When is it worthwhile to bz2 a file?

robotortoise · **Author**

So I run a TF2 server with a lot of custom content that needs to be downloaded. (Models, sound, ect.)

Usually I'd just bz2 compress everything, though recently it became apparent through another thread that sometimes it's detrimental to compress files, as the client has to then DECOMPRESS them, and it really doesn't save any time.

My question is, at what file size does compression become worthy? 3MB? 4MB? 200 KB?

And will it actually speed up the process on the client's side if I don't compress, say, all of my .mdl files? (which are a few kb)

There was no thread with any tests or anything done on it that I could find via search, so I'd appreciate if someone could help me out with this.

-Robotortoise [Palutena's Bro]

hamilton5 · 06-19-2014 , 01:22 Re: When is it worthwhile to bz2 a file?

I can't see how it would take to much time to uncompress... I guess your in a battle between network or cpu io - so if you have good network speed I wouldn't worrie to much about little mdls. I myself would not even waste time unless it was a huge map 50+Mb

Ade · 06-19-2014 , 03:20 Re: When is it worthwhile to bz2 a file?

the time it took u to write that post after already asking in that thread what would be the threshold.. would've been better spent on you actually doing the tests you inquire about

asherkin · 06-19-2014 , 06:26 Re: When is it worthwhile to bz2 a file?

Compress everything, the time taken to do the extra request is going to take longer than decompression.

hamilton5 · *Last edited by hamilton5; 06-19-2014 at 09:59.*

Quote:

the time taken to do the extra request

all servers wait for an ok on the bz request before sending out the 2nd?

Powerlord · *Last edited by Powerlord; 06-19-2014 at 10:18.*

Quote:

Originally Posted by hamilton5

all servers wait for an ok on the bz request before sending out the 2nd?

The client always asks for the bz2 version first and since FastDL is HTTP, it has to wait for the 404 NOT FOUND (or timeout) before switching to the non-bz2.

hamilton5 · 06-19-2014 , 10:50 Re: When is it worthwhile to bz2 a file?

duh the client, thanks. seems to happen so fast I assumed it automatically just sent out both. that makes sence tho.. robotortoise all your threads r belong to me

robotortoise · 06-19-2014 , 16:27 Re: When is it worthwhile to bz2 a file?

Quote:

Originally Posted by asherkin

Compress everything, the time taken to do the extra request is going to take longer than decompression.

Okay. Will do. Thanks for the info guys!