LINK Output

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Link output includes .EXE files, DLLs, map files, and messages.

Output Files

The default output file from LINK is an .EXE file. If the /DLL option is specified, LINK builds a .DLL file. You can control the output file name with the Output File Name (/OUT) option.

In incremental mode, LINK creates an .ILK file to hold status information for later incremental builds of the program. For details about .ILK files, see .ILK Files. For more information about incremental linking, see the Link Incrementally (/INCREMENTAL) option.

When LINK creates a program that contains exports (usually a DLL), it also builds a .LIB file, unless an .EXP file was used in the build. You can control the import library file name with the /IMPLIB option.

If the Generate Mapfile (/MAP) option is specified, LINK creates a map file.

If the Generate Debug Info (/DEBUG) and Microsoft Format (/DEBUGTYPE:CV) options are specified, LINK creates a PDB to contain debugging information for the program.

Other Output

When you type link without any other command-line input, LINK displays a usage statement that summarizes its options.

LINK displays a copyright and version message and echoes command-file input, unless the Suppress Startup Banner (/NOLOGO) option is used.

You can use the Print Progress Messages (/VERBOSE) option to display additional details about the build.

LINK issues error and warning messages in the form LNKnnnn. This error prefix and range of numbers is also used by LIB, DUMPBIN, and EDITBIN. You can control the display of warnings with the /WARN option. See Fix Build Errors for information on getting help on error and warning messages.