CP/M/CPM_CDROM.iso/mbug/mbug028.arc/SQUEEZE.DOC

Text File | 1979-12-31 | 23KB | 522 lines

USAGE AND RECOMPILATION DOCUMENTATION FOR:         7/18/81
     SQ.COM    1.3  File squeezer
     USQ.COM   1.4  File unsqueezer
     FLS.COM   1.1  Ambiguous file name expander

DISTRIBUTION RIGHTS:
I   allow  unrestricted  non-profit  distribution  of   this
software  and  invite  users groups  to  spread  it  around.
However,  any distribution for profit requires my permission
in  advance.  This applies only to the above listed programs
and their program source and documentation files.  I do sell
other software.

PURPOSE:
The file squeezer,  SQ, compresses files into a more compact
form.  This provides:
     1.   Faster transmission by modem.
     2.   Fewer diskettes to distribute a program  package.
          (Include USQ.COM and instructions, both unsqueezed.)
     3.   Fewer diskettes for archival storage.

Any file can be squeezed,  but program source files and text
files  benefit the most,  typically shrinking by 35%.  Files
containing only a limited character set,  such as dictionary
files,  may shrink as much as 48%.  Squeezed files look like
gibbersh and must be unsqueezed before they can be used.

The  unsqueezer,  USQ,  expands  squeezed files  into  exact
duplicates  of the original or provides a quick,  unsqueezed
display  of  the  tops  of  (or  all  of)  squeezed   files.
Unsqueezing requires only a single pass.

Both SQ and USQ accept batches of work specified by lists of
file  names  (with  drives  if  needed)  and   miscellaneous
options. They accept these parameters in any of three ways:

     1. On the CP/M command line.
     2. From the console keyboard.
     3. From a file.

The  FLS program can be used (on the same command line!)  to
expand parameter lists containing wild-card (ambiguous) file
names into lists with the specific file names required by SQ
and USQ.

This  combination of programs allows you to issue  a  single
command which will produce many squeezed or unsqueezed files
from and to various diskettes. For example, to unsqueeze all
squeezed  ASM files on drive B and send the results to drive
C  and also unsqueeze all squeezed TXT files on drive A  and
send the results to drive D:
     A>fls c: b:*.aqm d: *.tqt |usq
For detailed instructions see USAGE.
This  DOES  run under plain old vanilla CP/M!  Many  of  the
smarts  are buried in the COM files in the form  of  library
routines  provided  with the BDS C package  (available  from
Lifeboat).

The  above example simulates a "pipe" (indicated by the "|")
by sending the "console" output of the fls.com program to  a
temporary  file  and  then running the sq.com  program  with
options  which  cause  it to read its  parameters  from  its
"console" input, which is really redirected to come from the
temporary file.

THEORY:
The  data  in the file is treated at the byte  level  rather
then  the word level,  and can contain absolutely  anything.
The compression is in two stages: first repeated byte values
are  compressed  and  then a  Huffman  code  is  dynamically
generated  to match the properties of each particular  file.
This requires two passes over the source data.

The  decoding  table is included in the  squeezed  file,  so
squeezing  short  files can actually  lengthen  them.  Fixed
decoding  tables  are not used because  English and  various
computer  languages vary greatly as to upper and lower  case
proportions  and  use of special  characters.  Much  of  the
savings  comes  from  not  assigning codes  to  unused  byte
values.

More detailed comments are included in the source files.

USAGE TUTORIAL:
As usual, you have to learn how to tell the programs what to
do  (i.e.,  what parameters to type after the program name).
First I will introduce the various possibilities by example.
Then I will summarize the rules.

In  the simplest case either SQ or USQ can simply  be  given
one or more file names (with or without drive names):
     A>sq xyz.asm
     A>sq thisfile.doc b:thatfile.doc
will   create  squeezed  files  xyz.aqm,   thisfile.dqc  and
thatfile.dqc,  all  on the current drive,  A.  The  original
files are not disturbed. Note that the names of the squeezed
files are generated by rules - you don't specify them.

Likewise,
     A>usq xyz.aqm
will  create file xyz.asm on the A  drive,  overwriting  the
original.  (The  original name is recreated from information
stored in the squeezed version.) The squeezed version is not
disturbed.

Each file name is processed in order,  and you can list  all
the files you can fit in a command.  The file names given to
SQ and USQ must be specific. You will learn below how to use
the FLS program to expand patterns like *.asm (all files  of
type  asm) into a list of specific names and feed them  into
SQ or USQ.

The above examples let the destination drive default to  the
current logged drive, which was shown in the prompt to be A.
You can change the destination drive as often as you like in
the parameter list. For example,
     A>sq x.asm b: y.asm z.asm c: d:s.asm
will create x.aqm on the current drive,  A,  y.aqm and z.aqm
on the B drive and s.aqm on the C drive. Note that the first
three originals are on drive A and the last one is on  drive
D.  Remember  that each parameter is processed in order,  so
you must change the destination drive before you specify the
files to be created on that drive.

Eventually you will have diskettes with many squeezed  files
on  them and you will wonder what is in which file.  If they
weren't  squeezed you would use the TYPE command to look  at
the  comments at the beginning of the  files.  But  squeezed
files  just  make  a mess on your CRT screen when  you  TYPE
them,  so  I have provided the required feature as a preview
option to the USQ program.
     A>usq -10 x.bas b:y.asm
will  not take the time to create unsqueezed files.  Instead
it  will  unsqueeze  the first 10 lines  of  each  file  and
display  them  on your console.  The display from each  file
consists of the file names, the data and a formfeed (FF).
Also,
     A>usq - c:xyz.mac
will  unsqueeze  and display the first 65,535 lines  of  any
files listed. That's the biggest number you can give it, and
is intended to display the whole file.

This   preview  option  also  ensures  that  the   data   is
displayable.  The  parity bit is stripped off (some Wordstar
files  use  it for format control) and any  unusual  control
characters  are  converted to periods.  You'll see  some  of
these  at  the end of the files as the CP/M end of  file  is
treated  as  data  and  the  remainder  of  the  sector   is
displayed.

You are now familiar with all of the operational  parameters
of SQ and USQ.  But so far you have always typed them on the
command line which caused the program to be run. For reasons
which  will become apparent later,  I have also provided  an
interactive  mode.   If  there  are  no  parameters  (except
directed  i/o  parameters,  described later) on the  command
line,  SQ  and USQ will prompt with an asterisk  and  accept
parameters from the console keyboard. Each parameter must be
followed  by  RETURN and will be processed  immediately.  An
empty  command (just RETURN) will cause the program to  exit
back  to  CP/M.  Try it - it will help you  understand  what
follows.

Now lets get into directed i/o, which will be new to most of
you,  but will save you so much work you will wonder how you
ever got along without it.

Perhaps you frequently squeeze or unsqueeze the same list of
files  and you would like to type the list once and be  done
with it. Use an editor (or FLS, described below) to create a
file  with  one  parameter per line.  For  example  call  it
commands.lst.

Then,
A>sq <commands.lst
will  cause the command list file to be read as if you  were
typing it! You will see it on the console.

That was redirected console input.  Now assume that you have
a very long list of files to squeeze or unsqueeze and  while
you  are  taking a nap the progress comments and maybe  some
error  comments  scroll  off  the  screen.  Redirecting  the
console   output   will  let  you  capture   the   progress
information  in a file so you can check it later.  The error
comments will have the screen to themselves.

For example,
A>sq <commands.lst >out
will send the progress comments to the file "out", which you
can TYPE later.  The routine display of the program name and
version, etc., will still go to the console.

A more practical example is to send that information to  the
console and to the file.
A>sq <commands.lst +out
will do that.

Redirected  input  and output are independent - you  can  do
either, both or neither.

There is one more form of redirection called a "pipe". It is
by far the most important to you.  Recall that I promised to
tell  you how to use ambiguous file names such as *.asm (all
files  of  type asm on the current default drive)  or  *.?q?
(all files having a "q" as the second letter of their type).
That last example just happens to mean "all squeezed files",
assuming  you don't have any other files with such  a  silly
name (I hope).

I  have  provided  a program called FLS  which  is  intended
primarily for use in pipes. Here is an example:
A>fls c: x.asm y*.asm >temp.$$$
will  simply  pass the first two parameters through  to  the
console output,  which is being redirected to a file  called
temp.$$$.  But  the third parameter will be replaced by  all
the  files  on the current drive which are of type  asm  and
have names beginning with y.

FLS  is  smart  enough to know that a letter followed  by  a
colon and nothing else is a destination drive name  intended
for  SQ or USQ.  It will also treat any parameter  beginning
with  a  - (minus sign) as an option to be  passed  through.
Anything  else  is considered a file name or pattern and  is
checked against the directory of the appropriate drive.

Therefore you could use:
A>fls b: c:*.aqm *.aqm -10 stuff.dqc >temp.$$$
A>usq <temp.$$$
A>era temp.$$$
to unsqueeze all files of type aqm on drives C and A and put
the unsqueezed files on drive B,  and then preview the first
10 lines of file stuff.dqc.

Here  is where the pipe comes in.  The above three  commands
can be abbreviated as:
A>fls b: c:*.aqm *.aqm -10 stuff.dqc |usq

That  little  "|" is the pipe option and it causes  the  FLS
output to be redirected to a temporary file and when that is
done  it  actually  runs USQ for you with the  proper  input
redirection and then erases the temporary file.

If  that  isn't  enough,  you  can still  use  the  +  or  >
redirection  option  at the end of that line to capture  the
console output from USQ.
A>fls b: c:*.aqm *.aqm -10 stuff.dqc |usq >out

If you plan your comments carefully you can produce a single
file containing an abstract of an entire library of squeezed
files in one step!
A>fls -25 *.?q? |usq >abstract

One  final point.  Anywhere you specify a file name you  can
specify a drive in front of it.  That applies to redirection
and well as files to be squeezed and unsqueezed.  If a  name
begins  with a - (minus sign) it will look like an option to
FLS unless you put a drive name in front of it (b:-sq.077).

USAGE SUMMARY:
The previous section gradually presented the various options
by example. This section gives a condensed and more abstract
description  and is intended for reference.  If you couldn't
see  the forest for the trees,  maybe this will give  you  a
better view.

The parameter handling of these programs is straightforward.
Parameters  fall into two classes:  directed i/o options and
operational parameters . Note that parameters read from files
or  from the console are not forced to upper case,  but  the
internal  file  handling routines all treat  lower  case  as
upper case.

When  a  file to be written already exists,  it  is  quietly
overwritten.



Directed I/O parameters:
The  first  action  taken by these programs  is  to  process
directed  i/o parameters from the CP/M command  line.  These
parameters are optional and take the forms:

     <file     read console input from file
     >file     send most console output to file
     +file     send most console output to file and console
     |pgm ...  send most console output to a temporary file
               then run PGM.COM and take console input
               from the temporary file. "..." represent the
               parameters for PGM. This is called "piping".

Only  one input and one output redirection can apply to each
program. After the program has arranged for any directed i/o
parameters to be obeyed they are deleted from the  parameter
list seen by the rest of the program.

Operational parameters:
The   program  then  checks  if  there  are  any   remaining
parameters from the CP/M command line.  If there  are,  they
are obeyed. If and only if there are no remaining parameters
on  the  command line,  the program prompts for them at  the
console.  If  console input has been directed to a file  one
parameter  is  read and obeyed from each line of  the  file.
Otherwise,  the  user  follows each typed parameter  with  a
RETURN and an empty command exits the program.

Each  operational parameter is obeyed without looking  ahead
to  other  parameters,  so options should precede  the  file
names to which they apply.

SQ operational parameters are a list of the following types:
     drive:         set the current destination drive
     filename       file to be squeezed
     drive:filename  "   "    "    "

SQ does not change the files being squeezed. New, squeezed
files are created on the destination drive (defaults to  the
current drive) with names derived from the original name but
with  the second letter of the file type (extention) changed
to Q.  When there is no type, QQQ is used. The original name
is saved in the squeezed file.

USQ  operational  parameters  are a list  of  the  following
types:
     drive:         set the current destination drive
     filename       file to be squeezed
     drive:filename  "   "    "    "
     -count         Preview (display on the console) the first
                    "count"  lines  of  each   file,   where
                    "count" is a number from 1 to 65535.

If  the  -count  option IS NOT in effect  then  USQ  creates
unsqueezed  versions of the listed files on the  destination
drive,  which  defaults to the current  logged  drive.  Each
unsqueezed  file is CRC checked against the CRC value of the
original file, which is part of the squeezed file.

The  -count  option is for  previewing  squeezed  files.  It
allows  you  to  skim  through a group  of  squeezed  files,
peeking  at  the first "count" lines in each.  The  >  or  +
output  redirection  option could be used  to  capture  this
information  in a file,  along with the corresponding  file
names, thus forming an abstract of the files on a disk.

When  the  -count option is used the CRC check is  cancelled
and  the  output is forced into printable form by  stripping
the  parity bit and changing most unprintable characters  to
periods.  The exceptions are CR,  LF, TAB and FF. The output
from  each file is terminated by an FF.  PIP can be used  to
strip FFs and provide formatted printing if desired. "Count"
defaults to the maximum value,  65,535,  in case you want to
look at a whole file.

FLS operational parameters:  FLS is a "filter",  which means
it  accepts input from the console input or command line and
transforms the input according to a set of rules to  produce
console  output.  That's fine for getting familiar with FLS,
but to make it useful you "pipe" its output to the input  of
SQ or USQ.

Any FLS parameter which is of the form:
     drive:
or   -anything
is  copied  to console output unchanged.

Any  other  FLS operational parameter is treated as  a  file
name and is checked against the directory of the appropriate
drive. If it contains * or ? it is replaced by a list of all
the files which fit the pattern.  If nothing is found in the
directory  an error comment is sent to the console,  even if
normal console output has been redirected to a file.

IMPORTANT:  when  using  a pipe from FLS or any other  input
redirection to get the file list,  etc.,  on which USQ or SQ
are  to operate you must NOT put any parameters  other  than
redirection  following  the program name.  They must be  all
together in the input parameter list. Example:

A>fls -10  b:*.cq |usq +saveout
is  the  proper way to preview the top (first 10  lines)  of
each  squeezed  .C file on the B drive.  The -10  is  passed
through  FLS  to USQ.  The results will be displayed on  the
console  and  saved in file "saveout" on the  A  drive.  The
saveout  file lets you confirm the list of  processed  files
even  if  the display scrolls off the screen  while  running
unattended.

In summary, i/o redirection parameters (those prefixed by +,
<,  >,  or |) always follow the command to which they apply,
but  operational parameters  (destination  drive,  -options)
must be with the file name list.

EXAMPLES:
1. Unsqueeze all squeezed files on the current drive and put
the resulting unsqueezed files on the same drive.
     A>fls *.?q? |usq

2.  Look  at  the first 10 lines of every squeezed  file  on
drive B.
    A>fls -10 b:*.?Q? |usq
note  that since the file names for USQ came from  FLS,  the
count option had to come from there too.

4.  Squeeze all .ASM files on the B and C drives and put the
squeezed files on the D drive.
     A>fls d: b:*.asm c:*.asm |sq
Note that if d:  had not been first the squeezed files would
have gone to the A drive.

5.  Squeeze file xyz.c on the A drive and put the results on
the A drive.
     A>sq xyz.c

6.  Build  a  parameter list of all ASM files on drive C  in
file XX.PAR and view it on the console.
     A>fls c:*.asm +xx.par

7. Use the above list to squeeze the files to the A drive.
     A>sq <xx.par

8. As above, but results to the B drive.
     A>b:
     B>a:sq <a:xx.par

9.  Squeeze  all ASM and C files on the A drive and put  the
results on the B drive. Capture the progress comments in the
file "out" without displaying them.
     A>fls b: *.asm *.c |sq >out

10.  Preview  the first 24 lines of each squeezed  ASM  file
THEN unsqueeze them (unless stopped via cntl-C).
     A>fls -24 *.aqm a: *.aqm |usq
Note  that  specification  of a  destination  drive  cancels
previewing.

RECOMPILATION:
These programs are written in C and the instructions are for
the BDS C compiler. The libraries must have been adapted for
directed i/o as described in DIO2.C.

The  procedures below indicate the various C language source
files  (file  type .C) required to  recompile.  Those  files
contain  #include statements which cause header files  (file
type  .H) to be read and compiled.  The BDSCIO.H header file
contains information about your system,  including how  much
space  to reserve for file buffers.  You should use your own
version of this file.

The source files DIO2.C, SQDIO.C and USQDIO.C are identical!
If you only get one,  just use PIP to create the rest.  They
are separate only to provide separate CRL files,  which  are
needed  because of the different external variable  options.
Note  that  they  do  not  include  all  the  header  files,
therefore  the  other  source  files must  include  the  dio
related headers first.

DIO.C is supplied with BDS C.  The above three files  differ
from  the official version only by a change to the  dioflush
function to ensure TEMPIN.$$$ is deleted before another file
is renamed to that name.  (CP/M is stupid enough to make two
files of the same name!).

The procedure for building the SQ.COM and USQ.COM files from
their  source files follows.  Note that I have  renamed  the
first  phase  of the BDS C compiler to CC.COM.  Also I  will
assume  the BDS C package is on drive D and the SQ  and  USQ
related files are on B along with BDSCIO.H and DIO.H.

Each  CC command produces a CRL file with specific addresses
for  external variables.  If you recompile a file  with  the
same  value in the -e option you don't have to recompile the
other  files,  just  do the desired CC and then  repeat  the
entire CLINK.

CLINK's -s option prints statistics. Top of memory means the
current TPA. Stack space is what's left over. These programs
require  stack  space for local  variables,  including  some
healthy i/o buffers.  Also some functions are recursive.  If
SQ doesn't have several K of stack space it will probably go
crazy and do almost anything.

For SQ (note not all use -o):
D>cc b:sq.c -o -e3200
D>cc b:sqdio.c -e3200
D>cc b:tr1.c -o -e3200
D>cc b:tr2.c -o -e3200
D>cc b:io.c -o -e3200
D>clink b:sq sqdio tr2 tr1 io -s

The linker will display some statistics. Check that the last
code  address is less than the start address of the external
variables (3200 in this example).  If not,  repeat the above
with a higher address in the -e options.

For USQ (note: -e2800 may be enough. Note not all use -o):
D>cc b:usq.c -o -e2900
D>cc b:usqdio.c -e2900
D>cc b:utr.c -o -e2900
D>clink b:usq usqdio utr -s

Check the addresses as described above.

For FLS:
D>cc b:fls.c
D>cc b:dio2.c
D>clink b:fls dio2

IN CASE OF TROUBLE:
I  welcome  suggestions  and  bug  reports,   but  you  must
understand that some of the ideas I get would involve almost
as much program development as the original package.  I have
what I want and (I hope) what most users want,  so I am  not
motivated  to  spend  many more  months  creating  something
entirely  different  which  just  happens  to  involve  data
compression. The data compression routines are probably less
than  half of this package,  and are designed to operate  on
large blocks of data, such as files.

        Dick Greenlaw
                251 Colony Ct.
                Gahanna, Ohio 43230
                614-475-0172 weekends and evenings