Q140440: FIX: Global Overloaded Delete Operator Causes LNK2005

Article: Q140440
Product(s): Microsoft C Compiler
Version(s): winnt:4.0
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kbCRT kbVC kbVC400bug kbVC410fix
Last Modified: 03-AUG-2001

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Visual C++, version 4.0 
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SYMPTOMS
========

When globally overloading operator delete, the linker may generate the following
errors when building in the debug mode and using the static C run-time
libraries:

  error LNK2005: "void __cdecl operator delete(void *)"(??3@YAXPAX@Z)
  already defined in file.obj

  fatal error LNK1169: one or more multiply defined symbols found

RESOLUTION
==========

The problem only appears with the static C run-time libraries for the debug
mode; it does not occur when using the release mode. Also at this time, the
problem is noted to occur only when an iostream object is linked in. For
example, in the code fragment listed in the "Steps to Reproduce Problem" section
of this article, if you change the statement to output to "cout" into a comment
inside main(), the problem does not occur.

To work around this problem:

1. Use the DLL version of the C Run-Time library.

2. Bring up the Project Settings dialog box. On the Build menu, click Settings.
  Click the Link tab, and select the Customize category. Select the Force File
  output option. This forces the linker to generate the executable regardless
  of the error.

STATUS
======

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a bug in the Microsoft products listed at the
beginning of this article. This bug was corrected in Visual C++ 4.1.

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

Steps to Reproduce Problem
--------------------------

Build the following program as a console application using the debug mode.

  // test.cpp

  #include <iostream.h>
  #include <malloc.h>

  void operator delete (void *p)
  {
     free (p);
  }

  void main()
  {
     cout << "main" << endl;
  }

Additional query words: 4.00 4.10

======================================================================
Keywords          : kbCRT kbVC kbVC400bug kbVC410fix 
Technology        : kbVCsearch kbVC400 kbAudDeveloper
Version           : winnt:4.0
Issue type        : kbbug
Solution Type     : kbfix

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