Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!uunet!van-bc!rsoft!mindlink!a665
From: a665@mindlink.UUCP (Anthon Pang)
Newsgroups: comp.lang.modula2
Subject: Re: is modula2 available
Message-ID: <2776@mindlink.UUCP>
Date: 8 Aug 90 23:55:14 GMT
Organization: MIND LINK! - British Columbia, Canada
Lines: 20

> David.Vazquez@f1.n396.z1.fidonet.org writes:
>      Can you ask if there will be a new version of the linker?  The current
> linker insists on importing the entire contents of an OBM file into the final
> executable, even if only one PROCEDURE is used in it (ex:  you IMPORT
> OpenScreen FROM Intuition; the compiler does just fine, but the linker brings
> in everything else).  This adds alot of unnecessary weight to programs.

TDI has an "optimization" feature in its linker...aka "smart" or "intelligent"
linker...that removes dead code in modules.  This is the main reason the linker
is so slow in this mode.  I've found that the Benchmark compiler doesn't write
enough info into .obj files to make "smart" linking easy.  Anyways, I've
already asked Leon this question (last year)...so I already have a reply :)
> 3) The linker has not been optimized to reduce unused procedures.  However,
> carefuly (sic) testing has revealed that such a feature would not produce
> very signifcant savings in most cases.  For large programs the saving is a
> fraction of a percent and for small programs the saving depends heavily on
> which modules are use, since there is a lot of inter-module depedancies.
> (sic)

So, I guess this means no.  What a load of b.s.!