Provided by: erlang-manpages_16.b.3-dfsg-1ubuntu2.2_all 
NAME
zlib - Zlib Compression interface.
DESCRIPTION
The zlib module provides an API for the zlib library (http://www.zlib.org). It is used to
compress and decompress data. The data format is described by RFCs 1950 to 1952.
A typical (compress) usage looks like:
Z = zlib:open(),
ok = zlib:deflateInit(Z,default),
Compress = fun(end_of_data, _Cont) -> [];
(Data, Cont) ->
[zlib:deflate(Z, Data)|Cont(Read(),Cont)]
end,
Compressed = Compress(Read(),Compress),
Last = zlib:deflate(Z, [], finish),
ok = zlib:deflateEnd(Z),
zlib:close(Z),
list_to_binary([Compressed|Last])
In all functions errors, {'EXIT',{Reason,Backtrace}}, might be thrown, where Reason
describes the error. Typical reasons are:
badarg:
Bad argument
data_error:
The data contains errors
stream_error:
Inconsistent stream state
einval:
Bad value or wrong function called
{need_dictionary,Adler32}:
See inflate/2
DATA TYPES
zstream() = port()
A zlib stream, see open/0.
zlevel() = none
| default
| best_compression
| best_speed
| 0..9
zmemlevel() = 1..9
zmethod() = deflated
zstrategy() = default | filtered | huffman_only
zwindowbits() = -15..-9 | 9..47
Normally in the range -15..-9 | 9..15.
EXPORTS
open() -> zstream()
Open a zlib stream.
close(Z) -> ok
Types:
Z = zstream()
Closes the stream referenced by Z.
deflateInit(Z) -> ok
Types:
Z = zstream()
Same as zlib:deflateInit(Z, default).
deflateInit(Z, Level) -> ok
Types:
Z = zstream()
Level = zlevel()
Initialize a zlib stream for compression.
Level decides the compression level to be used, 0 (none), gives no compression at
all, 1 (best_speed) gives best speed and 9 (best_compression) gives best
compression.
deflateInit(Z, Level, Method, WindowBits, MemLevel, Strategy) ->
ok
Types:
Z = zstream()
Level = zlevel()
Method = zmethod()
WindowBits = zwindowbits()
MemLevel = zmemlevel()
Strategy = zstrategy()
Initiates a zlib stream for compression.
The Level parameter decides the compression level to be used, 0 (none), gives no
compression at all, 1 (best_speed) gives best speed and 9 (best_compression) gives
best compression.
The Method parameter decides which compression method to use, currently the only
supported method is deflated.
The WindowBits parameter is the base two logarithm of the window size (the size of
the history buffer). It should be in the range 9 through 15. Larger values of this
parameter result in better compression at the expense of memory usage. The default
value is 15 if deflateInit/2. A negative WindowBits value suppresses the zlib
header (and checksum) from the stream. Note that the zlib source mentions this only
as a undocumented feature.
The MemLevel parameter specifies how much memory should be allocated for the
internal compression state. MemLevel=1 uses minimum memory but is slow and reduces
compression ratio; MemLevel=9 uses maximum memory for optimal speed. The default
value is 8.
The Strategy parameter is used to tune the compression algorithm. Use the value
default for normal data, filtered for data produced by a filter (or predictor), or
huffman_only to force Huffman encoding only (no string match). Filtered data
consists mostly of small values with a somewhat random distribution. In this case,
the compression algorithm is tuned to compress them better. The effect of
filteredis to force more Huffman coding and less string matching; it is somewhat
intermediate between default and huffman_only. The Strategy parameter only affects
the compression ratio but not the correctness of the compressed output even if it
is not set appropriately.
deflate(Z, Data) -> Compressed
Types:
Z = zstream()
Data = iodata()
Compressed = iolist()
Same as deflate(Z, Data, none).
deflate(Z, Data, Flush) -> Compressed
Types:
Z = zstream()
Data = iodata()
Flush = none | sync | full | finish
Compressed = iolist()
deflate/3 compresses as much data as possible, and stops when the input buffer
becomes empty. It may introduce some output latency (reading input without
producing any output) except when forced to flush.
If the parameter Flush is set to sync, all pending output is flushed to the output
buffer and the output is aligned on a byte boundary, so that the decompressor can
get all input data available so far. Flushing may degrade compression for some
compression algorithms and so it should be used only when necessary.
If Flush is set to full, all output is flushed as with sync, and the compression
state is reset so that decompression can restart from this point if previous
compressed data has been damaged or if random access is desired. Using full too
often can seriously degrade the compression.
If the parameter Flush is set to finish, pending input is processed, pending output
is flushed and deflate/3 returns. Afterwards the only possible operations on the
stream are deflateReset/1 or deflateEnd/1.
Flush can be set to finish immediately after deflateInit if all compression is to
be done in one step.
zlib:deflateInit(Z),
B1 = zlib:deflate(Z,Data),
B2 = zlib:deflate(Z,<< >>,finish),
zlib:deflateEnd(Z),
list_to_binary([B1,B2])
deflateSetDictionary(Z, Dictionary) -> Adler32
Types:
Z = zstream()
Dictionary = iodata()
Adler32 = integer()
Initializes the compression dictionary from the given byte sequence without
producing any compressed output. This function must be called immediately after
deflateInit/[1|2|6] or deflateReset/1, before any call of deflate/3. The compressor
and decompressor must use exactly the same dictionary (see inflateSetDictionary/2).
The adler checksum of the dictionary is returned.
deflateReset(Z) -> ok
Types:
Z = zstream()
This function is equivalent to deflateEnd/1 followed by deflateInit/[1|2|6], but
does not free and reallocate all the internal compression state. The stream will
keep the same compression level and any other attributes.
deflateParams(Z, Level, Strategy) -> ok
Types:
Z = zstream()
Level = zlevel()
Strategy = zstrategy()
Dynamically update the compression level and compression strategy. The
interpretation of Level and Strategy is as in deflateInit/6. This can be used to
switch between compression and straight copy of the input data, or to switch to a
different kind of input data requiring a different strategy. If the compression
level is changed, the input available so far is compressed with the old level (and
may be flushed); the new level will take effect only at the next call of deflate/3.
Before the call of deflateParams, the stream state must be set as for a call of
deflate/3, since the currently available input may have to be compressed and
flushed.
deflateEnd(Z) -> ok
Types:
Z = zstream()
End the deflate session and cleans all data used. Note that this function will
throw an data_error exception if the last call to deflate/3 was not called with
Flush set to finish.
inflateInit(Z) -> ok
Types:
Z = zstream()
Initialize a zlib stream for decompression.
inflateInit(Z, WindowBits) -> ok
Types:
Z = zstream()
WindowBits = zwindowbits()
Initialize decompression session on zlib stream.
The WindowBits parameter is the base two logarithm of the maximum window size (the
size of the history buffer). It should be in the range 9 through 15. The default
value is 15 if inflateInit/1 is used. If a compressed stream with a larger window
size is given as input, inflate() will throw the data_error exception. A negative
WindowBits value makes zlib ignore the zlib header (and checksum) from the stream.
Note that the zlib source mentions this only as a undocumented feature.
inflate(Z, Data) -> Decompressed
Types:
Z = zstream()
Data = iodata()
Decompressed = iolist()
inflate/2 decompresses as much data as possible. It may some introduce some output
latency (reading input without producing any output).
If a preset dictionary is needed at this point (see inflateSetDictionary below),
inflate/2 throws a {need_dictionary,Adler} exception where Adler is the adler32
checksum of the dictionary chosen by the compressor.
inflateSetDictionary(Z, Dictionary) -> ok
Types:
Z = zstream()
Dictionary = iodata()
Initializes the decompression dictionary from the given uncompressed byte sequence.
This function must be called immediately after a call of inflate/2 if this call
threw a {need_dictionary,Adler} exception. The dictionary chosen by the compressor
can be determined from the Adler value thrown by the call to inflate/2. The
compressor and decompressor must use exactly the same dictionary (see
deflateSetDictionary/2).
Example:
unpack(Z, Compressed, Dict) ->
case catch zlib:inflate(Z, Compressed) of
{'EXIT',{{need_dictionary,DictID},_}} ->
zlib:inflateSetDictionary(Z, Dict),
Uncompressed = zlib:inflate(Z, []);
Uncompressed ->
Uncompressed
end.
inflateReset(Z) -> ok
Types:
Z = zstream()
This function is equivalent to inflateEnd/1 followed by inflateInit/1, but does not
free and reallocate all the internal decompression state. The stream will keep
attributes that may have been set by inflateInit/[1|2].
inflateEnd(Z) -> ok
Types:
Z = zstream()
End the inflate session and cleans all data used. Note that this function will
throw a data_error exception if no end of stream was found (meaning that not all
data has been uncompressed).
setBufSize(Z, Size) -> ok
Types:
Z = zstream()
Size = integer() >= 0
Sets the intermediate buffer size.
getBufSize(Z) -> Size
Types:
Z = zstream()
Size = integer() >= 0
Get the size of intermediate buffer.
crc32(Z) -> CRC
Types:
Z = zstream()
CRC = integer()
Get the current calculated CRC checksum.
crc32(Z, Data) -> CRC
Types:
Z = zstream()
Data = iodata()
CRC = integer()
Calculate the CRC checksum for Data.
crc32(Z, PrevCRC, Data) -> CRC
Types:
Z = zstream()
PrevCRC = integer()
Data = iodata()
CRC = integer()
Update a running CRC checksum for Data. If Data is the empty binary or the empty
iolist, this function returns the required initial value for the crc.
Crc = lists:foldl(fun(Data,Crc0) ->
zlib:crc32(Z, Crc0, Data),
end, zlib:crc32(Z,<< >>), Datas)
crc32_combine(Z, CRC1, CRC2, Size2) -> CRC
Types:
Z = zstream()
CRC = CRC1 = CRC2 = Size2 = integer()
Combine two CRC checksums into one. For two binaries or iolists, Data1 and Data2
with sizes of Size1 and Size2, with CRC checksums CRC1 and CRC2. crc32_combine/4
returns the CRC checksum of [Data1,Data2], requiring only CRC1, CRC2, and Size2.
adler32(Z, Data) -> CheckSum
Types:
Z = zstream()
Data = iodata()
CheckSum = integer()
Calculate the Adler-32 checksum for Data.
adler32(Z, PrevAdler, Data) -> CheckSum
Types:
Z = zstream()
PrevAdler = integer()
Data = iodata()
CheckSum = integer()
Update a running Adler-32 checksum for Data. If Data is the empty binary or the
empty iolist, this function returns the required initial value for the checksum.
Crc = lists:foldl(fun(Data,Crc0) ->
zlib:adler32(Z, Crc0, Data),
end, zlib:adler32(Z,<< >>), Datas)
adler32_combine(Z, Adler1, Adler2, Size2) -> Adler
Types:
Z = zstream()
Adler = Adler1 = Adler2 = Size2 = integer()
Combine two Adler-32 checksums into one. For two binaries or iolists, Data1 and
Data2 with sizes of Size1 and Size2, with Adler-32 checksums Adler1 and Adler2.
adler32_combine/4 returns the Adler checksum of [Data1,Data2], requiring only
Adler1, Adler2, and Size2.
compress(Data) -> Compressed
Types:
Data = iodata()
Compressed = binary()
Compress data (with zlib headers and checksum).
uncompress(Data) -> Decompressed
Types:
Data = iodata()
Decompressed = binary()
Uncompress data (with zlib headers and checksum).
zip(Data) -> Compressed
Types:
Data = iodata()
Compressed = binary()
Compress data (without zlib headers and checksum).
unzip(Data) -> Decompressed
Types:
Data = iodata()
Decompressed = binary()
Uncompress data (without zlib headers and checksum).
gzip(Data) -> Compressed
Types:
Data = iodata()
Compressed = binary()
Compress data (with gz headers and checksum).
gunzip(Data) -> Decompressed
Types:
Data = iodata()
Decompressed = binary()
Uncompress data (with gz headers and checksum).