Re: A86: Saving Memory

To: <assembly-86@lists.ticalc.org>
Subject: Re: A86: Saving Memory
From: "Dave" <scheltem@aaps.k12.mi.us>
Date: Sun, 15 Nov 1998 15:34:54 -0800
Delivered-To: assembly-86-outgoing@towerguard.unix.edu.sollentuna.se
Reply-To: assembly-86@lists.ticalc.org

Truly all you need for compression is an algorithm that will shorten the
length of the code by performing tasks on it.  It should not be that big of
a deal to do if you have a good algorithm.  Like JBrett said those are some
of the most commonly used algorithms used for compression.
Dave
_____________________________________________
ACZ
assembly coders zenith member
e-mail: scheltem@aaps.k12.mi.us
ICQ #16817590
-----Original Message-----
From: Thomas J. Hruska <thruska@tir.com>
To: assembly-86@lists.ticalc.org <assembly-86@lists.ticalc.org>
Date: Sunday, November 15, 1998 12:28 PM
Subject: Re: A86: Saving Memory


>
>At 03:09 PM 11/15/98 -0500, you wrote:
>>Hello,
>>    I was working on Brix and thinking about this.. my maps in Brix are
like
>>this:
>>
>>Level:
>>.db 1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1
>>.db 1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1
>> .db 1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1
>> .db 1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1
>> .db 1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1
>> .db 1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1
>> .db 1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1
>> .db 1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1
>>
>>which is 88 bytes [8x11, 11 sprites horizontally..]  each number
represents
>>a sprite [ex. 1=block, 2=....]  there is a way to compress them, but I am
>>not sure how to.. any suggestions? Thanks.
>>-Ahmed
>
>There are two different ways to compress your levels.  Both ways use a
>buffer to extract the level into, but most of the time the program is made
>smaller.  I personally like to use the PCX format to compress my levels
>since it is easier to understand.  HUFFLIB (I think this is the right name)
>compression is the other technique which is said to work better.  I've
>never tested the library since it is not for the 82 platform (which is the
>platform I use).  If you want to take the time to convert my PCX-like
>loader over to the 86, then I'll send the code to you in its current state.
> I use a much more advanced loader system than what you need it for, but it
>will work none-the-less.  Under the current code, your level would have to
>look like this:
>
>NumLevels:
>.db 1
>
>Level1:
>.db 8, 8
>.db 1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1
>.db 1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1
>.db 1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1
>.db 1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1
>.db 1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1
>.db 1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1
>.db 1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1
>.db 1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,255
>.dw Level2
>  ret
>
>Level2:
>
>
>I know the level is not compressed (I'm too lazy I guess), but you see why
>you would need to change the code.  The current game engine that I'm
>developing copies the level into the buffer (in this case it would be 8 * 8
>= 64 bytes needed) and runs the code following the level (allows for easy
>custom level development...notice the ret).  Well, I hope this helps.
>
>
>                 Thomas J. Hruska -- thruska@tir.com
>Shining Light Productions -- "Meeting the needs of fellow programmers"
>         http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/Heights/8504
>                    http://shinelight.home.ml.org
>