README
1 These classes provide a C++ stream interface to the zlib library. It allows you
2 to do things like:
3
4 gzofstream outf("blah.gz");
5 outf << "These go into the gzip file " << 123 << endl;
6
7 It does this by deriving a specialized stream buffer for gzipped files, which is
8 the way Stroustrup would have done it. :->
9
10 The gzifstream and gzofstream classes were originally written by Kevin Ruland
11 and made available in the zlib contrib/iostream directory. The older version still
12 compiles under gcc 2.xx, but not under gcc 3.xx, which sparked the development of
13 this version.
14
15 The new classes are as standard-compliant as possible, closely following the
16 approach of the standard library's fstream classes. It compiles under gcc versions
17 3.2 and 3.3, but not under gcc 2.xx. This is mainly due to changes in the standard
18 library naming scheme. The new version of gzifstream/gzofstream/gzfilebuf differs
19 from the previous one in the following respects:
20 - added showmanyc
21 - added setbuf, with support for unbuffered output via setbuf(0,0)
22 - a few bug fixes of stream behavior
23 - gzipped output file opened with default compression level instead of maximum level
24 - setcompressionlevel()/strategy() members replaced by single setcompression()
25
26 The code is provided "as is", with the permission to use, copy, modify, distribute
27 and sell it for any purpose without fee.
28
29 Ludwig Schwardt
30 <schwardt (a] sun.ac.za>
31
32 DSP Lab
33 Electrical & Electronic Engineering Department
34 University of Stellenbosch
35 South Africa
36