[RESOLVED] Link error after upgrade to MSVC 2017

[OneEyeMan]

Hi,
I recently upgraded my compiler/IDE to MSVC 2017 and now started getting a link error as such:

odbccp32.lib(dllload.obj) : error LNK2019: unresolved external symbol __vsnwprintf_s referenced in function _StringCchPrintfW

Googling revealed that MS changed the function __vsnwprintf_s() to be inline and I should either link to some library (legacy_stdio_definitions.lib) or include the appropriate header. Both solutions are described here.

I did it the second way, adding to one of the .cpp files:

#if _MSC_VER >= 1900
#include <stdio.h>
#include <stdarg.h>
#endif

but the error still there.

Should I still link in the library, or just include that piece of code in every single source code file? The code is in DLL which contains just 2 cpp files - one to initialize the DLL and for the exported class definition.

Or there is something else I should do?

Thank you.

[2kaud]

We had this type of pain a few years ago when we upgraded to the version of VS that had these breaking changes. You shouldn't need the version test. The includes go at the top (after any include guards) in all the source files (.c/.cpp/.h/.hpp etc) that use any of the stdio.h functions (eg printf(), put() etc). If I remember right, at the time we ended up linking with the stated legacy lib to get a successful compile/link until we sorted out all of the source - as some wasn't developed by us. Getting a clean build with no warnings/errors I think took us a few months. Note that for c++ code, you should use the c++ version of the headers (cstdio, cstdarg etc) which has the functions in the std:: name space - rather than the global name space. The change is that you add c to the front and drop the .h

[OneEyeMan]

Hi,

We had this type of pain a few years ago when we upgraded to the version of VS that had these breaking changes. You shouldn't need the version test. The includes go at the top (after any include guards) in all the source files (.c/.cpp/.h/.hpp etc) that use any of the stdio.h functions (eg printf(), put() etc). If I remember right, at the time we ended up linking with the stated legacy lib to get a successful compile/link until we sorted out all of the source - as some wasn't developed by us. Getting a clean build with no warnings/errors I think took us a few months. Note that for c++ code, you should use the c++ version of the headers (cstdio, cstdarg etc) which has the functions in the std:: name space - rather than the global name space. The change is that you add c to the front and drop the .h

Thank you, for the reply.
Now my library is for the C++ and so I think I should modify the code to read:

#if _MSC_VER >= 1900
#include <cstdio>
#include <cstdarg>
#endif

right?
Also, if I read the reply right, I should put this code in both files of the library, right?

Now the version guard is here for the earlier versions of the MSVC, because I don't know who will compile my software and what compiler will be used.

Thank you.

P.S.: For reference here is the code I have right now and it still produces the link error:

#ifdef WIN32
#include <windows.h>
#endif
#ifndef WIN32
#include <sstream>
#endif

#if defined __WXMSW__ && defined __MEMORYLEAKS__
#include <vld.h>
#endif

#include <map>
#include <set>
#include <vector>
#include <string>
#include <algorithm>
#include <sstream>
#if _MSC_VER >= 1900
#include <cstdio>
#include <cstdarg>
#endif
#ifdef _IODBCUNIX_FRAMEWORK
#include "iODBC/sql.h"
#include "iODBC/sqlext.h"
#include "iODBCinst/odbcinst.h"
#else
#include <sql.h>
#include <sqlext.h>
#include <odbcinst.h>
#endif

[OneEyeMan]

2kaud,
Any idea how to make it work cross-platform/cross-compiler?
I need this to work with gcc in C++11 mode and in Xcode (also with C++11) and with earlier compilers of MSVC.

Thank you.

[2kaud]

2kaud,
Any idea how to make it work cross-platform/cross-compiler?
I need this to work with gcc in C++11 mode and in Xcode (also with C++11) and with earlier compilers of MSVC.

Thank you.

Sorry, I now only use VS2017. All of our code has been updated for this. I can't help with x-compiler issues. Have you tried linking with legacy_stdio_definitions.lib?

IMO, I would put the c++ headers first - before windows.h. The order we do this (unless good reason why not), is

c++headers
c headers
windows.h and other window headers
3rd party headers
local headers

[OneEyeMan]

2kaud,
If you are interested, or for anybody else who is the solution is:

#if _MSC_VER >= 1900
#pragma comment(lib, "legacy_stdio_definitions.lib");
#endif

Thank you.

[2kaud]

2kaud,
If you are interested, or for anybody else who is the solution is:

#if _MSC_VER >= 1900
#pragma comment(lib, "legacy_stdio_definitions.lib");
#endif

Thank you.

Yes, but this should be considered only a temporary 'fix' to get the solution to compile. The underlying issue should be identified and addressed. As I said in post #2, we initially did what you're done and linked to the legacy lib until we sorted out the source and got a clean compile without requiring it. This took us a few months.