Linker Error: Precombiled Library VC++ 6.0 with VC++ 8.0 Program

Question

I am trying to recompile some code I have for a new system. It involves a precompiled static library that I do not have the source code for (just the header), and this library was built with VC++ 6.0 or older with the older runtime libraries. On my old system, which had VC++ 6.0, my program was built and ran fine, but I have recently upgraded things and I no longer have access to VC++ 6.0, only Express 2008 (9.0 w/ SP).

When I build the solution, it compiles but has the following linker error:

1>libcpmtd.lib(xlock.obj) : error LNK2005: "public: __thiscall std::_Lockit::~_Lockit(void)" (??1_Lockit@std@@QAE@XZ) already defined in NOREC.lib(track.obj) 1>LIBCMT.lib(stdexcpt.obj) : error LNK2005: "public: __thiscall std::bad_cast::bad_cast(char const *)" (??0bad_cast@std@@QAE@PBD@Z) already defined in NOREC.lib(track.obj) 1>LIBCMT.lib(stdexcpt.obj) : error LNK2005: "public: __thiscall std::bad_cast::bad_cast(class std::bad_cast const &)" (??0bad_cast@std@@QAE@ABV01@@Z) already defined in NOREC.lib(track.obj) 1>LIBCMT.lib(stdexcpt.obj) : error LNK2005: "public: virtual __thiscall std::bad_cast::~bad_cast(void)" (??1bad_cast@std@@UAE@XZ) already defined in NOREC.lib(track.obj) 1>LINK : fatal error LNK1104: cannot open file 'libcp.lib'

Any ideas how to overcome this issue would be very welcome.

Answer 1

From the last link error, libcp.lib cannot be found. This library has been removed as of VS 2005. Use /MT for the multithreaded version.

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/abx4dbyh%28v=vs.80%29.aspx

The multithreaded version is libcpmt.lib which you will get automatically with the /MT flag. I see in the first error you are using libcpmtd.lib which is the debug version of the same. I'm not sure how you are getting that if you are not using /MTd. (or if you are, how libcp.lib is referenced since you should be using one or the other, not both)

Answer 2

The linker is telling you that some symbols are defined more than once. The brute force to convice the linker to produce your target image is to use the /FORCE:MULTIPLE as explained here. I used to use this switch a few times.

Answer 3

LINK : fatal error LNK1104: cannot open file 'libcp.lib'

This is a bug in the linker. Just create an empty file named libcp.lib in the LIBPATH.

Answer 4

libcp.lib you can find in installed MS Visual Studio 6.0 in

c:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\VC98\Lib\ 

directory.

Just copy it to your MSVS 2005/2008/2010 lib directory (i.e. c:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio 8\VC\lib\) And everything will compiled just fine.