Zipped Characters: From Documentation Problem

[pkeffect]

M.U.G.E.N  Updates
------------------
Updates are in order of most recent first. It will be easier to
read this from the bottom up.

14 April 2002
=============

At a Glance
-----------
- Added zipped character support
- Some bugfixes

Code
----
- select.def: Added experimental ZIP character support (zipped storyboards not yet
  supported) .def file must have same name as .zip file
- CNS: New trigger: MoveReversed
- CNS: Modified triggers: MoveContact, MoveGuarded, MoveHit
       Return values now give information about time since hit status change.
- CMD: Added [Remap] section for button remapping.
- CNS: ReversalDef controller: sparkxy now treated as spark offset
- CNS: Hitdef controller: "sprpriority" parameter renamed to "p1sprpriority".
       New p2sprpriority parameter added
- CNS: Pause/Superpause controller: new params: pausebg, endcmdbuftime
- Training menu: Added AI level option to "AI" dummy
...etc..etc...etc

;
;Zipped characters are also supported (experimental).
;Place the ZIP file in the chars/ directory. The name of the
;character's .def must match the name of the .zip. For example, if
;you have suave.def, then the zip file should be named suave.zip:
;    suave.zip, stages/mybg.def
;

The first line is about experimental zipped character support. I understand all text files in the characters folder must end with a blank line. What I am unsure about is how to zip them correctly. Should one highlight all files and folders in said characters folder and zip them up with the zip being the same name as the character.def? Do you stay in the main directory and zip up the folder itself? Implying an extract path of ../chars/example/example/example.def.

I also tried a few variations in how to add these zips to the select.def. If anyone has any ideas please help me out. I am wondering if the hacks have broken this feature or if it's so experimental it only works in some cases.

[aLuCaRd_X]

There must not be any folder inside the .zip file, the .zip must have the same name as the select.def, that's all. 

[Azasuke Kaijin]

Now, I want to try this, but would the plug-in to enable this be zlib.dll?
And it's just a ZIP File acting like a folder for the character file data, right? Just saving up data?
Would it be fine to have both Zipped files and Folders?

[pkeffect]

Characters that are in zip files ARE readable to mugen. Not everybody knows this so I'll post how.

1. Make sure the character in the zip file is NOT in a folder. So when you're releasing your character it would be nice to not zip the folder, but the files itself. sub-folders are fine.

2. The last cns file must have a breakline. If not...just add one in notepad.

3. in the select.def make sure you insert the character with the zip extension included. (kfm.zip, stages/kfm.def)

4. most important: replace zlib.dll in you're mugenfolder with this one:
zlib.dll

This won't work with every single character and it will be a bit slower. It will save space.

Have fun

Yes it's the zlib.dll and the version included in winmugen is 1.1.4.0 @ 52kb

The new zlib.dll is 1.2.3.0 @ 73kb. You can google it for download.

I still have yet to get this working at all but aLuCaRd_X is in chat and we are trying....