compiled *.lib file visual studio

Question

I have several library project. And I have a solution which including these library project and an application project. My question is, in linker, should I link the *.lib file from the debug folder of those individual projects or from the debug folder of this solution? If I click rebuild, those library project will be compiled to *.lib and new *.lib file will be generated both in their own solution/Debug folder and the current Debug folder.

My problem is that If I set Liker->General->Additional Library Directories to their individual debug folder and Input->Additional Dependencies to the *.lib files, visual studio will give some random linker error 1104 cant open *.lib file, But it is now the same lib file every time, sometimes is Library1 sometimes is Library2. If I keep the directories and set the dependencies to all those *.obj files. works just fine. If I delete the directores and set the dependencies to *.lib files in the current solution debug file by "U:\Source\Applications\CURRENTSOLUTION\Debug\Library1.lib" it works just fine.

So, which is the correct way to way my library?

Answer 1

sometimes is Library1 sometimes is Library2

You probably have a build order problem. It is starting to build your EXE project before the libraries are built. The fix for the existing way you have it is to right-click your EXE project and select "Project Dependencies". Tick the library projects.

But the superior solution is to right-click the EXE project, Properties, Common Properties, Framework and References. Click the Add New Reference button and tick the library projects. That not only takes care of the build order, it also automatically tells the linker to link the .libs. Which now also works in the Release build, your existing solution probably didn't do that yet.