[comp.databases] Clipper EXE size question!

mcintyre@cs.rpi.edu (David McIntyre) (01/30/91)

I am converting a large DBASE II application to DBASE III+, and I am
almost done.  The program is much faster, has a few neat additions, but
has one big drawback:  its executable size is *tons* larger.

The DBII application is about 97K, the DBIII+ application about 390K. 
The two programs are not much different.  Actually, I think the DBIII+
code is smaller and more efficient, since I took out repeated sections
of code and converted them to functions.

Why is the new EXE so much bigger?  I'm using MS link, and Plink86, which
produces code slightly (maybe 10K) smaller.  Would using a different
linker make a big difference?

One problem that comes with such a large executable is the inability to
'run' external commands.  In the old application, to backup database
files, we simply ran a DOS 'backup' command.  Now, not enough memory
is left to run these programs.

On a related note, are there public domain DB libraries which have
functions to allow easy backup and restore?

				Thanks, Dave


-- 
Dave "mr question" McIntyre         |    "....say you're thinking about a plate
mcintyre@turing.cs.rpi.edu          |     of shrimp.....and someone says to
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