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* Neveprise Inc. Delphi FAQ					*
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* Section: Object pascal	Topic:   Compressing data	*
* Created: July 26th, 1999	Revised: July 26th, 1999 	*
* Updates: www.neveprise.de	Info:	 support@neveprise.de	*
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Q: How can I compress files or any other kind of data?

A: Of course there are different ways. The fastest and easiest way
	is to download Zip components that allow you to read and
	write Zip files. A good address is the Delphi Super Page
	(DSP). The current web address is http://sunsite.icm.edu.pl
	/delphi/, if changes please look on the Neveprise website.

	Another way is to use ZLib, a unit that is delivered with
	Delphi since version 3. ZLib is a very prominent compressor
	that has been developed by members of the original Zip pro-
	ject; it is used today in the PNG file format and compatible
	to Unix/Linux files like glib.
	ZLib works on a stream base, that means that you can feed
	it with all descendands of TStream. Nearly all data-aware
	types in Delphi offer stream interfaces LoadFromStream() and
	SaveToStream(), thus it can be used on a very open base.

	The problem is that ZLib cannot store multiple data units into
	one package / stream. That means that if you want to create
	an archiver for example, you have to create your own code that
	handles this in conjunction with ZLib. Cos this is quite a
	long "story", it would blow the extends of this FAQ, but you
	might read my article "Multi Data Files" that will be soon
	available on the Neveprise website and on Delphi JEDI's Voy-
	ager articles (www.delphi-jedi.org).


	Blazko