LZ4 Windows binary package
====================================

#### The package contents

- `lz4.exe`                  : Command Line Utility, supporting gzip-like arguments
- `dll\msys-lz4-1.dll`       : The DLL of LZ4 library, compiled by msys
- `dll\liblz4.dll.a`         : The import library of LZ4 library for Visual C++
- `example\`                 : The example of usage of LZ4 library
- `include\`                 : Header files required with LZ4 library
- `static\liblz4_static.lib` : The static LZ4 library


#### Usage of Command Line Interface

Command Line Interface (CLI) supports gzip-like arguments.
By default CLI takes an input file and compresses it to an output file:
```
    Usage: lz4 [arg] [input] [output]
```
The full list of commands for CLI can be obtained with `-h` or `-H`. The ratio can
be improved with commands from `-3` to `-16` but higher levels also have slower
compression. CLI includes in-memory compression benchmark module with compression
levels starting from `-b` and ending with `-e` with iteration time of `-i` seconds.
CLI supports aggregation of parameters i.e. `-b1`, `-e18`, and `-i1` can be joined
into `-b1e18i1`.


#### The example of usage of static and dynamic LZ4 libraries with gcc/MinGW

Use `cd example` and `make` to build `fullbench-dll` and `fullbench-lib`.
`fullbench-dll` uses a dynamic LZ4 library from the `dll` directory.
`fullbench-lib` uses a static LZ4 library from the `lib` directory.


#### Using LZ4 DLL with gcc/MinGW

The header files from `include\` and the dynamic library `dll\msys-lz4-1.dll`
are required to compile a project using gcc/MinGW.
The dynamic library has to be added to linking options.
It means that if a project that uses LZ4 consists of a single `test-dll.c`
file it should be linked with `dll\msys-lz4-1.dll`. For example:
```
    gcc $(CFLAGS) -Iinclude\ test-dll.c -o test-dll dll\msys-lz4-1.dll
```
The compiled executable will require LZ4 DLL which is available at `dll\msys-lz4-1.dll`.


#### The example of usage of static and dynamic LZ4 libraries with Visual C++

Open `example\fullbench-dll.sln` to compile `fullbench-dll` that uses a
dynamic LZ4 library from the `dll` directory. The solution works with Visual C++
2010 or newer. When one will open the solution with Visual C++ newer than 2010
then the solution will be upgraded to the current version.


#### Using LZ4 DLL with Visual C++

The header files from `include\` and the import library `dll\liblz4.dll.a`
are required to compile a project using Visual C++.

1. The header files should be added to `Additional Include Directories` that can
   be found in project properties `C/C++` then `General`.
2. The import library has to be added to `Additional Dependencies` that can
   be found in project properties `Linker` then `Input`.
   If one will provide only the name `liblz4.dll.a` without a full path to the library
   the directory has to be added to `Linker\General\Additional Library Directories`.

The compiled executable will require LZ4 DLL which is available at `dll\msys-lz4-1.dll`.
