Saving space for numeric data

[alincon]

I would like to save space in files that have lots of phone numbers, ssns, zip codes, etc.
Converting to Hex saves only one byte.
Is there some other simple conversion method available?

r.m.

[honkytonk]

Here is a compressor /decompressor (to try)--: libertybasic.fr/forum/topic-462+minimiseur-jag.php

[BeeTrap]

I have never used this code so I have no idea if it is what you are after, but there is code for "LZW compression" at Rosetta Code

    Liberty BASIC LZW compression code

If it works, please post your thoughts.......thanks.

[alincon]

Actually I am just looking to save phone numbers, ss nbrs and zip codes in less than 9 or 10 bytes.
Isn't there a way to store two digits in one byte, each one using four bits?

r.m.

[Chris Iverson]

You can try something like this, but because you won't be winding up with text anymore, but binary data, this may break your input routines.

phone = 8885551212

a$ = numBlob$(phone)
print len(a$)
print a$

print
print blobNum(a$)

Function numBlob$(num)
   while num > 256

       remainder = num mod 256
       str$ = str$ + chr$(remainder)
       num = int(num / 256)
   wend
   str$ = str$ + chr$(num)
   numBlob$ = str$
End Function

Function blobNum(str$)
   for x = len(str$) to 1 step -1
       blobNum = (256 * blobNum) + asc(mid$(str$, x, 1))
   next x
End Function

The code converts the number to a binary blob, basically the raw internal binary representation of the number. Five bytes will cover all US phone numbers.


If you have files that have a lot of text, including full addresses and names, etc, then you'd probably get better storage minimization results using some form of full file compression, as suggested above.