Help with Turbo Imploder and similar Spectrum programs

[Vag]

Hello,
I would like some help with Turbo Imploder and in general with programs like this, please.
For download, there's a .TAP file and a .Z80 file. You can also find a different .Z80 file here: Turbo Imploder (1992)(Saposoftware)[a].
The first issue I'm having is with the .TAP file. I have tried Speccy and Fuse and different configurations, but it seems it keeps printing "Bytes: ti" in a loop.
My second issue is that I have no idea how to compress an external file. And this applies to any other similar programs.
If I run the .Z80 file, it first shows garbage data (probably data of itself shown as pixels) and has "RANDOMIZE USR 16384" typed in. If I press enter, it shows the Turbo imploder logo and asks for the values for Start, Length, Call, Mode (enter selects preset values).
The third question, is how do I save/export the result, the compressed data?

There's a readme file in Slovak, here's a machine translation:

Spoiler

TURBO IMPLODER

One of the most effective compression programs designed
you remember the compressible part with super fast decompression.

If you are a D40/D80/Kompakt diskette drive user,
who prefer to store games and programs on a diskette in
in the form of blocks before "Snapping", you can use this program
significantly increase the capacity of diskettes. Control of the program is solved
in a very simple way and basically requires only the basics
knowledge of BASIC commands. If you also use the Compressor program,
after purchasing the program Kompresor Turbo utilities mutually
connect these two programs and thus achieve 30% more
compression efficiency. You deserve the attention of the audience
also the decompression speed of the compressed program, which is opposite
program compressed by Packmaker ten to twenty times
bigger. Editing files using the Turbo Imploder program (further
only TI) however, requires at least minimal knowledge of BASIC.


Program installation

To work comfortably with the program, it is convenient to install it directly
to the diskette with the programs we want to compress. When installing
program, we can use the system command MOVE "name of source diskette:*.*",
"name of your diskette:", or use a program like Komander, EIM,
Tools. Before installation, do not forget to check on the destination diskette
subory, so that you don't grease your file while you are running "run". Program
TI consists of two parts, each of which can be used separately.


Work with the RUN program

After starting, the RUN program displays a list of files on the disk according to
suffixes. By pressing the appropriate key corresponding to the extension it will
list files on the screen:

P - program type files
B - bytes type files (these are displayed immediately after starting the program).
After entering the last parameter, the program will record the selected file
until you remember and put down TI.
S - snapshot type files
Q - sequence type files
N - numeric array type files
C - character array type files

You can move through the displayed list using the cursors. By pressing
a new list of files can be loaded with the "9" key. If the cursor is located
on a file of type P or S, pressing ENTER will record it and
starting (if autostart is defined). If the cursor is on
files of type B (bytes), after pressing ENTER, you must enter the address from which
the file is placed in memory. Press ENTER to confirm the new address
listed in parentheses. Next, the program expects to enter the starting address,
ie address to start the program. You can find this address in Basic
parts of the program to displays RANDOMIZE USR xxxxx after the display
LOAD *"filename" CODE (address). If you specify this parameter, it will
after decompression, the program is also started. If you just press ENTER,
decompression with a final return to Basic. By default the last one
parameter, the file type Bytes will be loaded and uploaded
Turbo Imploder program.


Operation of the TI program

Working with the program depends on the way the file of type bytes was stored
recorded. If you used the RUN bootloader to load it, there is another one
part very simple. On the question start, length, call characters press
ENTER. The program will take over the parameters entered by you in the RUN program.
You can answer 1, 2 or 3 to the MODE question, which means:

1 - shrinking - very fast compression based on repeating bytes

2 - imploding - extremely effective compression based on the search method
of the same byte blocks. The disadvantage is the compression time of up to 8 minutes
(decompression is as fast as method 1)

3 - shrinking + imploding - subsequent use of both methods of compression,
which will enable the most effective compression of the file. However, it is only used for
files that have not been compressed before.

If the method is used incorrectly, the program will display a message: "Pack error! Data OK!",
which means that there was a compression error, but the file in the memory remained intact
and thus you can repeat the compression by pressing RUN, then ENTER. Try to change the method
to type "2" - imploding. "Pack error! Data lost!" means that the file was in error
damaged. It appears especially with mode "2" and you have to proceed as described
in the chapter for the most demanding.

After the successful execution of the program, it is important to remember the CALL value, which
later you will use it when editing the basic part of the program. After the compression is finished
press "Y" or ENTER to confirm the intention to upload the compressed data to disk.
Enter a new name or ENTER for a new name.

With the RUN program, you can upload a Bytes file from address 24700 to memory
with a maximum length of 40835 bytes. If you have these parameters
do not comply, proceed according to the section for the most demanding.


Part for the most demanding

The TI program itself enables data compression in memory starting from address 24200
(RAMTOP is set to 24199). This value can be reduced to 23999.
After uploading the file and starting TI, enter the address from which the file is downloaded
found in memory (ENTER = 24576). Enter the length of the block
(ENTER = 40960), starting address (from BASIC), if not after decompression
enter ENTER to run immediately. The selection of the compression mode is described above
(ENTER = 3). After the compression is finished, you need to save the result
CALL value and then start from that in BASIC - RANDOMIZE USR address.
After entering the name, the file will be saved on the disk. In case you have files
on the compressed disk, you can proceed as follows:

1. normal procedure, but when selecting a mod, select mod "2", this method
is the simplest, but the results are not always the most satisfactory.

2. upload the compressed file to memory, unzip it with the command
RANDOMIZE USR and then compress with TI.

It is required when compressing a file compressed by the Packmaker program
a reserve of 100 bytes up and down, the mak program declares an error.

Turbo Imploder is not intended for image compression. As long as you want
To use the program for this purpose, add a short string before the image
LDIR, which moves the image after unpacking to the screen. Upload
image from 32768 and place in memory from address 32755 this program:

LD HL, 32768 ; the address of the image in memory
LD DE, 16384 ; the address where it will be transferred
LD BC, 6912 ; number of bytes to transfer
LDIR; block transfer
RET ; back to BASIC

This program is also available on the original diskette and on the computer
load it with the command LOAD *"ldir" CODE.

[catmeows]

1) set RAMTOP bellow data you want to compress
2) load your data
3) load TI by LOAD""CODE 16384: RANDOMIZE USR 16384 (Turbo imploder runs in screen area to free memory for your data)
4) enter START address, LENGTH, and address to jump after decompression CALL (if you want to return to BASIC or any other callee, just press <ENTER> key instead giving a call address
5) select MODE (1-RLE, 2-is primitive LZ, 3-RLE, then LZ)
6) finally TI tries to save data to Didaktik disk drive, so you need to emulate that drive

I strongly discourage to use TI, there are much better compressors around, TI is old LZ packer and it is really limited even when you compare it with later native packers.
If you just want to pack your program, use ZX0, that is the best option by huge margin.

[C.Born]

zx0 does not compress native, you NEED a pc to use it

what other zx native compressions are there?
and which is "the best" ??

[catmeows]

I know that ZX0 is not a native packer, but why is that problem ?

It is complicated, probably the best native compressors are ex-ussr late 90s packers. But they are usually written with BetaDisk in mind and only few have a tape version. I think one version of Hrust supports tape. I quite like Mr.Packer too (RLE+Huff).

[Vag]

Thank you for your replies :--)
What I want to achieve, is not really to compress data, but to compare the compressed data with the existing data in a game (in a .TAP file), which is an SCR image. This means I will have to try as many programs as I can and all their modes, hoping I'll get lucky :--)
The game is a Slovak text-only adventure called Bell of witch . I have translated it to English, except from the opening screen, because it's a compressed image.
I have tried many Windows compression programs for the Spectrum. I have found similarities when the compression algorithm is LZSS, but the result it not identical.
So, I will have to try many old Spectrum compression programs. Turbo Imploder is a Slovak program, so it's a good start.
It's too late now, I'll try in the morning :--)

[catmeows]

I have translated it to English, except from the opening screen, because it's a compressed image.
I have tried many Windows compression programs for the Spectrum. I have found similarities when the compression algorithm is LZSS, but the result it not identical.
So, I will have to try many old Spectrum compression programs. Turbo Imploder is a Slovak program, so it's a good start.
It's too late now, I'll try in the morning :--)

I have compared decompression routine in Bell of Witch and TI decompression routine and they are identical. So your guess was right. But there is little problem, the unpacked data are actually screen data plus short routine to copy data to screen. So you will not get exact copy unless you attach the copy routine to screen data. (it is the routine at the end of manual, but with different source address).

Well, I suppose you want to translate the second loading screen with instructions. But I still do not understand why you want to use exactly same packer.
Anyway, if you explain me what exactly you want to achieve, I can help if it will not take too much time (i.e. one or two evenings).

[Vag]

But there is little problem, the unpacked data are actually screen data plus short routine to copy data to screen.

I was afraid of that...

Well, I just want to translate the opening screen, the one with the instructions. I thought that the programmer would have used one of the compression programs of that era (1995). My hopes were that finding it by comparing the results with the data in the .TAP file would mean I could use the same program to compress an altered screen.
I'd be very grateful if you could help me with that! I haven't prepared a translated image yet, I wanted to find a solution first...

[catmeows]

I can do that, if you provide the screen. (and you are not really dependent on me, there is probably dozens of SC users who could do that).

[Vag]

But you have the coolest name!
(I'll translate the image soon)