HOWTO: Reducing the Size of Exe Files Built with VFP5

• Microsoft Visual FoxPro for Windows, version 5.0

SUMMARY

Visual FoxPro executables include copies of the .scx and .vcx files that define the forms and classes of the project from which the .exe is built.

By default, the embedded copies include the source code of the methods and procedures as a debugging convenience. The source code can be quite large.

The developer can eliminate the source code in the forms and class tables by opening the project and deselecting Debug Info in the Project Information dialog box.

This feature of Visual FoxPro for Windows release 5.0 simplifies the similar functionality provided by the Buildapp.prg program that came with Visual FoxPro 3.0b.

MORE INFORMATION

To confirm the effect of using this feature follow the procedure below:

1. In the command window, type the following command:

         CREATE PROJECT atest
   

2. Click the Documents tab of the Project. Create a new form.

3. Place several command buttons on the form, and in the click method of each type a command such as:

         =MESSAGEBOX("This is a very, very, very, very, very long message")
   

4. Close and save the method code windows and the form.

5. Click the Programs tab of the Project. Create a new program.

6. In the edit window for that program, type the following comment:

         *Main program
   

7. Close and save the file as Main.prg (the "Main" program).

8. On the Project menu, click Set Main.

9. In the Project window, click Build. Click Build Executable and click OK.

10. In Windows 95 Explorer or Windows NT Explorer, locate and highlight the Atest.exe file. On the File menu, click Properties. Note the exact file size in the Properties dialog box. The size will be approximately 24,000 bytes.

11. In Visual FoxPro, click Project Info on the Project menu.

12. In the Project Information dialog box, click the Project tab. Deselect Debug Info, and then click OK.

13. Build the executable again, and replace the original Atest.exe with the new one.

14. In Windows 95 Explorer or Windows NT Explorer, locate and highlight the Atest.exe file. On the File menu, click Properties. Note the exact file size in the Properties dialog box. The exact number of bytes will be less than the number from the first build.

REFERENCES

For more information about the BuildApp program provided with Visual FoxPro 3.0 and 3.0b, please see the following articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

   ARTICLE-ID: Q130825
   TITLE     : Tools Available with Visual FoxPro 3.0 Professional

   ARTICLE-ID: Q131302
   TITLE     : PRB: Visual FoxPro Makes Bigger .EXE Files Than FoxPro 2.6

   ARTICLE-ID: Q136017
   TITLE     : PRB: Cannot Update Cursor Error Occurs as Buildapp Builds