use this
192>		option unless you already have a lot of packed files from
193>		the original posting by Thomas.
194>2.	The exit status is not well defined (on some machines) causing the
195>	scripts to fail.
196>		The exit status is now 0,1 or 2 and is documented in
197>		compress.l.
198>3.	The function getopt() is not available in all C libraries.
199>		The function getopt() is no longer referenced by the
200>		program.
201>4.	Error status is not being checked on the fwrite() and fflush() calls.
202>		Fixed.
203>
204>The following enhancements have been made:
205>
206>1.	Added facilities of "compact" into the compress program.  "Pack",
207>	"Unpack", and "Pcat" are no longer required (no longer supplied).
208>2.	Installed work around for C compiler bug with "-O".
209>3.	Added a magic number header (\037\235).  Put the bits specified
210>	in the file.
211>4.	Added "-f" flag to force overwrite of output file.
212>5.	Added "-c" flag and "zcat" program.  'ln compress zcat' after you
213>	compile.
214>6.	The 'uncompress' script has been deleted; simply
215>	'ln compress uncompress' after you compile and it will work.
216>7.	Removed extra bit masking for machines that support unsigned
217>	characters.  If your machine doesn't support unsigned characters,
218>	define "NO_UCHAR" when compiling.
219>
220>Compile "compress.c" with "-O -o compress" flags.  Move "compress" to a
221>standard executable location, such as /usr/local.  Then:
222>	cd /usr/local
223>	ln compress uncompress
224>	ln compress zcat
225>
226>On machines that have a fixed stack size (such as Perkin-Elmer), set the
227>stack to at least 12kb.  ("setstack compress 12" on Perkin-Elmer).
228>
229>Next, install the manual (compress.l).
230>	cp compress.l /usr/man/manl		- or -
231>	cp compress.l /usr/man/man1/compress.1
232>
233>Here is the README that I sent with my first posting:
234>
235>>Enclosed is a modified version of compress.c, along with scripts to make it
236>>run identically to pack(1), unpack(1), and pcat(1).  Here is what I
237>>(petsd!joe) and a colleague (petsd!peora!srd) did:
238>>
239>>1. Removed VAX dependencies.
240>>2. Changed the struct to separate arrays; saves mucho memory.
241>>3. Did comparisons in unsigned, where possible.  (Faster on Perkin-Elmer.)
242>>4. Sorted the character next chain and changed the search to stop
243>>prematurely.  This saves a lot on the execution time when compressing.
244>>
245>>This version is totally compatible with the original version.  Even though
246>>lint(1) -p has no complaints about compress.c, it won't run on a 16-bit
247>>machine, due to the size of the arrays.
248>>
249>>Here is the README file from the original author:
250>>
251>>>Well, with all this discussion about file compression (for news batching
252>>>in particular) going around, I decided to implement the text compression
253>>>algorithm described in the June Computer magazine.  The author claimed
254>>>blinding speed and good compression ratios.  It's certainly faster than
255>>>compact (but, then, what wouldn't be), but it's also the same speed as
256>>>pack, and gets better compression than both of them.  On 350K bytes of
257>>>Unix-wizards, compact took about 8 minutes of CPU, pack took about 80
258>>>seconds, and compress (herein) also took 80 seconds.  But, compact and
259>>>pack got about 30% compression, whereas compress got over 50%.  So, I
260>>>decided I had something, and that others might be interested, too.
261>>>
262>>>As is probably true of compact and pack (although I haven't checked),
263>>>the byte order within a word is probably relevant here, but as long as
264>>>you stay on a single machine type, you should be ok.  (Can anybody
265>>>elucidate on this?)  There are a couple of asm's in the code (extv and
266>>>insv instructions), so anyone porting it to another machine will have to
267>>>deal with this anyway (and could probably make it compatible with Vax
268>>>byte order at the same time).  Anyway, I've linted the code (both with
269>>>and without -p), so it should run elsewhere.  Note the longs in the
270>>>code, you can take these out if you reduce BITS to <= 15.
271>>>
272>>>Have fun, and as always, if you make good enhancements, or bug fixes,
273>>>I'd like to see them.
274>>>
275>>>=Spencer (thomas@utah-20, {harpo,hplabs,arizona}!utah-cs!thomas)
276>>
277>>					regards,
278>>					joe
279>>
280>>--
281>>Full-Name:  Joseph M. Orost
282>>UUCP:       ..!{decvax,ucbvax,ihnp4}!vax135!petsd!joe
283>>US Mail:    MS 313; Perkin-Elmer; 106 Apple St; Tinton Falls, NJ 07724
284>>Phone:      (201) 870-5844
285