NAME
dictzip, dictunzip - compress (or expand) files, allowing random accessSYNOPSIS
dictzip [options] namedictunzip [options] name
DESCRIPTION
dictzip compresses files using the gzip(1) algorithm (LZ77) in a manner which is completely compatible with the gzip file format. An extension to the gzip file format (Extra Field, described in 2.3.1.1 of RFC 1952) allows extra data to be stored in the header of a compressed file. Programs like gzip and zcat will ignore this extra data. However, dictd(8), the DICT protocol dictionary server will make use of this data to perform pseudo-random access on the file. Files in the dictzip format should end in ".dz" so that they may be distinguished from common gzip files that do not contain the special header information. From RFC 1952, the extra field is specified as follows:If the FLG.FEXTRA bit is set, an "extra
field" is present in the header, with total length XLEN bytes. It
consists of a series of subfields, each of the form:
SI1 and SI2 provide a subfield ID, typically two ASCII letters with some
mnemonic value. Jean-Loup Gailly <[email protected]> is maintaining a
registry of subfield IDs; please send him any subfield ID you wish to use.
Subfield IDs with SI2 = 0 are reserved for future use.
LEN gives the length of the subfield data, excluding the 4 initial bytes.
+---+---+---+---+==================================+ |SI1|SI2| LEN |... LEN bytes of subfield data ...| +---+---+---+---+==================================+
+---+---+---+---+---+---+===============================+ | VER | CHLEN | CHCNT | ... CHCNT words of data ... | +---+---+---+---+---+---+===============================+
TRADEOFFS
- Speed
- True random file access is not realized, since any access, even for a single byte, requires that a 64kB chunk be read and decompressed. This is slower than accessing a flat text file, but is much, much faster than performing serial access on a fully compressed file.
- Space
- For the textual dictionary databases we are working with, the use of 64kB chunks and maximal LZ77 compression realizes a file which is only about 4% larger than the same file compressed all at once.
OPTIONS
- -d or --decompress
- Decompress. This is the default if the executable is called dictunzip.
- -c or --stdout
- Write output on standard output; keep original files unchanged. This is only available when decompressing (because parts of the header must be updated after a write when compressing).
- -f or --force
- Force compression or decompression even if the output file already exists.
- -h or --help
- Display help.
- -k or --keep
- Do not delete the original file.
- -l or --list
- For each compressed file, list the following fields:
type: dzip, gzip, or text (includes files in unknown formats)
crc: CRC checksum
date and time: from header
chunks: number of chunks in file
size: size of each uncompressed chunk
compr.: compressed size
uncompr.: uncompressed size
ratio: compression ratio (0.0% if unknown)
name: name of uncompressed file Unlike gzip, the compression method is not detected.
- -L or --license
- Display the dictzip license and quit.
- -t or --test
- Check the compressed file integrity. This option is not implemented. Instead, it will list the header information.
- -n or --no-name
- Don't save the original filename and timestamp.
- -v or --verbose
- Verbose. Display extra information during compression.
- -V or --version
- Version. Display the version number and compilation options then quit.
- -s start or --start start
- Specify the offer to start decompression, using decimal numbers. The default is at the beginning of the file.
- -e size or --size size
- Specify the size of the portion of the file to decompress, using decimal numbers. The default is the whole file.
- -S start or --Start start
- Specify the offer to start decompression, using base64 numbers. The default is at the beginning of the file.
- -E size or --Size start
- Specify the size of the portion of the file to decompress, using base64 numbers. The default is the whole file.
- -p prefilter or --pre prefilter
- Specify a shell command to execute as a filter before compression or decompression of a chunk. The pre- and post-compression filters can be used to provide additional compression or output formatting. The filters may not increase the buffer size significantly. The pre- and post-compression filters were designed to provide the most general interface possible.
- -P postfilter or --post postfilter
- Specify a shell command to execute as a filter after compression or decompression.
CREDITS
dictzip was written by Rik Faith ([email protected]) and is distributed under the terms of the GNU General Public License. If you need to distribute under other terms, write to the author. The main libraries used by this programs (zlib, regex, libmaa) are distributed under different terms, so you may be able to use the libraries for applications which are incompatible with the GPL -- please see the copyright notices and license information that come with the libraries for more information, and consult with your attorney to resolve these issues.SEE ALSO
dict(1), dictd(8), gzip(1), gunzip(1), zcat(1)| 22 Jun 1997 |