From 2fb5bc882d666caf6d8251a108cf60563aa72a47 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: "Alex A. Naanou" <alex.nanou@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 14 Jan 2026 18:28:56 +0300
Subject: [PATCH] tweaking the options...

Signed-off-by: Alex A. Naanou <alex.nanou@gmail.com>
---
 README.md    | 26 ++++++++++++++------------
 package.json |  2 +-
 serialize.js | 20 +++++++++++++-------
 3 files changed, 28 insertions(+), 20 deletions(-)

diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 9982b57..568e8e8 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -51,18 +51,6 @@ Thus, care must be taken when serializing structures containing function.
 
 ## API
 
-### `STRING_LENGTH_REF` / `settings.string_length_ref` 
-
-Defines the default maximum string to include in the output as-is before 
-referencing.
-
-If set to `0`, referencing will be disabled.
-
-Default: 96  
-(Dynamic: `.REFERENCE.length * 16`) 
-
-
-
 ### `serialize(..)` / `eJSON.stringify(..)`
 
 ### `deserialize(..)` / 'eJSON.parse(..)'
@@ -72,6 +60,20 @@ Default: 96
 ### `partialDeepCopy(..)`
 
 
+### `MIN_LENGTH_REF` / `<options>.min_length_ref` 
+
+Defines the default minimum length of repeating string or bin-int to 
+include as a reference in the output.
+
+If set to `0`, referencing will be disabled.
+
+Default: 96  
+
+
+### `DEBUG`
+
+
+
 ## Format
 
 The output of `.serialize(..)` is a strict superset of [standard JSON](https://www.json.org/json-en.html), 
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index c011790..d32410f 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "ig-serialize",
-  "version": "1.1.0",
+  "version": "1.2.0",
   "description": "experimental extended json serializaion...",
   "main": "serialize.js",
   "scripts": {
diff --git a/serialize.js b/serialize.js
index 0b27c36..456357f 100644
--- a/serialize.js
+++ b/serialize.js
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ var debug = {
 
 //---------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-module.STRING_LENGTH_REF = REFERENCE.length * 16
+module.MIN_LENGTH_REF = REFERENCE.length * 16
 
 
 //
@@ -144,9 +144,13 @@ module.STRING_LENGTH_REF = REFERENCE.length * 16
 var _serialize = 
 module._serialize = 
 function(obj, path=[], seen=new Map(), indent, depth=0, options={}){
-	var string_length_ref = 
-		options.string_length_ref 
-			?? module.STRING_LENGTH_REF
+	var min_length_ref = 
+		options.min_length_ref 
+			?? module.MIN_LENGTH_REF
+	min_length_ref = 
+		min_length_ref <= 0 ? 
+			Infinity 
+			: min_length_ref
 
 	// reference...
 	var p = seen.get(obj)
@@ -171,12 +175,14 @@ function(obj, path=[], seen=new Map(), indent, depth=0, options={}){
 	// long strings...
 	// NOTE: this saves on output size...
 	if(typeof(obj) == 'string' 
-			&& obj.length > string_length_ref){
+			&& obj.length > min_length_ref){
 		seen.set(obj, path) }
 	// BigInt...
 	if(typeof(obj) == 'bigint'){
-		seen.set(obj, path)
-		return obj.toString() +'n' }
+		var res = obj.toString() +'n' 
+		if(res.length > min_length_ref){
+			seen.set(obj, path) }
+		return res }
 
 	// atomics...
 	// NOTE: these are not stored in seen thus are not re-referenced...