Compiler Flags For Reducing Binary Size

Firmware
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1

Hello All,

So I’ve finally hit the wall of running out of APP_FLASH. I was looking into custom compiler flags to reduce the app binary size(e.g. https://stackoverflow.com/questions/15314581/g-compiler-flag-to-minimize-binary-size). Just wondering if anyone has any experience in doing this for particle.

I’ve read a view form posts about this and I do know that I need to build this locally.

2

With Device OS 2.0.0 you’ll need to modify the Workbench Makefile to add the COMPILE_LTO=y option to the options for building the user firmware binary. For example, for the compile and flash target:

# Compile and flash the user part
flash-user: dfu preprocess
	$(call print_stage,FLASHING APPLICATION)
	cd "$(value DEVICE_OS_PATH)/main" && make all program-dfu COMPILE_LTO=y
	$(call print_success,FLASHED SUCCESSFULLY)

This only works with 2.0.0-rc and later. Make sure you Clean application after changing the value. This will also increase the time spent in the link phase, but it will make the binary smaller.

3

@rickkas7 thanks for the reply.

Good to know there is an option. I see that v2.0.0-rc.4 just got release today. I’ll try this out.

Do we have an approximate/tentative ETA on when v2.0.0+ will move out of the RC phase?

4

Sorry for the lame question. I cannot find how to edit the Workbench Makefile to add this COMPILE_LTO=y flag. Can I ask for a tip here please?

5

I think this will be in the particle tool chain folder. OS 2.0.0 just released a few days ago so I was thinking of giving this a shot sometime next week.

Tool chain folder in windows is probably in the path:

C:\Users\<UserName>\.particle\toolchains\buildscripts

Make sure you download the OS 2.0.0 toolchain and it should appear in that folder

@rickkas7 correct me if I am wrong. I “THINK” this is what we should do. Note I am not too sure which “exact” folder it is as well.

6

It seems that location is correct. I implemented the changes suggested. However, the binary size of my app didn’t changed after all. On the other hand the size of the binary reduced a couple of kB after I migrated from 1.5.2 to 2.0.0.

Cheers!

/G

7

@rickkas7 did mention that the device’s OS will have to be 2.0.0 so I guess this will explain the size only changing upon upgrading.

Glad to see you got some results!