PRB: Binding Resources to Executable Increases File Size

ID Number: Q83917

3.00 3.10

WINDOWS

Summary:

SYMPTOMS

Using the Resource Compiler (RC) to bind resources to a Windows

executable image file [either an application EXE file or a dynamic-

link library (DLL) file], the size of the output file is much

larger than the combined sizes of the input files.

CAUSE

The Resource Compiler uses the same byte alignment as the linker.

By default, the Microsoft Linker aligns segments on a 512-byte

boundary.

RESOLUTION

Use a linker option to specify a smaller byte alignment; specifying

a 16-byte boundary is recommended. With the Microsoft Linker, use

the /ALIGN:16 command-line switch.

More Information:

The resource compiler uses the same byte alignment as the linker to

minimize the time to load the segments of an application. However,

one-half the byte alignment is wasted for each code segment and

resource on average. When an application has a number of small

resources, like a string table, specifying a large alignment value

leads to a large amount of wasted space in the file. Linking the

application with a smaller byte alignment eliminates most of the

wasted space.

Additional reference words: 3.00 3.10