Introduction to Library Functions                         LIBZ(3)



NAME
     libz - compression/decompression library

SYNOPSIS
     [see zlib.h for full description]

DESCRIPTION
     The libz (zlib) library is a general purpose  data  compres-
     sion  library.   The  code  is thread safe.  It provides in-
     memory compression and  decompression  functions,  including
     integrity  checks of the uncompressed data.  This version of
     the library supports only one compression method (deflation)
     but  other  algorithms will be added later and will have the
     same stream interface.

     Compression can be done in a single step if the buffers  are
     large  enough  (for example if an input file is mmap'ed), or
     can be done by repeated calls of the  compression  function.
     In  the latter case, the application must provide more input
     and/or consume the  output  (providing  more  output  space)
     before each call.

     The library also  supports  reading  and  writing  files  in
     gzip(1)  (.gz)  format  with an interface similar to that of
     stdio.

     The library  does  not  install  any  signal  handler.   The
     decoder  checks  the  consistency of the compressed data, so
     the library should never crash even  in  case  of  corrupted
     input.

     All functions of the compression library are  documented  in
     the  file zlib.h.  The distribution source includes examples
     of use of the library in the files example.c and minigzip.c.

     Changes to this version are documented in the file ChangeLog
     that  accompanies  the  source,  and are concerned primarily
     with bug fixes and portability enhancements.

     A Java implementation of  zlib  is  available  in  the  Java
     Development Kit 1.1:

          http:/www.javasoft.com/products/JDK/1.1/docs/api/Package-
          java.util.zip.html

     A  Perl  interface  to  zlib,  written  by   Paul   Marquess
     (pmqs@cpan.org),  is  available  at CPAN (Comprehensive Perl
     Archive Network) sites, including:

          http:/www.cpan.org/modules/by-module/Compress/





SunOS 5.10          Last change: 18 July 2005                   1






Introduction to Library Functions                         LIBZ(3)



     A  Python  interface  to  zlib,  written  by  A.M.  Kuchling
     (amk@magnet.com),  is available in Python 1.5 and later ver-
     sions:

          http:/www.python.org/doc/lib/module-zlib.html

     A zlib  binding  for  tcl(1),  written  by  Andreas  Kupries
     (a.kupries@westend.com), is availlable at:

          http:/www.westend.com/~kupries/doc/trf/man/man.html

     An experimental package to read and write files in .zip for-
     mat,   written   on   top   of   zlib   by   Gilles  Vollant
     (info@winimage.com), is available at:

          http:/www.winimage.com/zLibDll/unzip.html and also  in
          the  contrib/minizip  directory  of  the  main zlib web
          site.

SEE ALSO
     The zlib web site can be found at either of these locations:

          http:/www.zlib.org
          http:/www.gzip.org/zlib/

     The data format used by the zlib library is described by RFC
     (Request for Comments) 1950 to 1952 in the files:

          http:/www.ietf.org/rfc/rfc1950.txt  (concerning   zlib
          format)
          http:/www.ietf.org/rfc/rfc1951.txt (concerning deflate
          format)
          http:/www.ietf.org/rfc/rfc1952.txt  (concerning   gzip
          format)

     These documents are also available in other formats from:

          ftp:/ftp.uu.net/graphics/png/documents/zlib/zdoc-
          index.html

     Mark Nelson (markn@ieee.org) wrote an article about zlib for
     the  Jan.  1997  issue of  Dr. Dobb's Journal; a copy of the
     article is available at:

          http:/dogma.net/markn/articles/zlibtool/zlibtool.htm

REPORTING PROBLEMS
     Before reporting a problem, please check the zlib  web  site
     to  verify  that you have the latest version of zlib; other-
     wise, obtain the latest version and see if the problem still
     exists.  Please read the zlib FAQ at:




SunOS 5.10          Last change: 18 July 2005                   2






Introduction to Library Functions                         LIBZ(3)



          http:/www.gzip.org/zlib/zlibfaq.html

     before asking for help.  Send questions and/or  comments  to
     zlib@gzip.org,  or  (for  the Windows DL version) to Gilles
     Vollant (info@winimage.com).

AUTHORS
     Version  1.2.3  Copyright  (C)  1995-2005  Jean-loup  Gailly
     (jloup@gzip.org) and Mark Adler (madler@alumni.caltech.edu).

     This software is provided "as-is," without  any  express  or
     implied  warranty.   In  no  event  will the authors be held
     liable  for  any  damages  arising  from  the  use  of  this
     software.   See  the  distribution directory with respect to
     requirements governing redistribution.  The  deflate  format
     used by zlib was defined by Phil Katz.  The deflate and zlib
     specifications were written by L. Peter Deutsch.  Thanks  to
     all  the  people who reported problems and suggested various
     improvements in zlib; who are too numerous to cite here.

     UNIX manual page by R. P. C. Rodgers, U.S. National  Library
     of Medicine (rodgers@nlm.nih.gov).

NOTES
     Source for zlib is available on http:/opensolaris.org.






























SunOS 5.10          Last change: 18 July 2005                   3