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# LZ4 Streaming API Example : Double Buffer
by *Takayuki Matsuoka*
`blockStreaming_doubleBuffer.c` is LZ4 Streaming API example which implements double buffer (de)compression.
Please note :
- Firstly, read "LZ4 Streaming API Basics".
- This is relatively advanced application example.
- Output file is not compatible with lz4frame and platform dependent.
## What's the point of this example ?
- Handle huge file in small amount of memory
- Always better compression ratio than Block API
- Uniform block size
## How the compression works
First of all, allocate "Double Buffer" for input and LZ4 compressed data buffer for output.
Double buffer has two pages, "first" page (Page#1) and "second" page (Page#2).
```
Double Buffer
Page#1 Page#2
+---------+---------+
| Block#1 | |
+----+----+---------+
|
v
{Out#1}
Prefix Dependency
+---------+
| |
v |
+---------+----+----+
| Block#1 | Block#2 |
+---------+----+----+
|
v
{Out#2}
External Dictionary Mode
+---------+
| |
| v
+----+----+---------+
| Block#3 | Block#2 |
+----+----+---------+
|
v
{Out#3}
Prefix Dependency
+---------+
| |
v |
+---------+----+----+
| Block#3 | Block#4 |
+---------+----+----+
|
v
{Out#4}
```
Next, read first block to double buffer's first page. And compress it by `LZ4_compress_continue()`.
For the first time, LZ4 doesn't know any previous dependencies,
so it just compress the line without dependencies and generates compressed block {Out#1} to LZ4 compressed data buffer.
After that, write {Out#1} to the file.
Next, read second block to double buffer's second page. And compress it.
This time, LZ4 can use dependency to Block#1 to improve compression ratio.
This dependency is called "Prefix mode".
Next, read third block to double buffer's *first* page, and compress it.
Also this time, LZ4 can use dependency to Block#2.
This dependency is called "External Dictonaly mode".
Continue these procedure to the end of the file.
## How the decompression works
Decompression will do reverse order.
- Read first compressed block.
- Decompress it to the first page and write that page to the file.
- Read second compressed block.
- Decompress it to the second page and write that page to the file.
- Read third compressed block.
- Decompress it to the *first* page and write that page to the file.
Continue these procedure to the end of the compressed file.