I just used nero recode for the first time to re-author a dvd in compile mode, I set the target size to 4,464 mb like in shrink, and used advanced analysis, and high quality mode. However, the resulting files only came out to 4.31 gb. I'm already compressing the movie by a large margin, so I want to get the absolute maximum video quality and size out of it. Is there anyway to make recode hit the target size more accurately? Would perhaps compressing in full dvd mode help?

Later versions of Recode is better to get the right size - but not always.

If you know how many MBs smaller than 4464 it was in the first run - then select the option set target size manually and add 4464 + (4464 -4310) = new value. This time it should be 4464 in the final run.