Android Question Why So Much Disparity in File Size Between B4A900 and B4A901

Mahares

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B4A900.exe has a size of 7538 KB while B4A901.exe has a size of 11193 Kb. Why such a big difference when 901 is considered a minor upgrade?
 

JohnC

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If I had to guess, I'd say the 9.01 includes a bunch of new code that he's been working on for the next major release (9.5, 10.0), but when he had to go back and fix a few bugs with 9.00, he didn't want to have to roll-back/remove all the new work he already added, so the new stuff is in the 9.01, just not-active.
 
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emexes

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Or it could be that there is an issue in 9.00 that is seemingly intermittent and random (as all bugs are, until understood), in which case the first course of action is to recompile with optimizations off, runtime checks on, instrumentation on, logging on, which will generally expand the exe and usually flush out (or sometimes, "fix") the issue.

You might wonder how the heck turning supposedly benign things like instrumentation and logging on could possibly "fix" an issue if they are not altering the logic of the application code in any way. The easiest-to-visualize explanation is that the instrumentation and logging takes time, and the full applicable folk wisdom here is:

Time heals all wounds, and some bugs too ;-)

Eg, if the program is measuring elapsed time between two events, then the extra slowness might be enough to eliminate cases of elapsed time (apparently) = zero, by stretching them out to be greater than the timer minimum resolution. Or to stretch out UI updates to be across frame updates, and that happens to reorder blits such that a copy from an complete image on one frame is now being made from a completed image of the following frame.

Whatever the reason for the size increase: don't panic yet (it doesn't sound like you are, but... just in case). Erel's track record is that critical issues within his domain are usually resolved immediately, and sometimes even quicker.
 
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Erel

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Or it could be that there is an issue in 9.00 that is seemingly intermittent and random (as all bugs are, until understood), in which case the first course of action is to recompile with optimizations off, runtime checks on, instrumentation on, logging on, which will generally expand the exe and usually flush out (or sometimes, "fix") the issue.

You might wonder how the heck turning supposedly benign things like instrumentation and logging on could possibly "fix" an issue if they are not altering the logic of the application code in any way. The easiest-to-visualize explanation is that the instrumentation and logging takes time, and the full applicable folk wisdom here is:

Time heals all wounds, and some bugs too ;-)

Eg, if the program is measuring elapsed time between two events, then the extra slowness might be enough to eliminate cases of elapsed time (apparently) = zero, by stretching them out to be greater than the timer minimum resolution. Or to stretch out UI updates to be across frame updates, and that happens to reorder blits such that a copy from an complete image on one frame is now being made from a completed image of the following frame.

Whatever the reason for the size increase: don't panic yet (it doesn't sound like you are, but... just in case). Erel's track record is that critical issues within his domain are usually resolved immediately, and sometimes even quicker.
Many conclusions from a 4mb size change ;)

The size increased because of Android SDK dependencies that are required to run under Java 11.
 
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Star-Dust

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I used the 5.25 " of 360kb
 
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techknight

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Early Macs, you could fit the whole GUI OS onto a DS/DD disk, 800k. but 1.4mb with more features.
 
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Derek Johnson

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I miss the days where you could fit tons of stuff on a 1.4MB Floppy.

VB Version 1.0 came on two 1.4MB floppies. The second disk had the help flies on it. It was a brilliant innovation in its day. I went to a UK launch event for it and there was spontaneous applause when the presenter wrote and ran a UI program in about 5 minutes.
 
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JohnC

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Did you know that Microsoft came out with "Visual Basic for DOS"?

It was a full event-driven UI that ran in DOS (text mode) and used the mouse to place/draw controls on "windows" - that even had shadows! (darker colored text underneath the right and bottom side to give the shadow effect).

It was the next generation of MS Basic Pro - I was a beta tester for it - code named "Esher"

And it looks like you can download a free copy from here:

https://winworldpc.com/product/microsoft-visual-bas/10-for-dos
 
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JohnC

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I just looked at the install files for it - 8MB!!!

8MB was for everything: the app, samples and all the help docs!
 
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Didier9

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Yes that was brilliant too. I wrote some really useful stuff with that.
I was looking for old stuff just I remembered I had on 3.5" floppies this week end actually and I found the original Microsoft floppies for the following Microsoft Basic versions: QuickBasic 4.5, Visual Basic for DOS v1.0 (copyright stamp from 1992) and Visual Basic for Windows 3.0. More recent versions were on CD I believe. I did write a lot of QuickBasic 4.5, some programs used to support older equipment are still used where I work. I still use VB 6.0 now even though under Windows 10 there are issues installing and running it but I have so much code to reuse it is just tempting when I need to throw something together quickly. I am trying to switch to B4J but while there are definite advantages, I am not at the level where I want to be yet.
 
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JohnC

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What issues did you run into installing/running VB6 on Windows 10?

I ask because I have a bunch of legacy VB6 apps that I'm under contract to keep running (they don't have the budget to rewrite them all).

And since my development system is still on Windows 7, I'll need to move VB6 to Windows 10 when the support runs out for Win7 next year.
 
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Didier9

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It seems since the last October update, I have been having much worse difficulties installing packages built with the development wizard or running them when they do install.
The strange part is that I have different problems on different machines, it's not just one thing but it usually revolves around permissions to access stuff or not having license for the dlls that come with the distribution itself!!!

Adding insult to injury, the computers I deal with at work are locked down pretty tightly by our IT department (we are a defense contractor but I have administrator rights on the machines I am responsible for) so that may not be all Microsoft's fault but even at home on my own machines where I do not have any of these restrictions it's not been smooth sailing.
Also, installing the VB 6.0 IDE itself has become a pain. When it does install, I am often unable to use common objects like the MSFlexGrid or Smart Text Box.
At the moment, I keep a couple of Windows 7 machines around because they are the only ones running the IDE and the exe reliably.

I strongly suggest you find an alternative before you have to migrate to Windows 10. I am relatively lucky that where I work in that they recycle the older office machines for test duty, so I still have Windows 7 machines around(and will have probably for a while longer).


You may be able to migrate them to VB.NET without too much effort. I have not done it but in the typical Microsoft way, they make it relatively easy to migrate up. Some hand modifications will be required but probably not more than 10% of a full rewrite.
 
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JohnC

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Thanks for the info!
 
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Didier9

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Alternately, I am looking at running a Windows 7 instance in a Virtual machine running on Windows 10. In my case, that would still count as a Windows 10 installation from a security standpoint since the base OS is Windows 10. At least I hope...
 
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rboeck

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@JohnCody: I was beta tester for esher too!
For month ago i upgraded my windows 7 machine to windows 10/64 bit; at this time i had a fully working vb6 installation. There are small problems: one is, that it is impossible to mark more then one control. In this situation you dont see the markers, but it works.I also use flex grid, janus grid, true grid and could not see any side effects. For installation i use inno setup, so maybe the built in wizard is not working.
 
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Derek Johnson

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You may be able to migrate them to VB.NET without too much effort. I have not done it but in the typical Microsoft way, they make it relatively easy to migrate up. Some hand modifications will be required but probably not more than 10% of a full rewrite.

I'd have to disagree with this statement, as you say you have not done it! There are a lot of minor irritating issues to sort out in trying to convert a VB app to VB.NET!
 
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mangojack

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I still use VB 6.0 now even though under Windows 10 there are issues installing and running it

I currently have VB6 installed under Win10. My business software was originally written with vb6 and I still occasionally do minor upgrades etc.
You do have to jump through a few hoops but in the end it works.

Attempted to rewrite with .net a few years back but gave up.
Only last month I was very tempted to convert to B4J just to incorporate SQLite .. as the current version still utilizes RAF's .

But hopefully with lotto win tomorrow or another 2 years slog , it wont be neccessary..

ps: prior to QBasic , I was using a product AsEasyAs (spreadsheet software) .. with the biggest Macro the world has ever seen.

err .. Is this now ChitChat ?
 
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