<iostream> and Execuable Size

[Chazwazza]

OK, before adding "#include <iostream>" to my program, the file size is 23kb, after adding it, the file size is over 450kb, is that normal??

[penagate]

I assume you mean compiled file size, in which case the answer is yes.

[Chazwazza]

Fark, why the hell is that?

[penagate]

Well, because include means just that - it includes whatever is in your standard library's iostream header file (and any files #include'd from that, etc.) as if it were part of your source code.

All convenience comes at a price.

[Chazwazza]

Heh, I realised that, I was just wondering why it was such a huge file. What functionality is included in the iostream header anway?

[penagate]

See: http://cplusplus.com/ref/iostream

and http://cplusplus.com/ref/iostream/iostream/ etc.

[Chazwazza]

Thanks. Looks like I'll be avoiding this particular header in this application, i need it to be as small as possible.

[CornedBee]

Bah!

Btw, including the header should increase your exe by exactly nothing. It's using something from it, like std::cout, that increases the size.

[wey97]

No way in hell the app should be 450kb using everything IN <iostream>
Are you sure you're reading 450kb and not 45.0 kb ?

[CornedBee]

450k is realistic. The default setting is to link statically.

[wey97]

Humm. OK every app I've ever coded using <iostream> and mainly cout is always between 40kb and 80kb max. How can it grow to over 400kb?

Say you have, I dunno, 5 primary functions you use out of <iostream> throughout your app. Doesn't your program use the same code (say a pointer) to refer back to those same functions, even though you may reference those functions multiple times? Or if you have a LOT of code I could see the app getting big.

I don't see how simply using a few functions from <iostream> can bloat it that badly unless you're configured for Debug.

I love having gurus to explain this stuff.

[CornedBee]

I think it might be Debug ...

[Chazwazza]

Yeah, it is debug.

But I've noticed something else now, when I compile a certain project under VC++ under debug, its about 200kb, when I compile it under release, it's about 100kb. But when I compile it with Dev-C++ it's about 14kb, and then when I compile it with the VS Command Prompt it's 4kb. Why are they all different sizes when they all function the same way?

[CornedBee]

Your project settings might by default be different than the settings at the command line. Also, Dev-C++ uses a completely different compiler.

In the project settings, there should be a place where you can find the complete command line for compiler and linker. Use these, and see if the binary is the same size. Then you can try optimizing it.

[Chazwazza]

Yeah, I checked, its using heaps of options, and I'm just using one or two. All those options are making the file size a lot larger.