On Thursday, October 22, 2015 at 6:35:04 PM UTC-4, srao wrote:
> I need to cut down the size occupied by the boot code drastically to add
> in new code. The current memory occupied by boot code +application+ram in
> an external flash memory chip is  together 1MB. This cannot be increased.
> The boot code is located at the high address. All source code is written
> in C++.
> 
> This is clearly an embedded/firmware query and would need help so as to
> how to optimize the source code keeping in mind the memory constraint.
> This problem might not have one single solution, I am looking for ways in
> which i can approach it.
> 
> Details: Enhancement on a legacy code,  borland compiler, 32bit flash
> memory chip.
> Limitations: 
> 1. no IDE. Build process is using make, breakpoints cannot be added. 
> 2. boot Make file build the boot.hex image file based on its dependent
> files. 
> 
> FOR EXAMPLE : The boot make file below has files a and b dependent on it
> to be built to create an hex image file. These files a, b contribute to
> the code memory and hence overall boot memory.
> 
> $(ObjDir)a.obj:  w:a.cpp
> $(ObjDir)b.obj:  w:b.cpp
> main_obj=
>     $(ObjDir)a.obj
>     $(ObjDir)b.obj
> mainEXE.exe:$(main_obj)
>     mainEXE.exe
>     mainEXE.map
> 
> Could someone please help me with possible steps to be taken to
> decrease/optimize existing code or how to go about looking at this
> problem?
> ---------------------------------------
> Posted through http://www.EmbeddedRelated.com

Have you finished this project successfully?

On Wednesday, October 28, 2015 at 5:40:25 PM UTC-4, srao wrote:
> ...I have already identified a few parts of code, which
> were unused and excluded from build, but i believe there are more such
> possibilities which I might not be able to quickly identify and that's how
> the question popped up in the first place.

Have you finished this project successfully?

On Wednesday, October 28, 2015 at 4:37:30 PM UTC-4, srao wrote:
> Dave, Is Objxref a tool or just an exe download?

It should be in the same directory as the compiler...

>On 28/10/15 21:32, Tauno Voipio wrote:
>> On 28.10.15 22:09, Grant Edwards wrote:
>>> On 2015-10-28, srao <109468@EmbeddedRelated> wrote:
>>>
>>>> Is there a tool to identify the unused functions so that i can
>>>> exclude them from the build?
>>>
>>> GCC and Gnu binutils will do that automatically for you at link time
>>> if you use the right options (-ffunction-sections for gcc and
>>> --gc-sections for ld).
>>>
>>> I assume any decent toolchain will have equivalent options.
>>
>>
>> The Borland things are so old that the link-time optimization was only
>> a twinkle in the father's eye.
>>
>
>Actually, Borland tools have had "smart linking" (if I remember their 
>term for it correctly) from way back in the DOS days.  It is not 
>link-time optimisation, but it simply omits functions that are not used 
>in the final link image.
>
>Despite being suggested many times, the OP still has given no indication

>that he has looked at the map file, or considered compile-time and 
>link-time options, or looked at any documentation for the toolchain. 
>Until he has control of these basics, any effort in helping him is
wasted.
>
>(To the OP - if you /have/ studied the map file and compiler and linker 
>options, let us know the results of your research.  The more information

>you give, the better the help you can get.)

As said by Tauno Voipio above, this version does not provide complete link
time optimisation. I have already identified a few parts of code, which
were unused and excluded from build, but i believe there are more such
possibilities which I might not be able to quickly identify and that's how
the question popped up in the first place.
 
---------------------------------------
Posted through http://www.EmbeddedRelated.com

On Wednesday, October 28, 2015 at 4:09:26 PM UTC-4, Grant Edwards wrote:
> I assume any decent toolchain will have equivalent options.

Well, it was a decent toolchain two decades ago, but the objxref
utility is the closest thing... Also, it can't strip unused functions;
modules get pulled in whole.

See ya, Dave

On 28/10/15 21:32, Tauno Voipio wrote:
> On 28.10.15 22:09, Grant Edwards wrote:
>> On 2015-10-28, srao <109468@EmbeddedRelated> wrote:
>>
>>> Is there a tool to identify the unused functions so that i can
>>> exclude them from the build?
>>
>> GCC and Gnu binutils will do that automatically for you at link time
>> if you use the right options (-ffunction-sections for gcc and
>> --gc-sections for ld).
>>
>> I assume any decent toolchain will have equivalent options.
>
>
> The Borland things are so old that the link-time optimization was only
> a twinkle in the father's eye.
>

Actually, Borland tools have had "smart linking" (if I remember their 
term for it correctly) from way back in the DOS days.  It is not 
link-time optimisation, but it simply omits functions that are not used 
in the final link image.

Despite being suggested many times, the OP still has given no indication 
that he has looked at the map file, or considered compile-time and 
link-time options, or looked at any documentation for the toolchain. 
Until he has control of these basics, any effort in helping him is wasted.

(To the OP - if you /have/ studied the map file and compiler and linker 
options, let us know the results of your research.  The more information 
you give, the better the help you can get.)

>On Wednesday, October 28, 2015 at 2:00:05 PM UTC-4, srao wrote:
>>... Is there a tool to
>>identify the unused functions so that i can exclude them from the
build?
>>So far I have been using source tree to find the link between various
>>files/functions.
>
>You can try Borland objxref. WARNING: Don't take OBJXREF output too
>seriously. A label listed as 'unreferenced' means it is not referenced
>outside the module that defines it. It is not NECESSARILY unused,
>but probably it should not be global. objxref has lots of other
>'features' with C++ code as well.
>
>Hope that helps,
>Best Regards, Dave

Thanks Roberto and Dave.

Dave, Is Objxref a tool or just an exe download?  I am asking because, I
looked it up, and did not find a trustworthy source to download it. 
---------------------------------------
Posted through http://www.EmbeddedRelated.com

On 28.10.15 22:09, Grant Edwards wrote:
> On 2015-10-28, srao <109468@EmbeddedRelated> wrote:
>
>> Is there a tool to identify the unused functions so that i can
>> exclude them from the build?
>
> GCC and Gnu binutils will do that automatically for you at link time
> if you use the right options (-ffunction-sections for gcc and
> --gc-sections for ld).
>
> I assume any decent toolchain will have equivalent options.


The Borland things are so old that the link-time optimization was only
a twinkle in the father's eye.

-- 

-TV

On 2015-10-28, srao <109468@EmbeddedRelated> wrote:

> Is there a tool to identify the unused functions so that i can
> exclude them from the build?

GCC and Gnu binutils will do that automatically for you at link time
if you use the right options (-ffunction-sections for gcc and
--gc-sections for ld). 

I assume any decent toolchain will have equivalent options.

-- 
Grant Edwards               grant.b.edwards        Yow! Is it NOUVELLE
                                  at               CUISINE when 3 olives are
                              gmail.com            struggling with a scallop
                                                   in a plate of SAUCE MORNAY?

On Wednesday, October 28, 2015 at 2:00:05 PM UTC-4, srao wrote:
>... Is there a tool to
>identify the unused functions so that i can exclude them from the build?
>So far I have been using source tree to find the link between various
>files/functions.

You can try Borland objxref. WARNING: Don't take OBJXREF output too
seriously. A label listed as 'unreferenced' means it is not referenced
outside the module that defines it. It is not NECESSARILY unused,
but probably it should not be global. objxref has lots of other
'features' with C++ code as well.

Hope that helps,
Best Regards, Dave