Packaging Styles

[MikeCopeland]

I'm wondering about the pros & cons of building applications (in VC++6.0) with many modules versus few modules. I've noticed that when I use many modules, the size of my executables increases; combining modules into a single source module produces much smaller executables.
I know that there is a (perceived) design benefit to building applications with a modular approach (and I don't deny the value of having common code/logic in separate source modules), but I find the maintenance of code in many sources tedious and cumbersome - particularly when none of the logic is shared with other applications. I also know that Visual Studio provides a search facility...but the global nature of its search (subfolder scanning) often produces a vast list of "hits" that's difficult to work with.
So, assuming that I'm willing to construct my applications in a "minimally modular" way, what am I sacrificing (in terms of program or data size, etc.) by merging some of my application-specific source code into my "main module"? Is there a limit of how much code can be in a specific module, or are there data declaration constraints to be experienced by putting all the data there, too? TIA

 

[ArkM]

I've noticed that when I use many modules, the size of my executables increases; combining modules into a single source module produces much smaller executables.

I have never seen this effect (in any case for release modules). IMHO, it's impossible (if you don't have too many (for reasonable design) cross-links all-to-all.

Of course, it's a matter of taste (and your corporate coding standards, but a proper module structure depends on class relationship and a code reusing prospects. I think it never depends on minimal executable module size.

May be one class/one module approach is extreme but it is a stone's throw away (see also one use case/one module approach).