ian

Everybody starts off as a newbie, don't they? Okay, I'm new to C++ (syntax is somewhat familiar, due to my experiences in Java and some other languages) and desperate to get the hang of it because I'm going on a competition in 5 days time * .

Now, I need to ask is there anyway, I can reduce the size of C++'s .EXEs? Let me explain, the competition allows only a single diskette (that's 1.38 Mb) for participants to submit six EXE programs. The problem comes in when I import libraries.

For example, all of the programs would definitely need to do some basic file IO (open, read, close, create, write, close, in that order). So when I include fstream, the EXE size will increase approximately by 120 Kb. Assuming that each program is 200 Kb, it'll fit nicely into the diskette.

The whole thing that's bothering me is this: what if I'd need to import another library? I won't have an clues on what the tasks I'm supposed to do until the actual day of competition itself.

So I'd need anyone who's experience in C++ to help me out a little, is there anyway I can reduce the size of the EXEs? Or is there a workaround so the file size won't be as big.

The compiler I will be using is DJGPP (latest version; I downloaded it for the sake of the competition 2 days ago).

Thanks for any help you'd give.

* Just in case you're interested, I wasn't supposed to go for this competition because I lacked knowledge in C++ and Pascal (if they accepted Java, I wouldn't have worries already). My teacher-in-charge, however, submitted my name and told me that she did 8 days before the competition. So I'm kind of in a panic and desperate state now.

Ooble

That's nice of her. Anyway, you could try UPX:

http://upx.sourceforge.net/

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ian

Sorry Ooble, I can't bring in any other digital stuff (except calculators and watches) so bringing in a external program would not be possible (they provide you will the computers, compliers and all the stuff one would need).

Thanks for the link though, looks interesting!

Floppie

I assume simply bringing the files in zipped wouldn't work? It's not an external program, as long as the computers you're working with either run Windows XP or have some sort of program already installed to deal with *.zip files.

Ooble

It's not external software. You just run your application through it and it compresses it. You can't even tell it's decompressing when you run it.

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drewlander

If you want small .exe's right off the bat, this site may help
http://www.hailstorm.net/papers/smallwin32.htm
*Edit, I apologize, but I did not check your compiler until AFTER I posted *smacks forehead*
maybe this link will help http://download.mirror.ac.uk/sites/w...q/faq8_14.html

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ian

I can't bring anything in; we leave our bags outside. We are required to access whatever is on the computer they're providing.
Thank you so much for the link!!! :p

Ooble

Run your application through it before you go in then.

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tempest

Last time i entered one of those types of competitions they simply allowed us to keep submitting programs one t at a time, wipe the disk and then put a new one on there. I'm sure the competition is more interested in your ability to program the programs than the ability to put 6 of them on a single disk... don't worry about it too much man.

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Berto

complain that in this day and age you should be able to use cdrw's?