The cover algorithm selects one segment per epoch, and it selects the epoch
size such that `epochs * segmentSize ~= dictSize`. Selecting less epochs
gives the algorithm more candidates to choose from for each segment it
selects, and then it will loop back to the first epoch when it hits the
last one.
The trade off is that now it takes longer to select each segment, since it
has to look at more data before making a choice.
I benchmarked on the following data sets using this command:
```sh
$ZSTD -T0 -3 --train-cover=d=8,steps=256 $DIR -r -o dict && $ZSTD -3 -D dict -rc $DIR | wc -c
```
| Data set | k (approx) | Before | After | % difference |
|--------------|------------|----------|----------|--------------|
| GitHub | ~1000 | 738138 | 746610 | +1.14% |
| hg-changelog | ~90 | 4295156 | 4285336 | -0.23% |
| hg-commands | ~500 | 1095580 | 1079814 | -1.44% |
| hg-manifest | ~400 | 16559892 | 16504346 | -0.34% |
There is some noise in the measurements, since small changes to `k` can
have large differences, which is why I'm using `steps=256`, to try to
minimize the noise. However, the GitHub data set still has some noise.
If I run the GitHub data set on my Mac, which presumably lists directory
entries in a different order, so the dictionary builder sees the files in
a different order, or I use `steps=1024` I see these results.
| Run | Before | After | % difference |
|------------|--------|--------|--------------|
| steps=1024 | 738138 | 734470 | -0.50% |
| MacBook | 738451 | 737132 | -0.18% |
Question: Should we expose this as a parameter? I don't think it is
necessary. Someone might want to turn it up to exchange a much longer
dictionary building time in exchange for a slightly better dictionary.
I tested `2`, `4`, and `16`, and `4` got most of the benefit of `16`
with a faster running time.
Pathological samples may result in literal section being incompressible.
This case is now detected,
and literal distribution is replaced by one that can be written into the dictionary.
Note : all error codes are changed by this new version,
but it's expected to be the last change for existing codes.
Codes are now grouped by category, and receive a manually attributed value.
The objective is to guarantee that
error code values will not change in the future
when introducing new codes.
Intentionnal empty spaces and ranges are defined
in order to keep room for potential new codes.
now works with the `=` variant, which is the recommended one.
Old variant `--dictID #` still works, for compatibility with existing scripts.
Long term objective is to remove the old variant..
