Minimal generating subspaces of "weak PBW type" for vertex operator algebra
s are studied and a procedure is developed for finding such subspaces. As a
pplications, some results on generalized modules are obtained for vertex op
erator algebras that satisfy a certain condition, and a minimal generating
space of weak PEW type is produced for V-L With L any positive-definite eve
n lattice. (C) 1999 Academic Press.