zlib(3)

NAME
     zlib - compression/decompression library

SYNOPSIS
     [see zlib.h for full description]

DESCRIPTION
     The zlib library is a general purpose data compression 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/

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

          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 format, 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; otherwise, obtain the latest version
     and see if the problem still exists.  Please read the zlib FAQ at:

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

     before asking for help.  Send questions and/or comments to zlib@gzip.org,
     or (for the Windows DLL 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).