Q44462: Using ILINK in the Development Process in C

Article: Q44462
Product(s): See article
Version(s): 5.10   | 5.10
Operating System(s): MS-DOS | OS/2
Keyword(s): ENDUSER | docerr S_QuickC | mspl13_c
Last Modified: 19-SEP-1989

The incremental linker is available with the Microsoft C Optimizing
Compiler Version 5.10 and QuickC Version 2.00. The information below
is excerpted from the "Microsoft CodeView and Utilities Software
Development Tools for MS OS/2 and MS-DOS Operating Systems Update" for
Version C 5.10, Section 9, "The ILINK Utility."

Note: The incremental linker supplied with C Version 5.10 CANNOT be
used to develop DOS applications other than Windows applications. It
can be used for Windows applications and OS/2 applications. This
limitation is documented at the beginning of "The ILINK Utility"
section in the Version 5.10 utilities update.

To develop a software project with ILINK when compiling and linking
from the command line, do the following:

1. Use the full linker, LINK.EXE, during early development stages
   until you have a number of different code and data segments.

2. Prepare for incremental linking by using the /INC (incremental)
   option, for example:

      link /INC file1 file2 ... filen;

3. Use the incremental linker, ILINK.EXE, after any small changes
   are made, for example:

      ilink /i file1 file2 ... filen

   To view ILINK options, type ILINK at the DOS prompt and press
   ENTER.

4. Relink with LINK after any major changes are made. Often, a
   major change causes ILINK to fail and then calls a full LINK.
   Relinking with LINK alleviates this unnecessary step.

5. Repeat Steps 3 and 4 as necessary.

To use the same development process with the QuickC Version 2.00
environment, you can toggle on and off the incremental compile and
incremental link switches. You can find these switches under the
Options menu, Make option, in the Compiler Flag selection and Linker
Flag selection, respectively.

Linking with the /INC option may take longer than without the option
because of additional overhead involved in preparing for incremental
linking.

The /INC linker option is not compatible with the /EXEPACK option.

If you compile and link at the command line with QCL using the /Gi
(incremental compile) option, then incremental link is automatically
invoked. If you do not want an incremental compile you can still
request incremental link with the /Li compiler option.

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