Newbie Question Thread

[brispuss]

Trying to precompress a png image using xtool (2020 version) using the command -

xtool precomp -mpng+preflate -d1 Hint.png hint_png_preflate

and trying -

xtool precomp -mpng+reflate -d1 Hint.png hint_png_reflate

In both cases the outputs were only slightly larger than the original!?

For preflate option, 3642461 bytes to 3642579 bytes

and for reflate option, 3642461 bytes to 3642578 bytes.

Why only a slight increase in file sizes? Is there something I'm missing in the commands?

png image here

[KaktoR]

You do something wrong for sure.

Streams: 2 / 2
Time: 00:00:01 (CPU 00:00:00)

Size: 3.47 MB >> 12.7 MB

Done!!!

[brispuss]

Originally Posted by KaktoR

You do something wrong for sure.

Streams: 2 / 2
Time: 00:00:01 (CPU 00:00:00)

Size: 3.47 MB >> 12.7 MB

Done!!!

Thanks. But what is the correct commands to expand the png file using xtool (2020)?

Note that this is a manual input via command line and not part of a script (yet).

[Masquerade]

Your command line looks all correct.

[brispuss]

Thanks for the verification of my command line command syntax.

However, how does Kaktor get a larger file output, whereas my outputs are only slightly larger than the original file?

Kaktor using different version of xtool? Using different settings/options?

Can someone please explain?

Thank you.

[KaktoR]

Here is what I use

xtool:reflate:png:d1

Compressed 1 file, 3,642,461 => 13,362,043 bytes. Ratio 366.84%
Compression time: cpu 0.00 sec/real 1.24 sec = 0%. Speed 2.94 mB/s
All OK

[brispuss]

Thanks for the details, but maybe I'm still doing something wrong?

I'm using xtool version 0.8.7.

My manual translation of your script format command and options for manual input within an elevated command box were now -

xtool precomp -mreflate+png -d1 Hint.png hint_png.xtool

Again, to be clear, I'm inputting the commands and options directly/manually within a command box and executing the commands immediately by pressing the enter key. I am not running a script, and I'm not creating/adding anything to a (*.ini or *.bat) script at this time either.

Unfortunately I'm still getting hardly any improvement in output file size.

Input 3,642,461 bytes, output 3,642,578 bytes.

So how is it possible to get output of 13,362,043 bytes?

[Masquerade]

No idea, I use command line too and it works fine for me:

xtool precomp -mpng+preflate -d1 Hint.png Hint.png.xtool
XTool is created by Razor12911

Version 0.8.7

Streams: 2 / 2
Time: 00:00:01 (CPU 00:00:00)

Size: 3.47 MB >> 12.3 MB

I have attached my working files below + a bat file if you want to have a go:
https://www.upload.ee/files/16621022/Test.7z.html

[KaktoR]

I tried but I cannot make it to work with normal cmd too. Only dsg is working lol. I will look tomorrow. Most likely I just made something wrong.

[Masquerade]

I have xtool.exe in my PATH so I can use it from any command line window. Maybe that affects something.

[brispuss]

Originally Posted by Masquerade

No idea, I use command line too and it works fine for me:

xtool precomp -mpng+preflate -d1 Hint.png Hint.png.xtool
XTool is created by Razor12911

Version 0.8.7

Streams: 2 / 2
Time: 00:00:01 (CPU 00:00:00)

Size: 3.47 MB >> 12.3 MB

I have attached my working files below + a bat file if you want to have a go:
https://www.upload.ee/files/16621022/Test.7z.html

Thanks for this!

I downloaded and installed your copy of xtool.exe and preflate_dll.dll to a temporary directory for testing (D:\test).

My original xtool.exe and associated files are located within the C:\xtool directory.

PATH to the original installation of xtool (C:\xtool) was added to the Environment Variables.

PATH to D:\xtool was NOT done to avoid conflict between my original version of xtool and this downloaded version of xtool.

I compared both xtool.exe and preflate_dll.dll files from my original installation (C:\xtool) to the same files within the test directory (D:\test). Both files match precisely.

I ran a manual command line test (xtool precomp -mpng+preflate -d1 Hint.png Hint.png.xtool) for the test directory version of xtool, and it successfully expanded the Hint.png file to Hint.png.xtool to 12,858,367 bytes!

I then ran another manual command line test for xtool.exe in the D:\test directory. Followed by a manual command line test for xtool.exe in the C:\xtool directory. Outputs from this test was different. Refer to enclosed screenshots for details.

This is the contents of the temporary test directory D:\test

test contents

This is the contents of the original installation directory C:\xtool

installation contents

This is the result of xtool.exe test from the temporary test directory D:\test

xtool test from test directory

This is the result of xtool.exe test from the original installation directory C:\xtool

xtool test from installation directory

Tried to attach screenshots directly, but result was very messy layout! So had to upload screenshots to image server instead (sorry).

The results for the xtool.exe tests are different as can be seen in the screenshots. So despite the two xtool executables (xtool.exe) being exactly the same, their outputs do not match!?

It should be noted that the preflate_dll.dll file for the original installation is located within the _libraries sub folder of C:\xtool ie located here - C:\xtool\_libraries.

Further comments, please?

[KaktoR]

Originally Posted by brispuss

It should be noted that the preflate_dll.dll file for the original installation is located within the _libraries sub folder of C:\xtool ie located here - C:\xtool\_libraries.

Further comments, please?

Do you have set the xtool option for custom path in arc.ini? I don't think you can set this option directly from command line.

[brispuss]

Originally Posted by KaktoR

Do you have set the xtool option for custom path in arc.ini? I don't think you can set this option directly from command line.

If you are referring to the arc.ini file located in Freearc here - C:\Program Files (x86)\FreeArc\bin , then no I haven't changed anything in arc.ini.

In any case, I rarely use Freearc or Arc at the moment.

How does changing the arc.ini content help with running xtool properly from the command line?

[Masquerade]

@brispuss
Ah, there's your issue.

XTool is inherently a command line tool, Razor made xtoolui.dll for quick testing.

So, in your C:\XTool folder, you will see the ui load because xtoolui.dll is present. This dll is not a dependency to xtool.exe so you can move/delete it and then xtool.exe will function only in console mode.

Furthermore, you need the library for precompression to be in the same folder as xtool.exe in order for precompression to work. XTool won't read/search the _libraries folder for compression libraries.

So, by having xtool.exe and preflate_dll.dll in a single folder, you will have working precompression. Same goes for zlibwapi.dll for zlib, hif2raw_dll.dll+raw2hif_dll.dll for reflate, libzstd.dll, liblz4.dll etc..... all need to be in the same folder as xtool.exe for those codecs to work.

[brispuss]

Originally Posted by Masquerade

@brispuss
Ah, there's your issue.

XTool is inherently a command line tool, Razor made xtoolui.dll for quick testing.

So, in your C:\XTool folder, you will see the ui load because xtoolui.dll is present. This dll is not a dependency to xtool.exe so you can move/delete it and then xtool.exe will function only in console mode.

Furthermore, you need the library for precompression to be in the same folder as xtool.exe in order for precompression to work. XTool won't read/search the _libraries folder for compression libraries.

So, by having xtool.exe and preflate_dll.dll in a single folder, you will have working precompression. Same goes for zlibwapi.dll for zlib, hif2raw_dll.dll+raw2hif_dll.dll for reflate, libzstd.dll, liblz4.dll etc..... all need to be in the same folder as xtool.exe for those codecs to work.

Thank you very much!!

I was coming to the same or at least very similar conclusions as you have after carrying out more tests. I was about to post my findings and comments something similar to yours, but you bet me to it!!

I have deleted the GUI files xtoolui.dll and xtoolui.ini. Moved all the codecs from the _libraries sub folder to the main folder with xtool.exe (C:\xtool\).

So, for now, xtool seems to be working as expected. I just have to be extra careful about inputting the correct parameters for xtool to function properly!