[Openexr-devel] createDLL trouble

[Moritz Moeller]

G'day.

I've just trying to compile IlmBase on Windows 7 x64 under VS2005.
All the VS solutions failed during link time for me with a module vs
link target platform config conflict.
I later found out this was due to createDLL.exe adding a /MACHINE:x86
flag to the link.exe invoke. :)

As it happens I hate VS and actually most IDEs with every fiber of my
body. :) So after hitting above wall, initially, in VS, I just rewrote
the whole build system of IlmBase for CMake.
It works a treat as far as compiling goes (tested on Linux, OSX &
Windows with "NMake Makefiles" target).

Now linking IlmBase on Windows, as far as I understand, is handled with
a combination of the M$ linker and a tool called 'createDLL.exe' which
exports global symbols from a .dll and creates the matching export .lib
(aka: does away with the need for all that C-wrapper rubbish on
windows). Sounds bloody awesome.
All I had to do was to patch createDLL.cpp so it adds the /MACHINE:X64
flag to the linker, on request.

Now for the problem: when createDLL runs link.exe with the response file
this creates the .lib successfully but /deletes/ my .dll (instead of
overwriting it, as the comment in createDLL.cpp says would happen).

As a result I also get all symbols listed as undefined (i.e. they are in
the .lib but the linker errors as the .dll is now missing).
This is no problem while building IlmBase -- the linker only needs the
.lib to create the resp. .dll for the next target.
However, at the end, I'm left with a successfull build but no .dlls as
they all get deleted, one by one, by createDLL's spawning of link.exe. :o

So thats is where I'm stuck: how to get link.exe ran from createDLL to
not delete the .dll.

I must be missing something pretty obvious here?


Beers,

Moritz