def encode_int(obj):
    ret = []
    if obj < 0:
        obj = abs(obj)
        neg = True
    else:
        neg = False

    while obj:
        ret.append(obj & 0xFF)
        obj = obj >> 8

    if neg:
        ret[0] = ret[0] | 0x80

    ret.insert(0, (0x10 + len(ret)))
    return ''.join([chr(x) for x in ret])