executable size

[David M. McQueen]

/* acf4:comp.sys.sgi / trohling at uceng.UC.EDU (tom rohling) / 12:27 am  Feb 24, 1990 */

>     On a related note to my other article, can the size of an executable
>be reduced while still being an executable?  I noticed that the size of the
>exec for some of the demos and such are very small but any extensive 
>graphics thing I do is easily over 800k in size so something must have been
>done to 'em right? 
>
> Any ideas?
>
>===========================================================================
>Tom Rohling                       "Infinity is where things happen 
>trohling at uceng.uc.edu                 that don't."  -Anonymous
>      or
>rohling at afiris.ase.uc.edu
>===========================================================================
/* ---------- */

Two ways I have found to reduce the size of executables are:

  1) compile using shared graphics libraries. As an example (Fortran, but
     similar and even greater reductions are possible with C programs):

     With f77  program.f -lfgl -lgl   : 652704 bytes
     With f77  program.f -lfgl -lgl_s : 453440 bytes

     a reduction of about 200 Kbytes

  2) again in Fortran, if you are using large arrays, place those arrays
     in labelled common blocks.


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Disclaimer:  The above is just my opinion. God Alone Knows.

David M. McQueen,Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences,New York University

"The difference between long-distance commuting and long-distance computing is
 that with long-distance computing you can stay in your office and get stuck in
 traffic."