VS2010 static linking issue

Question

my company has recently upgraded from VS2005 to VS2010. We have a huge project which uses a lot of modules which are being linked statically into the exe. But there seem to be some issues with linking in VS2010.

To explain our problem, we've built a minimal example project which is composed as shown on this graphic:

There is an application using one function from library A. Library A calls one function of each library B and library C. Those two libraries call a function provided by library D.

For Exe 1 under Framework and References we set everything to false except for Link Library Dependencies which is set to true. The only reference added is linking to library A. For each of the libraries all the settings are set to false. Library A gets references to only B and C, as well as those two getting references to D only. Library D has no references.

When building the application it works without problems. The application notices that library A is using library B and C which are using library D, so it knows it has to link those libraries, too. The libs are linked into the exe without problems.

Now we change something in, let's say, library D. Just a little difference, only one letter. Now we try to build the application again, it notices the change and re-compiles library D, but: It doesn't link to it anymore. The result are linking errors in library B and C, because they use library D. We have to run Rebuild first, in order to force the complete building and then everything is linked again.

This happens for both the minimal example as well as for our main project. Of course, we can add each of the libraries as additional dependency for the exe but it would be nice if it would work just like it does when building the project for the first time and continue to work after changes in the code. We noticed that when setting Use Library Dependency Inputs to true, that it works again, but then it doesn't link the *.lib files but the *.obj files which is not what we want of course.

Has anyone made similar experiences or has anyone a solution for this issue? Is this a buggy behavior of VS2010?

TIA.

p.s.: All libraries and executables are native C++.

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Edit: (Workaround taken from this site)

In the file %ProgramsFile%\MSBuild\Microsoft.cpp\v4.0\Microsoft.CPPBuild.Targets there is a line

<Target Name="GetResolvedLinkLibs" Returns="@(LibFullPath)" DependsOnTargets="$(CommonBuildOnlyTargets)">

If you change that line to

<Target Name="GetResolvedLinkLibs" Returns="@(LibFullPath)" DependsOnTargets="$(CommonBuildOnlyTargets);ResolvedLinkLib">

the linking works properly and all needed libs are linked to implicitly. The linker output not only shows lib_a.lib but also all other chained libs, lib_b, lib_c, lib_d without having them added manually as dependencies to the exe.

This seems to be more a workaround then a solution, maybe there is a proper way to achieve implicit linking.

Answer 1

Have a look at following links:

Visual Studio 2010 not autolinking static libraries from projects that are dependencies as it should be supposed to

Behavior of Link Library Dependencies in 2010

Unresolved Externals When Build a VC++ Project with Chained Static Lib Dependencies

Flexible Project-to-Project References