code: def encode_vlq(i):
      
  
      # shift in the sign to least significant bit
      raw = (-i << 1) + 1 if i < 0 else i << 1
      if raw < VLQ_MULTI_CHAR:
          # short-circuit simple case as it doesn't need continuation
          return INT_B64[raw]
  
      result = []
      while raw:
          # assume continue
          result.append(raw & VLQ_BASE_MASK | VLQ_CONT)
          # shift out processed bits
          raw = raw >> VLQ_SHIFT
      # discontinue the last unit
      result[-1] &= VLQ_BASE_MASK
      return ''.join(INT_B64[i] for i in result)
docs: Encode integer `i` into a VLQ encoded string.