"Michael Gaab" <mi****@montana .com> wrote in message
news:3f******** @127.0.0.1...
on large commercial/scientific programs, which takes that longest,
generating object code or linking?
Yes. No. Maybe. The C language specifies no
requirements about the execution time of
compilers or linkers.
But in practice, the time needed for
translation (what you call 'generating
object code') will depend upon the number
and sizes of your source files.
Linking time mostly depends upon how
many and how large libraries are used. The
more and/or larger libraries you link with,
the longer it will take. And of course the
number and sizes of your 'object code' files
will contribute to this time as well.
The only way to know for sure is to do it
and measure. And this will only give you
the information for the implemenation and
platform you're using. The time could be
very different with a different implementation
and/or platform.
The application domain has nothing to do with
any of this.
-Mike