Compak

From AtariForumWiki
Jump to navigation Jump to search
Compak is a program which will take any normal TOS, TTP or PRG file and
compact it producing a smaller but still executable file. It is based on
Bytekiller (a PD compacting program for the Amiga) but has been re-written
to work on an Atari ST (complete with memory allocation and relocating,
which the Amiga version never did!)

To use it simply double click on the COMPAK_2.TTP file and enter the file
name of the program you wish to compact (complete with drive id and path)

The resulting compacted file is re-saved over the top of the original file
so ensure that you only compact copies (since not all files will work when
compacted)

The only limitation placed is on TTP files where the parameter must not be
longer than 63 characters.

The program attempts to use workspace not usually used and thus remain
invisible to whichever program it is uncompacting although it does use an
extra 2 or 3k at the end of the program for the relocation map.

If the program you are compacting is executed from another in supervisor
mode (you will probably get a privilidge violation) then two changes need
to be made to the compacted file. use a file editor to alter the first two
occurences of 4E41 (trap #1) to 4E71 (nop). This will prevent it from going
back to user mode after running the uncompact routine.


	Mike Coates - 16.11.88


Back to Packer/Depacker