1 | .TH ZLIB 3 "14 March 2010" |
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2 | .SH NAME |
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3 | zlib \- compression/decompression library |
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4 | .SH SYNOPSIS |
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5 | [see |
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6 | .I zlib.h |
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7 | for full description] |
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8 | .SH DESCRIPTION |
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9 | The |
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10 | .I zlib |
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11 | library is a general purpose data compression library. |
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12 | The code is thread safe, assuming that the standard library functions |
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13 | used are thread safe, such as memory allocation routines. |
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14 | It provides in-memory compression and decompression functions, |
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15 | including integrity checks of the uncompressed data. |
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16 | This version of the library supports only one compression method (deflation) |
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17 | but other algorithms may be added later |
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18 | with the same stream interface. |
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19 | .LP |
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20 | Compression can be done in a single step if the buffers are large enough |
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21 | or can be done by repeated calls of the compression function. |
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22 | In the latter case, |
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23 | the application must provide more input and/or consume the output |
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24 | (providing more output space) before each call. |
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25 | .LP |
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26 | The library also supports reading and writing files in |
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27 | .IR gzip (1) |
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28 | (.gz) format |
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29 | with an interface similar to that of stdio. |
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30 | .LP |
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31 | The library does not install any signal handler. |
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32 | The decoder checks the consistency of the compressed data, |
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33 | so the library should never crash even in the case of corrupted input. |
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34 | .LP |
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35 | All functions of the compression library are documented in the file |
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36 | .IR zlib.h . |
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37 | The distribution source includes examples of use of the library |
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38 | in the files |
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39 | .I example.c |
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40 | and |
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41 | .IR minigzip.c, |
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42 | as well as other examples in the |
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43 | .IR examples/ |
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44 | directory. |
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45 | .LP |
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46 | Changes to this version are documented in the file |
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47 | .I ChangeLog |
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48 | that accompanies the source. |
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49 | .LP |
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50 | .I zlib |
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51 | is available in Java using the java.util.zip package: |
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52 | .IP |
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53 | http://java.sun.com/developer/technicalArticles/Programming/compression/ |
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54 | .LP |
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55 | A Perl interface to |
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56 | .IR zlib , |
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57 | written by Paul Marquess (pmqs@cpan.org), |
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58 | is available at CPAN (Comprehensive Perl Archive Network) sites, |
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59 | including: |
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60 | .IP |
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61 | http://search.cpan.org/~pmqs/IO-Compress-Zlib/ |
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62 | .LP |
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63 | A Python interface to |
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64 | .IR zlib , |
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65 | written by A.M. Kuchling (amk@magnet.com), |
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66 | is available in Python 1.5 and later versions: |
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67 | .IP |
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68 | http://www.python.org/doc/lib/module-zlib.html |
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69 | .LP |
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70 | .I zlib |
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71 | is built into |
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72 | .IR tcl: |
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73 | .IP |
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74 | http://wiki.tcl.tk/4610 |
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75 | .LP |
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76 | An experimental package to read and write files in .zip format, |
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77 | written on top of |
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78 | .I zlib |
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79 | by Gilles Vollant (info@winimage.com), |
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80 | is available at: |
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81 | .IP |
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82 | http://www.winimage.com/zLibDll/minizip.html |
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83 | and also in the |
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84 | .I contrib/minizip |
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85 | directory of the main |
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86 | .I zlib |
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87 | source distribution. |
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88 | .SH "SEE ALSO" |
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89 | The |
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90 | .I zlib |
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91 | web site can be found at: |
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92 | .IP |
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93 | http://zlib.net/ |
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94 | .LP |
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95 | The data format used by the zlib library is described by RFC |
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96 | (Request for Comments) 1950 to 1952 in the files: |
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97 | .IP |
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98 | http://www.ietf.org/rfc/rfc1950.txt (for the zlib header and trailer format) |
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99 | .br |
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100 | http://www.ietf.org/rfc/rfc1951.txt (for the deflate compressed data format) |
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101 | .br |
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102 | http://www.ietf.org/rfc/rfc1952.txt (for the gzip header and trailer format) |
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103 | .LP |
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104 | Mark Nelson wrote an article about |
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105 | .I zlib |
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106 | for the Jan. 1997 issue of Dr. Dobb's Journal; |
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107 | a copy of the article is available at: |
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108 | .IP |
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109 | http://marknelson.us/1997/01/01/zlib-engine/ |
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110 | .SH "REPORTING PROBLEMS" |
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111 | Before reporting a problem, |
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112 | please check the |
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113 | .I zlib |
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114 | web site to verify that you have the latest version of |
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115 | .IR zlib ; |
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116 | otherwise, |
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117 | obtain the latest version and see if the problem still exists. |
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118 | Please read the |
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119 | .I zlib |
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120 | FAQ at: |
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121 | .IP |
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122 | http://zlib.net/zlib_faq.html |
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123 | .LP |
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124 | before asking for help. |
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125 | Send questions and/or comments to zlib@gzip.org, |
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126 | or (for the Windows DLL version) to Gilles Vollant (info@winimage.com). |
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127 | .SH AUTHORS |
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128 | Version 1.2.4 |
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129 | Copyright (C) 1995-2010 Jean-loup Gailly (jloup@gzip.org) |
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130 | and Mark Adler (madler@alumni.caltech.edu). |
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131 | .LP |
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132 | This software is provided "as-is," |
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133 | without any express or implied warranty. |
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134 | In no event will the authors be held liable for any damages |
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135 | arising from the use of this software. |
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136 | See the distribution directory with respect to requirements |
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137 | governing redistribution. |
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138 | The deflate format used by |
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139 | .I zlib |
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140 | was defined by Phil Katz. |
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141 | The deflate and |
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142 | .I zlib |
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143 | specifications were written by L. Peter Deutsch. |
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144 | Thanks to all the people who reported problems and suggested various |
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145 | improvements in |
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146 | .IR zlib ; |
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147 | who are too numerous to cite here. |
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148 | .LP |
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149 | UNIX manual page by R. P. C. Rodgers, |
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150 | U.S. National Library of Medicine (rodgers@nlm.nih.gov). |
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151 | .\" end of man page |
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