Exomizer 2.0 beta4 released
NEW FEATURES SINCE V1.X:
o Totally rewitten handling of the sfx decruncher:
1) Several different decrunch effects.
2) Complete user control over memory and irq config.
3) Can start basic programs properly with built in trampoline by using the
command 'sfx basic'
3) The decruncher code is assembled on the fly for maximum flexibility by an
embedded assembler.
4) Will adapt the decruncher to include only features used by the compressed
stream to keep the size down.
5) Supports the c128 and the vic20 (in several configurations).
6) The Atari 400/800 XL/XE family is supported as sfx target 168.
7) Can generate relocated sfx targets without basic line.
8) The Apple ][+ (and //e) is supported as sfx target 162.
o Reads Atari xex-files and autodetects the RUNAD vector if the sys keyword is
given to the sfx command.
o Can load plain files using the <filename>()<addr> syntax.
o Has a literal sequence escape mechanism that detects and handles sequences
of uncrunchable data properly.
o The level mode of exomizer now crunches each infile separately and appends
them to the outfile instead of merging them together like the -r mode did
before.
o New raw mode that features:
1) Crunches plain files instead of .prg files.
2) Crunches forward or backwards instead of just backwards.
3) Also decrunches.
4) Handles files larget than 64k. The Canterbury and Calgary corpora
is now possible to crunch.
5) Comes with two different C-source decrunchers, one thread safe forward
pull decruncher and one low-level backwards push decruncher, perfect to
base an assembler port on. (Any z80 programmers out there?)
FEATURES STILL TO DO BEFORE PROPER RELEASE:
o Sfx decruncher in exomizer:
1) Handle the vic20 target better with regards to memory holes.
2) Handle Atari target better with regards to RAM under OS-ROM.
o There is no 6502 assembler decruncher for streaming data crunched forward
crunched using literal sequences.
However the streaming (backwards) decrunchers will work if the -b and -c
flags are used when crunching (with exomizer raw). Please see the examples.
Please note that unlike 1.x, only exomizer raw can crunch data intended to
be used by the streaming decrunchers.
o The sfx command sometimes crunch better with the -c flag. The cruncher
doesn't take the sfx decuncher size increase due to enabling the literal
sequence escape mechanism.
o Update the usage descriptions properly.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The command line syntax differs from v1.x. Here's a quick translation guide:
old new
------------------ -----------------------------
exomizer -ssys <infile> exomizer sfx sys <infile>
exomizer -s$1234 <infile> exomizer sfx $1234 <infile>
exomizer -r <infile> exomizer level <infile>
exomizer <infile> exomizer mem -lnone <infile>
exomizer -l$1234 <infile> exomizer mem -l$1234 <infile>
exomizer -lauto <infile> exomizer mem <infile>
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-- A beginning of something like documentation --------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A note about addresses:
An address in this context is a positive 16-bit value [0 - 65536]. It can be
given in decimal, hexadecimal (prefixed with $ or 0x) or octal (prefixed with
0) notation. Examples: 3, 54, $3456, 0x1111, 06543.
Exomizer has four sub commands: mem, level, sfx and raw. They all compress
data. They share the following option flags:
----------------
-c This flag enables 1.x compatibility mode. It disables the use of the
literal sequence escape mechanism. It will make the output files
compatible with Exomizer v1.x.
-e <encoding parameters>
Uses the given encoding parameters for crunching instead of trying to
calculate an optimal set. The encoding must be in the following format:
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx,xxxx,xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx,xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
where each x must be a hexadecimal character, 0-9 or A-F.
The Exomizer prints the encoding parameters used when writing the
output file in this format in order to allow for easy cut and paste.
-m <offset>
Limits the maximum offset ued cu the cruncher to <offset>. The default
is an offseet of 65535 bytes. A smaller offsets increases the crunching
speed and reduces the crunch result. If a circular buffer decruncher is
used it is important that the maximum offset doesn't exceed the buffer
size.
-o <outfile>
Sets outfile name.
-p <passes>
Limits the maximum number of optimization passes the cruncher uses when
calculating the encoding parameters. default is 65535. However the
cruncher will always stop when no further improvment to the crunch
result is made.
-q Enables quiet mode which will disable display output.
-v Displays Exomizer version, email address for support and the usage
license.
-- Will make all arguments that follow be treated as non-options, even if
they begins with a - character.
-? Displays a help screen that briefly decribes the command line syntax
and the valid options. Also for the sub command if one is given.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-- Information relevant for the mem, sfx and level sub commands ---------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The mem, level and sfx command all crunches files backwards. The files have to
belocated in a 16-bit address space and are also limited in size to that 16bit
address space. The file format of the input files are prg files, xex files or
located plain files (plain files that are given an address to load to.)
The syntax for loading a prg or xex file is simply the filename:
$ exomizer mem <prg file> <xex file> -o <output prg file name>
If you want to load a prg file to a different address than it contains you can
simply append a comma and the new load address:
$ exomizer mem <prg file>,<new address> -o <output prg file name>
Relocation does not work for xex files. An relocated xex file will simply be
treated as if it was a relocated prg file.
Plain located files are given using a similar syntax:
$ exomizer mem <plain file>()<address> -o <output prg file name>
When given multiple input files The sfx and mem commands loads all files to
where they are located and then crunch the covered memory area. Any unused
space between files will be zero-filled. The level command loads each input
file separately, crunches it and then appends the crunched data to the output
file.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-- The mem sub command --------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The mem command generated files that are used for decrunching from memory.
Normally these files are linked into the progam images either by machine code
monitors or by assembler directives like incbin.
The mem command writes its output in prg format. It has the following option:
-l <address>|none
Sets the load address of the output prg file to <address> or if the
string none is given make the output be a plain file. Defaults to
the address that gives the crunched data as much overlap with the
decrunched data as possible but still allow for in-place decrunching.
However, the file doesn't need to be decrunched from that address. Any
address that doesn't cause data being decrunched to overwrite data yet
to be decrunched will work.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-- The level sub command ------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The level command writes the files in its own format that is easy to read back
and decrunch on the fly. It has no options of its own.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-- The sfx sub command --------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The sfx command generates a runnable stand alone, in memory decrunching file.
Its first argument must always be the run address. It may be given as an
address or the string sys or the string basic.
If the run address is an actual address then it will be used as the target
address of a jmp instruction executed after the decrunching.
If the run address is the string sys then the run address will be
autodetected. Either from the runad vector for the Atari target or by scanning
the area of the basic start for a sys basic command.
If the run address is the string basic then the computer will run a basic
program after decrunch. (Not supported yet for the Atari target).
The output of the sfx command is a runnable program file that decrunches
itself in memory when run. The output file format depends on the target
used. For all Commodore machines the output is a runnable prg-file that starts
with a basic line. For the Atari the target is a auto running xex-file. The
atari target doesn't support decrunching into extended memory. For the Apple
the target is a Applesoft basic file.
The sfx command has the following options:
-t<target>
Sets the decruncher target. The possible target are:
4: Commodore c16/plus4.
20: Commodore Vic20, unexpanded memory.
23: Commodore Vic20, 3kB memory expansion.
52: Commodore Vic20, 32kB memory expasion.
55: Commodore Vic20 32+3kB memory expansion.
64: Commodore c64. (The default target)
128: Commodore c128.
162: Apple ][+ and //e
168: Atari 400/800 XL/XE.
-X<custom slow effect assembler fragment>
-x[1-3]|<custom fast effect assembler fragment>
Sets the decrunch effect. If an assembler fragment is given, it must
not change the X-register, Y-register or modify the carry flag.
Separate instructions with a space. Please note that including spaces
in the fragment requires quoting to work. An example of a slow C64
x-scroll-register effect: -X "txa and #07 ora #$c8 sta $d016"
Use a value of 1 - 3 to pick a preset effect:
1: Accumulator based fast border flash
2: X-register based fast border flash
3: Y-register based fast border flash
Default effect is a slow character flash.
-n No decrunch effect. This option can't be combined with -X or -x
-D<symbol>=<value>
Defines symbols for the sfx assembler. More advanced features of the
decruncher is ontrolled by defining symbole. More on this in the
decruncher symbol reference section below.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-- The raw sub command --------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Now let's go back to the command that handles plain files, raw.
The raw command can both crunch and decrunch both forward and backward. It also
handles generic files without any of the above mentioned restrictions. There's
no hardcoded limit in file size but it gets increasingly slow with larger files
so there's a practical limit of about 1MB. The output file format of this
command is a generic file.
It is possible to give an optional offset and length for the infile like this:
<infile>[,offset[,length]]. Negative offsets are allowed but will be calculated
from the end of the file.
To skip the first two bytes but read all the rest of a file do like this:
$ exomizer raw <infile>,2 -o <outfile>
To read 10 bytes at offset 13 from the end of the file do like this:
$ exomizer raw <infile>,-13,10 -o <outfile>
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-- The included decruncher source code with examples --------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
There are two directories with source code in the distribution:
exodecrs/
This contains the source code of three 6502 assembler decrunchers. One
backward deruncher that decrunches data crunched by the mem sub
command. call this decruncher once to decrunch the data to its targeted
location.
Also contained in this directory are two streaming forward decrunchers
for data crunched with the raw sub command. Both use a circular buffer
and has a get_byte like interface that are called repeatedly to get one
byte or a block of decrunched data until the end of data is signalled
by the call returning with the carry flag set. However they are not
capable of handling the literal sequence escape mechanism so data must
be cruncher with the -c flag.
Also included are a Makefile and some example code and data that use
the three decrunchers. The assembler syntax is ca65, the assembler of
the cc65 tool chain. This tool chain is needed to build the examples.
rawdecrs/
This directory contains two decrunches written in C. One backwards
decruncher with a call once and all data are decrunched interface.
And one forward streaming decruncher with a get_decrunched_byte
interface. Also incuded are example code using the decrunchers and
a Makefile that can be used for building them. An ANSI-C compiler are
necessary for this.
All of the included makefiles have only been tested with Gnu make.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-- Credits for Exomizer 2.x ---------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Feature suggestions
-------------------
Csabo / LOD
Ninja / The Dreams
Richard / TND
Jack Alien / Remember
Bug reports
-----------
iAN CooG / HokutoForce
Regression testing
------------------
Ninja / The Dreams
Csabo / LOD
iAN CooG / HokutoForce
Lasse Öörni
Inspiration
-----------
PuCrunch
The Oneway crunchers, packers and linkers, Byte Boiler, AB, cruel etc.
The Final Super-Compressor by Meidinger & Borris
Timecruncher 3.1 by Matcham of Network
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-- Credits for Exomizer 1.x ---------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Inspiration
-----------
The Oneway crunchers: Byteboiler, The Cruncher AB and CruelCrunch.
Pasi Ojala's PuCrunch
Beta testing
------------
Lasse Öörni
Csabo / LOD
Overkiller / Hokuto Force / PoL
iAN CooG / Hokuto Force
Rafal Szyja
bubis / Resource
Ninja / The Dreams
Bug Reporting
-------------
Csabo / LOD
Soci / Singular
6R6 / Nostalgia
Ninja / The Dreams
Feedback/Suggestions
--------------------
Count Zer0
bubis / Resource
Ninja / The Dreams
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-- Contact information --------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Please don't hesitate to contact me if you have any feature/improvement
suggestions, bugs to report or perhaps just have something to say about the
exomizer program.
My name is Magnus Lind and my email address is magli143()gmail.com
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-- Reference for the sfx decruncher symbols -----------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The sfx decruncher is tweaked by defining optional symbols to the assembler on
the command line using the -D<symbol>=<value> flag:
The following symbol controls the sfx load address:
i_load_addr
If it is unset then the sfx file will load to the default basic start address
of the target machine (For Atari the default load address is $2000)
If it is set then the sfx file will load to the given address and it will not
have any basic line. (The Atari target never has a basic line). The apple
target file format will change from an Applesoft basic file to an Apple binary
file.
The following symbols control the memory config:
i_ram_enter (defaults to standard ROM config)
i_ram_during
i_ram_exit (defaults to standard ROM config)
For the c64 and the c128 target the value of the above symbols will be stored
into $fff0 (c128) or $01 (c64) to set the mem config. For the c16/+4 target
0=ROM and 1=RAM. For the Atari the value will be stored in $d301.
Default is $37 for the c64, $00 for the c128, 0 for the c16/+4 and $fd for the
Atari.
The following symbols control irqs. (0=disabled,sei, 1=enabled,cli)
i_irq_enter (defaults to 1)
i_irq_during
i_irq_exit
To locate the decrunch table elsewhere than the default tape buffer or $0600
for The Atari target, use the symbol i_table_addr:
-Di_table_addr=<address>
The apple target has an option to disconnect DOS. To do this, set the i_a2_disable_dos symbol to any value:
-Di_a2_disable_dos=1
Effects are no longer selected by the use of symbols. They are now chosen by
the -x or -X flags or deactivated by -n.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-- Results for the Canterbury and Calgary corpae for exomizer raw -------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------
Canterbury in out b/B ratio gained
------------------------------------------------------
alice29.txt 152089 53060 2.79 34.89% 65.11%
asyoulik.txt 125179 48530 3.10 38.77% 61.23%
cp.html 24603 8352 2.72 33.95% 66.05%
fields.c 11150 3177 2.28 28.49% 71.51%
grammar.lsp 3721 1294 2.78 34.78% 65.22%
kennedy.xls 1029744 162282 1.26 15.76% 84.24%
lcet10.txt 426754 138443 2.60 32.44% 67.56%
plrabn12.txt 481861 190570 3.16 39.55% 60.45%
ptt5 513216 51904 0.81 10.11% 89.89%
sum 38240 12316 2.58 32.21% 67.79%
xargs.1 4227 1829 3.46 43.27% 56.73%
------------------------------------------------------
total 2810784 671757 1.91 23.90% 76.10%
------------------------------------------------------
Calgary in out b/B ratio gained
------------------------------------------------------
bib 111261 34219 2.46 30.76% 69.24%
book1 768771 305695 3.18 39.76% 60.24%
book2 610856 198396 2.60 32.48% 67.52%
geo 102400 68268 5.33 66.67% 33.33%
news 377109 139442 2.96 36.98% 63.02%
obj1 21504 10137 3.77 47.14% 52.86%
obj2 246814 78902 2.56 31.97% 68.03%
paper1 53161 18659 2.81 35.10% 64.90%
paper2 82199 29546 2.88 35.94% 64.06%
paper3 46526 18309 3.15 39.35% 60.65%
paper4 13286 5722 3.45 43.07% 56.93%
paper5 11954 5165 3.46 43.21% 56.79%
paper6 38105 13536 2.84 35.52% 64.48%
pic 513216 51904 0.81 10.11% 89.89%
progc 39611 13591 2.74 34.31% 65.69%
progl 71646 16198 1.81 22.61% 77.39%
progp 49379 11129 1.80 22.54% 77.46%
trans 93695 18677 1.59 19.93% 80.07%
------------------------------------------------------
total 3251493 1037495 2.55 31.91% 68.09%
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