[cluthu]

Though I'm not certain if a Windows version exists, under Linux & BSD there's a compression program named bzip2. I've found that it tends to compress files somewhat better than ordinary zip. For instance, a binary system log file that's created where I work is limited to a size of two megs prior to it being swapped out. However, not wanting to just delete the file, I have a script that mails it to me after being compressed. With typical zip the resulting filesize was roughly 1.8 megs. Bzip2 compressed it to 1.4. A marginal savings, I'll admit, but it's space savings 'for free,' as it were.

Of course, my findings are relative. As someone above had mentioned, it all depends on the type of data. In my case, the log was already partially compressed. I'd imagine textual data would show a better compression ratio.

 

[Fou-lu]

prafull, you got that 2.4 MB .eml file out of a 1.6MB zip because it get's uuencoded for email transfer. UUE files are encoded (not zipped) in text only so you could literally cut and paste a file from pure text and "unzip" it. Try this code, save it as .uue


_=_
_=_ Part 001 of 001 of file temp.zip
_=_

begin 666 temp.zip
M4$L#!`H``````-(L:BOZ67S_#@````X````(````=&5M<"YT>'1(96QL;R!P
M<F%F=6QL(5!+`0(4``H``````-(L:BOZ67S_#@````X````(``````````$`
F(`"[email protected]````!T96UP+G1X=%!+!08``````0`!`#8````T````````
`
end

 

[Xeven]

Boing! DUH! how could i 4get about that?:eyes: .. must be because of them pills... shhhhh... :heh:

 

[Prafull]

Originally posted by Fou-lu
prafull, you got that 2.4 MB .eml file out of a 1.6MB zip because it get's uuencoded for email transfer. UUE files are encoded (not zipped) in text only so you could literally cut and paste a file from pure text and "unzip" it. Try this code, save it as .uue

I didnt get what you meant to say in the rest of the document.
Neway you were right.If I already convert the file in .uue format then the size has no much difference before and after conversion.

But I still didnt understand the so called problem (if it is the problem) where the size of attachment is shown reduced.

 

[Fou-lu]

Uh, I meant that you get that code, copy it and paste to the notepad. Then save it as whatever.uue and unzip it.
About the filesize becoming smaller, that must be a bug in outlook or something like that, the file didn't got smaller, it just is being reported as smaller.

 

[Prafull]

Oh Ok Fou-lu got it now.
Seems interesting.
"Archive contains one file temp.zip and ......"

So in that manner format of file is also conserved.Right?

Thanks neway

 

[Fou-lu]

Yes, it is conserved. And as it is text only, it can be sent as fast as a zip file, even being bigger, because of the compression the modem does.

 

[Prafull]

Originally posted by Fou-lu
Yes, it is conserved. And as it is text only, it can be sent as fast as a zip file, even being bigger, because of the compression the modem does.

Thanks for everything you told.You seem to be quite an expert.

 

[crue426]

Originally posted by prafull
These two have really got me confused.

Can someone tell me whether all zip programs are similar in terms of compressing a file? I mean if I compress a 1.7mb file(epsxe savestate) using Winzip(and selecting maximum compression) its compressed to 1.6 mb only.Any other zip programs can further compress it ? Which program has the best compression ratio ?

The second question is more interesting. When I right click the same 1.7 mb file and choose add to zip option I still get 1.6 mb zip file.But when I right click and select add to zip and email option the file is reduced to 1.25 mb (as an attachment in outlook express).

So whats the point?

prafull - this is a _very_dated_faq on compression
interesting read btw

 

[Prafull]

Crue,
Ya it was very dated but still it was interesting to read (atleast as much I was able to understand).
Thanks Neway.