CODEWITHSUNDEEP
c++cide
user3968821
user3968821

Reputation:

Different exe sizes when compiling using the Visual C++ Express 2010 IDE and compiling under console with cl command

This is my first question here, i'm a big fan and found many solutions in stackoverflow, so many thanks to all. I would be happy if my question is one that is worth time.

I'm using Windows 7 and Microsft Visual C++ 2010 Express. The C code is:

int main()
{
    return 0;
}

When compiling the code with the ide, with project properties -> C/C++ -> CodeGeneration -> Runtime Library = /MTd option the exe size is 395,264 bytes. When compiling the program under console with cl.exe using the Visual Studio Command Prompt "cl test.c" the exe size is 31,744.

SIZES: 1. 395,264 2. 31,744

Any idea why there is so big differences in the sizes?

Thank You.

Upvotes: 0

Views: 1292

Answers (2)

Ryan J
Ryan J

Reputation: 8323

Compiling in VS with the /MTd option is building your program with multi-threaded debug libraries in the final executable, which will cause a size increase in your binary for those extra objects.

The compile command of just the source file will not result in any additional object code being linked, and will result in a smaller exe.

See this page for further reference

When I use the same source code, with the same compiler options, I get a final size of 391K. From the command line, I get the following:

cl MyProg.cpp -> 31K
cl /MTd MyProg.cpp -> 137K

If you include some of the other options that the IDE is including for you, then you get something like this:

cl /MTd /Gm /ZI /EHsc MyProg.cpp -> 378K

It's simply a matter of the difference between the build commands that is causing your difference.

Upvotes: 2

Christian Hackl
Christian Hackl

Reputation: 27538

Because:

  1. There are many more VC++ compiler options, not just the /M family of options.
  2. Several of those options can affect the executable's size.
  3. The IDE's defaults for a new project are different than the defaults of the compiler and linker themselves.

Somewhere in the IDE, go to your test project's properties. Open Configuration Properties -> C/C++ -> Command Line and Configuration Properties -> Linker -> Command Line. This will show you all options with which your IDE invokes the compiler and linker.

The mere fact that the IDE uses so many options should tell you that it's not using the tools' defaults.

If you go to the command line and invoke the compiler and linker with the same options shown in the IDE, then the resulting executable should be 100% identical.

Upvotes: 2

Related Questions