ID Number: Q79600
1.00
WINDOWS
buglist1.00
Summary:
Visual Basic executable (.EXE) files will increase in size if you
repeatedly compile them because of symbol table information that is
not released after compiling. Symbol table information is also not
released while editing Visual basic forms and modules. This has no
effect other than to increase the size of executables and source
files.
To reduce the size of executable and source files, do the following
for each form in your project:
1. From the Code menu, choose View Code (F7).
2. From the Code menu, choose Save Text.
3. From the Code menu, choose Load Text, and choose the Replace
button.
This information applies to Microsoft Visual Basic programming system
version 1.0 for Windows.
More Information:
Executable files will grow in size after being compiled several times
in succession, even if no changes are made to the code. This occurs
because symbol table information tracked during compilation is not
released. The symbol table area is 32K in size for each form or
module. This is a known problem.
A similar problem occurs when you edit your program. Each time you use
a variable, constant, Sub or Function name, or line label, Visual
Basic stores that name in the symbol table area for the module or form
you are editing. When you stop using this name, the symbol table space
is not reclaimed until you have run out of unused space.
To trim programs of this overhead, you will need to perform a
SaveText, then LoadText operation on every form, global module, and
module in the program. This will clear the symbol table and make your
program smaller. To have the smallest executable file size possible,
you should immediately compile once after the Load and Save
operations, and use this version for release.
This problem should not affect the development of Visual Basic
applications, and the overhead can be eliminated from any final or
release version of a product with the steps described above.
Example
-------
To reduce the size of your source file and .EXE program in VB.EXE, do
the following for each form in your project:
1. From the Code menu, choose View Code (F7), or double-click on the
form or on any control, to display the Code window.
2. From the Code menu, choose Save Text. Enter a unique filename with
a .TXT extension, and choose the OK button.
3. From the Code menu, choose Load Text. Enter the same filename you
used in step 2 (or select the name from the Files box). Choose the
Replace button.
(Note that the Code window must be open when you do these steps. If
the Code window is closed when you perform the Load Text command,
the Replace button will be unavailable.)
4. Repeat the above steps for each form in your project.
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