verwer@ruuinf.cs.ruu.nl (Nico Verwer) (09/25/89)
This is the english translation of the documentation for PACK.PRG,
a dutch PD packing program. Could you please mail be the the binaries,
Lars-Erik?
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Explanation of PACK.PRG and UNPACK.PRG
PACK.PRG reduces the length of most programs that have been generated by
a compiler to 60-70% of the original length, by coding it in a special way,
and adding some machine code, which decodes the program when it is started.
Especially compilers, databases, etcetera become much smaller by packing,
so much space is saved on diskettes and ramdisks. Since decoding is very
fast, starting the program from diskette becomes much faster too.
To use PACK.PRG, after starting the program one must enter the name of the
original file, followed by the name of the packed file. If both files are
on the same disk, in the same folder, the names must differ, otherwise your
file will be lost!! The packed file must have the same extension (PRG, TOS
or TTP) as the original.
After packing, the length of the original, the length of the packed file and
the length of the packed file relative to the length of the original (in
percentages) are printed.
PACK.PRG can not (yet) code programs that contain a symbol table, but these
are rare, fortunately.
With UNPACK.PRG, a packed file can be decoded, giving back the original file.
PACK.PRG and UNPACK.PRG mat be copied, but not sold.