Strange byte count for winforms

Question

How to cout bytes for winforms programs? Just met a strange situation here:

C#, 120 bytes

using System.Windows.Forms;class P{static void Main(){var a=new Form();a.Controls.Add(new CheckBox());a.ShowDialog();}}

This code assumes console application and contains full code that can be compiled.

C# (Windows Form Application), 82 bytes

using System.Windows.Forms;class F:Form{public F(){Controls.Add(new CheckBox());}}

Assumes winforms application. There should be additional autogenerated file with code for running the form. And that code is out of calculation... Because of project type?

Is it like some preset we should not count assuming that C# and C# WinForms are different?

VB.NET, 67 (program) + 37 (additional switches) = 104

Class F
Inherits Form
Dim C=New CheckBox With{.Parent=Me}
End Class

vbc.exe *.vb /main:F /imports:System.Windows.Forms

It's a full code and command line for compiling and running it.
/main:F /imports:System.Windows.Forms takes more than a half of program weight.

But what if I use VB.NET WinForms?

I do not have any explicitly generated files (like I do have in C#) I do not need any command line updates and I have that imports by default. So I'll get just 67 instead of 104?

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I see it in such way

1. Some-Lang and Some-Lang Winfroms are different languages
2. If form designer is not used and designer file should be deleted, only code is counted.
3. If form designer is used, size of designer file should be added.
4. All other files and settings except startup form name are kept unchanged and are not counted.

But:

• What if they are not unchanged?
• What if there are some changes in progect settings?

Answer 1

You must count the entire source code needed to produce the intended result. In the case of WinForms projects, that usually means Form.vb and Form.Designer.vb (or the equivalents for C#). However, you can get away without including the auto-generated Designer code by implementing it in the form (like the second example does). In addition, you need to include the bytes for extra command-line switches compared to the standard invocation. I'm not really clear on what qualifies as the standard invocation for VB.NET and C#, so I'll leave it to others to determine/clarify what it is.

Answer 2

If your SomeLang Winforms project can't be compiled without a .somelangproj file, you must count the project file towards the length. This means that in practice there is never any point to claiming SomeLang Winforms as a separate language: it is cheaper to use the SomeLang compiler with some long command-line arguments than to include the project file and compile with MSBuild.