Stripping object files - I need suggestions

[Chin Fang]

Hi everyone,

In system V/386 programmer's reference manual, entries CPRS(1), MCS(1),
and STRIP(1) describ ways of stripping away various unnecessary info
from the final version (fully debugged, say) of an executable disk
image.

They really work wonders.  Typically I can achieve 1:7 size ratio when
share libs are available and used.  (1 => size of the stripped
version, 7 => size of the unshared, unstripped version).  Really good
for saving storage indeed.

The only drawback as I can see is that when they are used, say in a
makefile for a package with lots modules, the disk activities are 
increased many fold, very unhealthy to hardware I would say.  

It seems to me the trio can not be pipelined together so that reducing disk
activities seems to be a nontrivial task.

It would be nice if it is possible to achieve the
compression/stripping using pipeline feature of unix similar to the
-pipe feature of GNU gcc,  but I don't have any idea how to do it.

Does anyone know a good technique for what I wish to do?  If so, 
would you please post or email to me?  I will summerize all responses

Thanks

Chin Fang
Applied Mechanics Div.
Mechanical Engineering Department
Stanford University
fangchin at portia.stanford.edu