Boost::Format adds 36KB (VC7.1) or 48 KB (VC6) to my release executable! Details: Take one C++ Win32 application which uses both MFC and the VC STL, but not std::string. Optimizations are set for minimum size. In VC7.1 the release exe is 552 KB. Add std::string, adds 4 KB. Add boost::format, adds another 36 KB. (For each I just added one statement.) For VC6 SP5 the release exe is also 552 KB. Add just the '#include's for string & format libraries, adds 20 KB (VC7.1 didn't do this). Add std::string and boost::format, adds another 32 KB. Total added by format is (20 + 32 - 4) = 48. This is not acceptable for my application. Is there a better way to use C-style printf statements with std::string? Tom. (Thanks to Gmane for making this list usenet accessible!)