What Can I Do To Reduce My Executable's Size (Delphi)?

Question

I release a single executable (.EXE) for a desktop program using Delphi 2009. I have no external DLLs or resources that I need for the program to run.

I use two comp

Answer 1

I've done some tests to see the difference between D2007 and D2010, because we are upgrading to D2010. I've tested a medium sized management GUI application, with about 60 forms (grids with detail forms, frames, etc). We're using TMS components + Remobjects.

D2007:
"normal" compilation: 18.8mb
with debug dcu's: 18.8mb (same size!)

D2010
normal: 23.9
debug dcu's: 48.8mb (!)

So using debug dcu's doubles our exe size...

Test with our business service (no big dfm's):
D2007: 12.3mb
D2010: 17.1mb

So yes, D2010 increases the exe (a bit), but this is not a problem for my customer.

Edit: some information about compiled size:
D2007:

D2010:

So an increase of code size, but a more than doubling of the data!

Answer 2

Another way is to have a look to 'what unit increase the size ?'.

To do this, I use the JCL 'Project Analyser IDE', integrated in the IDE with the JCL/JVCL installation, it show you all the units with their respective size. You can export it in text file. If you do it with the 2 environnements (D4 & D2009) you will have a lot of pertinent informations.

Answer 3

Check format of your dfm-s. They must be in binary format if you want to make your exe smaller.

Answer 4

Without seeing the actual settings that your "Release" build configuration uses explaining this increase in size requires a great deal of speculation.

Beyond some perhaps unlikely factors resulting in a vast increase in the amount of code being "dragged in" even though it isn't used, that magnitude of increase would most easily be explained by the inclusion of debug information.

I would check your compiler and linker settings for:

• Debug Information (compiler setting)
• TD32 info (linker)
• Remote debug info (linker)

Compare these settings in your Delphi 2009 project with the equivalents in Delphi 4.

Answer 5

If you don't want to use an exe compressor then you should give StripReloc a try.

Answer 6

Use "upx - compress or expand executable files" @ http://upx.sourceforge.net

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If you go to tools/configure tools, and set it up like this, you can compress the executable that you're working on easily via a menu item in the IDE.