1. In a video coder for coding video images in a block format, a method for improving compression of the video images comprising: for a macroblock in a video frame, determining whether texture values for the color values of the macroblock are coded and setting the coded block parameters corresponding to the colors to indicate whether or not the texture values are coded; forming a combined parameter representing all of the coded block parameters for the macroblock; determining a single variable length code for the combined parameter of the macroblock; and repeating the above-steps for macroblocks in the video image.