@database 00323fd8-0
@master HeddleyCreation
@$VER: 1.0
@author "John C. Bintz"
@(c) "Not!"
@remark Created with Heddley v1.1 (c) Edd Dumbill 1994

@node "Main" "Two Packers - BobSquash and XPKPack - For AmosPro"
                                 @{i}BobSquasher
                                     And
                                   XPKPack@{ui}
                            By Internext Software
                       @{fg shine}(uv334@freenet.victoria.bc.ca)@{fg text}

                                @{"Introduction" link "Intro" 0}
                              @{"Using BobSquasher" link "BobSquash" 0}
                                @{"Using XPKPack" link "XpkPack" 0}
                                 @{"Information" link "Info" 0}
@endnode

@node "Intro" "Introduction"
A while back, I learned how to do a simple bit compression scheme in Amos.
It  had the worst compression ratio ever, but it was my first break into
compression stuff on computers.

Next, I looked at how @{i}SquashABob@{ui} worked.  It wasn't too hard so I wrote my
own. Then, I made it so it stored the palette along with the file.  This was
all in  @{b}@{fg shine}Amos the Creator@{ub}@{fg text}.  Once I got AmosPro, I made it an Accessory, then
made it  store the number of colors automatically.

Then, when I needed to compress stuff for my up and comping platform game, I
tried again to write a compression routine.  I wanted to use XPK, but
Easylife  thrashed memory when XPK was used, so I dropped that.  Then, I
tried to write  a simple offset compression routine, but it was too hard, so
I dropped that.

Then I turned back to XPK.  I decided to directly access the
xpkmaster.library  using Lib Call.  Two weeks later, I had a fully
functioning set of XPK  routines for use.  Yay!
@endnode

@node "BobSquash" "Using BobSquasher"
BobSquash is easy.  If you use it as an Accessory, make sure some bobs are
in  Bank 1.  It will Squash them and place them into Bank 12 (or above,
whenever a  free bank is found).  The bank is a Data bank, so it'll stay
after every save.  If you run it as a regular program, a file requester for
a bob bank will come  up, and then a requester to save the Squashed Bob
bank.  Its a very simple and  effective compression scheme.

To use the compressed pictures, open up BobSquash and find the procedure
ROYAL_UNPACK.  This lets you decompress the bobs directly into the sprite
bank.
@endnode

@node "XpkPack" "Using XPKPack"
XPKPack works as either an Accessory or a stand-alone program.  It uses
xpkmaster.library and the compression sub-libraries, found on Aminet at
@{fg shine}util/ pack/xpk25dev.lha@{fg text}.  Install this first.  Then, if you don't have it,
get  @{fg shine}@{bg shadow}Easylife 1.10@{fg text}@{bg back} and install that.

When you start up the program, a screen appears.  Along the middle are four
buttons, labeled something like "Compressors","Mode Setting","Files","Info".
These access different displays (like MUI click-tabs):

  @{fg fill}Compressors@{fg text} lets you choose a compressor to use
  @{fg fill}Mode Setting@{fg text} lets you choose a mode from 0-99 to use
  @{fg fill}Files@{fg text} lets you choose a new file to use, and starts the compressing
  @{fg fill}Info@{fg text} gives a description of the compression routine plus some
       other tidbits...
       
  Click the button above these to quit.
@endnode

@node "Info" "Information"
XPK is not difficult to program.  Just a tad tricky.  By the way, XPK_Inbuf
doesn't work too well (sorry, Urban!).  The best compressors I've found are
BLZW and NUKE.  Remember to have the user get the XPK25DEV.LHA from Aminet
so  they can access your XPKed files.

 All this was written by John Bintz.

 @{fg shine}EMail:@{fg text}  uv334@freenet.victoria.bc.ca
         bintzer@pop.erols.com
 @{fg shine}WWW:@{fg text}    http://www.dragonfire.net/~JohnBintz/HOME.HTM
 @{fg shine}FTP:@{fg text}    ftp://www.dragonfire.net/users/Johnny
 @{fg shine}IRC:@{fg text}    JBintz on DALnet
         See me in #softnsupple !
 @{fg shine}NNTP:@{fg text}   I read alt.tv.eek-the-cat, rec.arts.comics.strips, comp.sys.amiga.
         marketplace, and probably some others, if I feel like it.
         
 Check out Sailor 
   @{fg fill}(http://www.lib.md.us)@{fg text}
 Kevin & Kell 
   @{fg fill}(http://www.compuserve.com/enter/kevkel/kkhome.html)@{fg text}
 Universal Press Syndicate 
   @{fg fill}(http://www.uexpress.com/)@{fg text}
 The AWD 
   @{fg fill}(http://www.cucug.org/amiga.html) @{fg text}
 and Why Your Amiga Web Browser is Always Outdated 
   @{fg fill}(http://www.netscape.com or http://www.microsoft.com).@{fg text}
 @{i}@{fg fill}See you later!@{ui}@{fg text}
@endnode