Exomizer is Magnus Lind’s cross-cruncher: it compresses files on a host computer so that a much smaller machine can unpack them. Its uses include C64 programs, game levels and other data that would occupy more disk space uncompressed.
The version 2 manual describes several distinct workflows. Choosing one decides what the receiving program must do; “compressed with Exomizer” alone does not specify a complete loading arrangement.
Four different jobs
| Mode | Intended use in the version 2 manual |
|---|---|
sfx |
Make a runnable file with its own decruncher and a chosen entry point. |
mem |
Prepare data to be unpacked from memory. |
level |
Arrange packed data for decoding while bytes arrive from storage. |
raw |
Compress plain data without treating it as a machine’s located program file. |
The self-extracting mode can generate code for several targets, including Commodore machines, Atari 8-bits, Apple II and Oric. The manual records differences between them: support for a BASIC restart on one target does not establish it on every target.
Addresses still matter
The independently developed KickAss Cruncher Plugins show how Exomizer fits into an assembler’s workflow. Their memory mode gathers regions into one block and fills the gaps. Their documentation also explains the safety offset between packed input and expanding output.
That gap matters because unpacking must not overwrite bytes which have yet to be read. Direction, location and the selected decoder all affect the arrangement. A compressor can produce a smaller file while still requiring careful memory planning.
The plug-ins distinguish memory, level and raw uses rather than treating them as interchangeable. ByteBoozer and Pucrunch belong to the same cross-development tradition: let the host spend time finding a compact description that the target can afford to decode.
Sources
- Magnus Lind, Exomizer 2.0 documentation: Original Exomizer 2.0 exo20info.txt, preserved in a mirror; mem, level, sfx and raw sections, target differences and decoder requirements.
- KickAss Cruncher Plugins, Exomizer integration: Independent integration manual; memory-region merging, raw/level modes and overlap safety margins.