Optimizing Compression: A Guide to LZMA Configuration Options

Table of Contents

• Introduction
• Registration
• Using Advanced Installer
  • GUI
  • Working with Projects
  • Installer Project
    * Product Information
    * Resources
    * Package Definition
    * Install Parameters
    * Organization
    * Builds
    * Configuration Tab
    * Edit Metadata
    * LZMA Settings
    * Edit CAB Settings Dialog
    * EXE setup file - EXE Bootstrapper command line
    * MSI Summary Information
    * Advanced Media Tab
    * Mac OS X Tab
    * App-V 4.x Tab
    * App-V 5.x Tab
    * ThinApp Tab
    * Configuration Tab
    * App Installer Tab
    * UWP Bootstrapper Tab
    * Build Events Tab
    * Optional Package Tab
    * Symbol Files Tab
    * Analytics
    * SCCM
    * ActiveSync
    * Requirements
    * User Interface
    * System Changes
    * Server
    * Custom Behavior
  • Patch Project
  • Merge Module Project
  • Updates Configuration Project
  • Windows Store App Project
  • Modification Package Project
  • Optional Package Project
  • Windows Mobile CAB Projects
  • Visual Studio Extension Project
  • Software Installer Wizards - Advanced Installer
  • Visual Studio integration
  • Alternative to AdminStudio/Wise
  • Replace Wise
  • Migrating from Visual Studio Installer
  • Keyboard Shortcuts
  • Shell Integration
  • Command Line
  • Advanced Installer PowerShell Automation Interfaces
• Features and Functionality
• Tutorials
• Samples
• How-tos
• FAQs
• Windows Installer
• Deployment Technologies
• IT Pro
• MSIX
• Video Tutorials
• Advanced Installer Blog
• Table of Contents

Disclaimer: This post includes affiliate links

If you click on a link and make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

LZMA Settings Dialog

Compression Settings

Method

Choose the appropriate LZMA method from the following values:

• Store - Files will be copied to archive without compression.
• LZMA - Our BEST compression method for archives. It provides high compression ratio and very fast decompression. Uses amaximum of 2 CPU threads during compression.
• LZMA2 - Is an LZMA-based compression method that providesbetter multithreading support than LZMA compression (it scales with the number of CPU cores, to achieve faster builds). However, the compression ratio can be worse than LZMA in some cases, because LZMA2 method splits data into chunks and compresses these chunks independently (2 threads per each chunk).

Level

You can select the desired compression level for the LZMA archive. The following options are available:

• Fastest - Fastest compression, poor compression level.
• Fast - Fast compression, good compression level.
• Normal - Compression with balanced settings: speed versus size.
• Good - Gives better compression ratio than Normal level, but it is slower and it requires more memory.
• Best - Gives the best compression ratio, but it is slower and it requires a lot of memory.
• Custom - You can customize the LZMA archive parameters according to your needs.

For more information about LZMA compression go to the LZMA Compression page.

Dictionary size

Specifies dictionary size for compression. Usually, higher dictionary size gives more compression ratio, but compressing can be slower, and it can require more memory. Memory (RAM) usage for LZMA compression is about 11 times more than dictionary size and strongly dependent on the number of CPU cores on the machine. Memory usage for LZMA decompression is close to value of dictionary size.

Word size

Specifies the length of words, which will be used to find identical sequences of bytes for compression. Usually, for LZMA big word size gives a little bit better compression ratio, but a slower compression process. Big word size parameter can significantly increase compression ratio in the case when files contain long identical sequences of bytes.

Did you find this page useful?

Please give it a rating:

Thanks!

Report a problem on this page

Information is incorrect or missing

Information is unclear or confusing

Something else

Can you tell us what’s wrong?

Send message

Also read: