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Q90553: Unreferenced Packaged Functions Included With /Zi and /CO

Article: Q90553
Product(s): Microsoft Programming Utilities
Version(s): 
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kb16bitonly
Last Modified: 08-OCT-1999

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft LINK for MS-DOS 
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SUMMARY
=======

Microsoft C/C++ generates packaged functions when the compiler command line for
a module specifies the /Gy option switch. The /PACKF option instructs Microsoft
LINK to exclude unreferenced packaged functions from the executable image.

However, if the compiler command line specifies both the /Gy and /Zi options and
the LINK command line specifies the /CODEVIEW option, LINK includes the
unreferenced packaged functions in the executable image.

MORE INFORMATION
================

When an application refers to a function, the compiler generates a CEXTDEF
record that contains the name of the function. If the object module does not
contain a CEXTDEF record for a packaged function and the /PACKF linker switch is
specified (the default behavior), the COMDAT record for the packaged function is
not linked into the executable image. However, when the /Zi compiler option is
specified when an application is compiled, the compiler generates a CEXTDEF
record for each COMDAT record. Because these records indicate that the
application refers to each function, the LINK includes the functions in the
executable image. Visual C++ version 1.0 documents this behavior in its
description of the /PACKF option as follows: "Packaged functions compiled with
/Zi (to add debugging information) are referenced by the compiler. These
functions are not removed by /PACKF."

Additional query words: kbinf 5.30 5.31.009 5.50 5.60

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Keywords          : kb16bitonly 
Technology        : kbAudDeveloper kbZNotKeyword3 kbLINKSearch
Version           : :

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