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From: tma@osc.COM (Tim Atkins)
Newsgroups: comp.lang.c++
Subject: Re: Borland Turbo C++ compile size
Message-ID: <3233@osc.COM>
Date: 12 Aug 90 08:06:13 GMT
References: <7921@tekgvs.LABS.TEK.COM> <380@taumet.com> <1990Aug4.233013.20500@cs.columbia.edu> <Uaitime00VB5E1pYAT@andrew.cmu.edu>
Reply-To: tma@osc.UUCP (Tim Atkins)
Organization: Object Sciences Corp., Menlo Park, CA
Lines: 11


Be very careful with recommendations on "smart" linking.  Some implementations
I am aware of can break the munch form of C++ loading.  The reason is that
the executable is first linked, then an nm is done to find the special static
constructors and destructors.  This input is used to produce another .c file
that calls these functions.  Some "smart" linkers make this impossible as the
relevant static functions are discarded in phase one since there are no calls
to them at that point.

While I consider the goal of smart linking laudable, some support for programs
that depend on current practice  or a modification of current practice is needed.