Artok Studio Asset Packer: Performance Deployment
The v2.1.0 release introduces the Asset Packer, a major enhancement to the build process that ensures minimal memory footprint and lightning-fast boot-up times on your target hardware.
The Asset Packer consolidates all individual project components (images, fonts, styles, and Lua scripts) into a single, highly-optimized binary structure.
Value Proposition
For embedded systems, performance is paramount. The Asset Packer provides three critical advantages:
- Reduced Flash Size: By intelligently compressing and bundling resources, the final binary size is drastically reduced, saving precious non-volatile memory on your device.
- Faster Initialization: Loading a single, optimized binary block is significantly faster than reading and parsing dozens of individual files during boot-up.
- Reliable Deployment: The "one file, one deployment" model simplifies firmware updates and manufacturing workflows.
How to Use the Asset Packer
The Asset Packer is enabled by default in new projects created with Artok Studio v2.1.0 and later.
Step 1: Design and Configure
Build your HMI project as usual in the Artok Studio Editor, adding widgets, styling, and Lua event scripts.
Step 2: Access the Export Menu
Navigate to File > Export Optimized Binary... in the Editor menu.
Step 3: Set Optimization Parameters
In the Export dialog, ensure the following settings are confirmed:
| Parameter | Recommended Setting | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Output Type | Single Optimized Binary | This activates the Asset Packer. |
| Asset Compression | LZ4 | Recommended compression algorithm for maximum speed. |
| Font BPP | 4 BPP (or higher) | Sets the color depth for font rendering (see the Custom Fonts guide for details). |
Step 4: Generate and Deploy
Click Generate Binary. The Editor will output a single .bin file. This file contains the entire runtime executable, configuration data, and all compiled assets.
Deploy this single .bin file to your embedded device's flash memory.