RE: the windows version of bewesofts 'Superpacker' (v. 3x)

[carmel_andrews]

...which i understand is actually 2 file compressors in one since it combines both bewesofts superpacker and also a multi system superpacker called 'exomiser' (which i think also did cbm, apple as well as atari file compression)

 

I did have the program a while back but didn't get to use it, since it required you to download something called 'MADS assembler' just so you could use the packer program (a slightly annoying extra step, especially if you only want to use the packer) and by the time i got this MADS assember downloaded the HD with the superpacker program on it decided tio die on me

 

Some Q's regarding the windows version of the said packer program

 

If i recall correctly, the original A8 version had a file limit of just under 32k, does this 'updated' windows version still have the same file size limit or can you pack files upto 64k (or greater)

 

Also what filetypes can you use with suerpacker, is it only exe's and com files or can you pack/repack xex's as well

 

Also, since this updated version incorporates the multi system file compressor 'exomiser', can this new superpacker also handle cbm as well as apple files, or was that part of the exomiser code stripped out and you can only use atari files

 

Also what is the compression ratio like, compared to say cruncher 5 (by magnus), since i recall that cruncher 5 had slightly better packing/compression ratio's then the original A8 version of the superpacker (though in fairness to superpacker, you could use binary files that loaded as low as 400/480h, whereas cruncher 5 lowest was A80/B00h and also if i recall correctly cruncher 5 wouldn't allow use to compress files that had either a run or init address)

 

Aklso will there be a version of this updated superpacker that doesn't require you to download this MADS assembler as well, which seems a slightly annoying extra step if you only want to pack programs or use the packer

[tebe]

http://madteam.atari8.info

 

http://madteam.atari8.info/index.php?prod=linki

 

http://mads.atari8.info

Edited June 2, 2012 by tebe

[Rybags]

Filesize limit now - no idea. It's fairly rare to have binary segments >32K anyway.

Total filesize isn't really relevant, the depack is called on segments that you tell the GUI to apply the packing to.

 

Need for Mads assembler - probably because the depacker can be located practically anywhere and you can also specify what zeropage locations it uses.

 

The overall system might have it's flaws and could be made easier to use, but it's probably the best and easiest one out there. And fast too.

[+CharlieChaplin]

Well,

 

1) regarding limitations: Allthough Bewe`s Superpacker (A8) does pack file/data-segments, it is limited to a total filelength (=all segments of the file) of approx. 31kbytes. Superpacker by TeBe is NOT limited like that, I packed files with up to 1MB successfully with it. Maybe I will try to pack the 46 MB animation of Iron Man with it (just to see how much shorter it would get). Bewe`s Superpacker does also have a limitation of max. 64 file/data-segments, afaik this limit is not there in TeBe`s Superpacker.

 

2) regarding packer algorhythms: TeBe`s Superpacker includes Exomizer (A8) and Deflate (A8), there is nothing included for other computer platforms afaik...

 

3) TeBe`s Superpacker can pack ML files, as long as they are named *.XEX, *.COM, *.EXE or *.OBX (rename the A8 ML-file if it has another extender or simply use the option to show ALL Files in the input window).

 

4) regarding MADS: Versions 3.0, 3.1, 3.2 and 3.3 all require MADS to run - but if you download Superpacker from the MadTeam page, then MADS is already included: http://madteam.atari...fo/uzytki/sp.7z

(packed with 7-Zip, so depack with 7-Zip as well)

 

5) Well, Code3-Cruncher was already much better than Magnus Cruncher, it allowed RUN and Init and had much better packing efficiency; Superpacker with Exomizer has even better results than Code3-Cruncher, its the best packer for A8 files right now (regarding lenght / packing efficiency). One can almost "freely" set the depacking adress and the buffer for Exomizer and one can pack files that use/require eXtended RAM with Exomizer (Code3-Cruncher and Magnus-Cruncher will only pack/depack files that run on 64k machines). One can also choose the depack effect, if that matters. The depacker+buffer for Exomizer is shorther than for Deflate, the packing efficiency for Exomizer is also (most of the time) better than Deflate, thats why I only use Exomizer. Nevertheless, always keep unpacked backups of your A8 files, in case something does not work well or not at all anymore, after it has been packed - i.e. save the packed file under a different filename...

 

Here is a zipped version 3.2 and version 3.3 with MADS, Deflater and Exomizer (version 3.3 also includes a Deflat7z, but this does not seem to work yet). Last not least, I packed all my TIP animations -more than 600 files- with Superpacker/Exomizer. Errm, I use Superpacker under WIN XP, I do not know how well it works under other WIN versions... -Andreas Koch.

superpacker.zip