Try it: -msrep or -msrep+lolz/razor or -msrep:m3f:l512(or smaller l# values):a0
This CMD window navigated to FreeArc\bin directory? Or use FreeArc GUI? Win7 x64 differentially resolve cmd/path related commands than XP.*

See the 'mp4.txt' file used commands...

*Very strong example:

WinXP: move data.bin data.7z --> equal to "ren" console commands.
Win7: move data.bin data.7z --> worser scenario, destroying the whole file! Better scenario, workly rename.

Thanks for the comments.

I'm suspecting the issue of arc not working properly may be because I have several other programs that also have the arc.exe included. So when I attempt to run the arc command, the command may be selecting another location of arc.exe and not the arc.exe within the Freearc directory.

Presently trying to remove paths to the other programs containing arc.exe and see how things go. And trying to run arc.exe from the current working directory of Freearc\bin.

EDIT: I managed to get Arc.exe working with methods by copying Arc.exe and Arc.ini and srep to the current working directory which contained the test mp4 file.

The initial problem of Arc not working properly was most likely due to the presence of multiple copies of Arc.exe and Arc.ini within several other programs which were causing conflicts with each other.

EDIT2: Did some compression tests on 70 MP4 files ranging in size from 547 kB to 11,351 kB.

NOTE: for compression options using lm4 for files, files fail to decompress! Do not use lm4 option!

There is not a great difference in final compressed file sizes regardless of compression method.

Not really the best ideal final compressed sizes, but MP4 files are difficult to compress.

brispuss: LOLZ is the right choice. (especially if x86 compatibility is also a consideration, when unpacking.)

Can someone share the very first LOLZ version? (2016.12. release.) Is this version "compressor" 32 or 64 bit? (cls-lolz.dll found only x86 version.)

brispuss: Don't use different configuration than lm0 compression settings! Other lm1-2-3-4 its used (not totally removed) any special/older methods from LOLZ code, its works only from compression, will create not decompresseable archives. Try it testing lm4 compressed archives, still crashing now! (Yes, this ratios better than lm0 mode only...)

Yes, thanks for this caution!

I was about to make a post as to why files compressed using the lm4 option failed to decompress!

It is now my understanding that the option lm is not fully/properly setup/coded, so that is why files fail to decompress with lm compression options lm1 ~ lm4. lm0 option seems to be fine though.

File Types and/or (Pre)Compressors
 

I was reading a text document about a week ago that describes in some detail the file types, and/or the (pre)compressors used in compression. I didn't finish reading this document which I thought I had on my computer, but I can't seem to find the document now!? I think I originally downloaded this document from this forum, but on searching this forum, I can't seem to find this document (again)?

The document author was I think someone fairly well known on this forum (Razor?, Masquerade?, Panker?, Blackfire?, or ??), but I'm not sure.

Can anyone please locate this document?

Thank you.

Why not just go to your browser history and search there all links from this forum? I mean you know that it was a week ago, so just search by links which are visited least 7 days ago.

The document I was reading I believe it was on my computer. I think I downloaded this document quite some time ago, so I would have to look on my browsing history maybe quite a few months back, maybe a year ago(?) and not look just for a week.

^^
Could you mean how to spot compression algorithms with your eyes? That's an archived link in the Tools for Repacking thread.

Thanks for your suggestion. But this was not the content of the document.

I believe the document discussed the various types of (pre)compressors and related software for use with certain file types. It went into some detail as to which was the most appropriate software to use for the file types to be processed and perhaps suggested software settings as well.

xtool Can't Handle JPEG files?
 

xtool supposedly is capable of handling (all) files compressed with zlib. JPEG files are usually compressed via zlib I believe, but xtool seems incapable processing the JPEG files?

Precomp, by Christian Schneider, is capable of processing JPEG files, but xtool is not for some reason(s).

Can someone please explain why xtool can't process JPEG files (properly)?

Thank you.

There are xtool plugins for JPG images

Thanks for the detailed reply.

I'm looking into this now and will run some compression tests.

EDIT: Compression test results -


Note: lolz(std) means options for lolz as defined in arc.ini file. And lolz(slow) means options for lolzslow as defined in arc.ini file.

Hey guys, im new to repacking and compressing, i learned quite a few stuff here myself by reading, i just want to know what is the most used/relevant compressor tool now? is it DiskpanGUI or etc etc...? Please suggest the most updated and best compression tool for that does FreeArc, Thanks

^^
DiskspanGUI is probably the best bet.

Still available special offset-shifted file compare tool??? (File sizes differ smaller than 1KB.)

Read two file started in predefined text or hexa code to file ends.. (Ex: Two WAV files compares, compressed non-standardized tools or etc...)

Quick example (not available the offset-functions):

"fc /b start=data file1.wav file2.wav" or "fc /b start=64617461 file1.wav file2.wav"

start -> start offset reading from two comparable files, reading to file ends, ignoring previous bytes before the offset value. With(in/out) added extra switch, "end=0" aka read files to file endings or "end=X" read files to "X" offset points. (reading two files before file ends.)

A similar question was asked here, almost ~20 years ago: https://www.ghisler.ch/board/viewtopic.php?t=8523

Where should I get started if I want to compress a game and have no indea what the best tools for it are? Looking at the Tools for Repacking thread there are LOTS of tools to try, are there any I should prioritize trying, or just take the few hours to go through all of them and see what does the best?
Thanks in advance :D

First you have to know what data you are dealing with.

From there on you have to know what tools you have to use.

However you can always ask here what game you are working with, then users will probably tell you something about it.

Well, I'm mostly dealing with renpy games (renpy is an engine for building visual novels), looking at one game right now its 90% jpg, mp3 and webm files, webm files make up nearly 50% of the game size here. I want to avoid lossy compression, so no reencoding.

So I guess I'd need to know what the best tools for webm, jpg and mp3 are as they make up 98.8% of the game together.

webm are already compressed files. Nothing you can do except for reencoding.

mp3 are already compressed aswell, but for this there are several tools to compress them further without reencoding (packmp3, mpz, 7z mp3 plugin (power archiver)).

jpg the same, but here aswell we have some tools like packjpg, brunsli, jojpg, precomp, lepton.

I started a few days ago, and I'm using DiskSpan_GUI with the Light Installer Script. I've done some experiments, and everything is perfect.

While searching for an efficient method to compress the game Mad Max:
https://fileforums.com/showpost.php?...74&postcount=5

Upon inserting the data from the above link:

Data1a-01.bin
List to filter included files:
*.arc

Data1b-01.bin
List to filter included files:
*.*

This site is a goldmine. Can you tell me what I'm doing wrong?

This method belongs to a very old xtool version which is not included in DSG.

Just use xtool 2020 with zlib codec instead.

https://i.imgur.com/TURifGi.png

Hi. I am working with Light Installer Script

I have 2 question

1) One of game folder need unpack to Documents folder. Is this settings true?

2) can i disable this settings? i dont use winrar part system like DVD 4.7gb or other

Yes.

You can just use "Unlimited" tab outside of developer mode.

why next button not active

https://i.imgur.com/eju1h47.png



https://i.imgur.com/dheCGzU.png

Because you have no next tab (no tab after Game 1)

i want finish making installer. Next button not clickable

Then click save button

you better read here How to use Diskspan GUI v2+ there is all Information for you

thanks worked. how i can make created .bin files optional ? like fitgirl

if i delete bin files, setup.exe still search file and give error

but, fitgirl repacks, if bin file not in the folder, setup.exe skips this file

Has anyone encountered such an installer? (Is their compression technique beatable? ex: FitGirl could do it?)

https://i.kek.sh/WV7u2qf3qR3.png

Is it possible to find such an installation package?? (Yes, bitWrapper(tm) compressed.)

Hi.

I have a question about Diskspan GUI / Inno Setup.
I'm actually getting on quite well with the software so far.

Now I have a new situation:
I want to pack a game in one archive and a mod for this game in a second archive.

In the finished Inno Setup installer there should be a checkbox.

If the checkbox is enabled the installer should extract archive 1 and then archive 2.
If the checkbox is disabled the installer should only extract archive 1.

Is this even possible? Or another way to reach the same goal?

Maybe I'm thinking too complicated? :confused:

Any installer which allows components and is compatible with DSG is suitable for this

Good to hear so far..

Can you give me an example how i can do that?

I use Diskspan GUI mainly for compressing.

I use the script from "Light Installer" as template but i do changes for every game i compress manually in Inno Setup editor.

If you use LIS try changing that

I already saw that lines.

But how could i define what data is "comp1" for example.
I don't understand this.

Ok, my problem is solved:

Components are defined in records.ini, too.

in case anyone else has this problem at some point:

Hello, I have been registered for years, and this is my first post.
I have yet conceptual doubts.

1. It is assumed that if I use a codec (or method) from a compressor (example: zlib of xtool), it is because the group of files that I want to compress, most of them have the codec zlib (right?), But in practice, how can I recognize what codecs are used in those files? maybe a scanner?

2. I have seen statements of compression method like:
5rzm = rep:300mb+delta+rzm/$wav=tta/$bmp=bmp/$jpg=jpg/$jpgsolid=precomp+rep:32

What do the characters /$ mean, what function does it meet? I have an idea, but I prefer an explanation.

3. How do we know what size of chunk set in the parameters of a precompressor (or SREP)? or what is the most advisable to use? For example, I want to compress 100 files and each of them weigh between 8 and 64 MB.

Hello, I'm not a very good repacker, but I know some basis...

1 for finding codec:
-experience (after a while you will know that game made by unreal, or by this other kind of editor use the same compression template)
-hexeditor (you can find some signature or some indications like ogg, wave, mpeg ect)
-game scanner tool (you can find it on this forum)
-"monkey test" test this parameter or this and compare results. For some game it takes me days to find the right setup to gain some %

2 masked compression:
$xxx is mean a group
for example $bmp is for "all file in the bmp group"
It can be .bmp .gif . bitmap (you can setup this group in arc.group)
then the method
in you example $wav=tta it means that all file in the "$wav" group will be processed with TTA method
at the begining of the mask you have rzm
It mean that the files who are not in a group or if the method for this file will fail, it will processed by the main method rzm

3. srep
if you use a normal process like diskspangui or similar
the process will first do a solid chunk (like is you use 7zip with store option and 0 compression)
file1+file2+file3+file4... => bigfile
the srep will work on the bigfille
file1+file2+file3+file4=>bigfile=>srep>=bigfile.sr ep
then bigfile processed by srep will be processed by the final compressor

file1+fille2+file3+file4...=> bifile=>srep => bigfile.srep=>lzma2= > archive
In your question, 64mb is the chunk srep will work with.
it's not the size of the final files, its how many partial chunk of "bigfile" it will work in the same time.
big chunk give better results, but slower compression/decompression.
and less computer compatibility (if you decompress this file on a slow computer with low memory it may fail)
lower chunk size lower the deduplication results, faster compression and decompression but bigger final files.
it's more or less a compromise...
this is very linked to the file.
if you try to srep audio or video files you will not find deduplication (same words, same octet combinasion)
but for texture, in some games there is a lot of same structure, same files, you will have a lot of redundancy and it will reduce the file a lot...


the best method is to experiment, test, try and try again

Hello, I have a question... I want to do Repacks using Inno. But I dont know any tutorials, and some like that... Please help me, or say what tutorials should i watch

^^
Hi, there aren't any specific tutorials for making repacks. Inno is used for making installers, not the repack itself. Making repacks is based on doing research and gaining experience.

Here's a few tools I would recommend for starting out:

DiskSpan GUI - for compressing, aka making the repacks: https://fileforums.com/showthread.php?t=104507
ASIS - for making the installer, so you can unpack the archive DiskSpan creates: https://fileforums.com/showthread.php?t=99481

Additionally, you can browse the 'Best Compression Methods for 'Specific' Games INDEX' thread, to find out what method works for certain games (https://fileforums.com/showthread.php?t=101639)