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Small Exe (/MERGE)

Started by n00b!, January 26, 2009, 11:10:37 PM

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n00b!

Hi,
I read that if you merge sections with the microsoft MASM-linker the exe will be smaller.
I tried it and it actually worked, but now I have the problem that I'm currently using Pascal, which uses Borland's tasm with tlink afaik and it seems to do not support this linker-command.
(I mean this is a PE format thing, the pascal linker should be able to do something like this, shouldn't it?...)
I hope somebody can help me to get some sections merged with this linker to produce a smaller exe, thanks!

Vortex

You should try Agner Fog's objconv tool to convert OMF to MS COFF. While Borland tools are producing OMF type object modules, the standard for MS tools ( and for ml.exe ) is the MS COFF specification. Note that MS link has the ability to do the same convertion. If I remember well, Borland Pascal is limited only with 16-bit code. The OMF to COFF convertion is targeting 32-bit object modules.

n00b!

So it won't be possible without any third party linker?
That would be sad, thx anyway.

Vortex

n00b!,

You need to check if your development tools are producing 32-bit code or not.


n00b!

Both ways it wouldn't work with the original linker, so if it's 16Bit or 32Bit is some kind of secondary.
But how would this has an effect, 16Bit or 32Bit? *sorry*