Problem with linking static internal library in subdir project

sailord

Hi, I am trying to link an internal static library inside a shared library.
The project is a subdir project.

The compiler does not throw errors when I compile the project with MSVC2017, but when I try to compile the shared library with MinGW I get the error

No rule to make target 'D:/Project/Libraries-Desktop_Qt_5_14_1_MinGW_64_bit-Debug/Message/../Base/debug/libBase_D.a', needed by 'Message_D.dll'.  Stop.

The main .pro file looks like this:

TEMPLATE = subdirs

SUBDIRS += \
    Base \
    Message

    Message.depends = Base

    CONFIG += ordered

The shared library .pro file looks like this:

QT += core widgets gui

CONFIG += c++14
TEMPLATE = lib
DEFINES += MESSAGE_LIBRARY

CONFIG(release,debug|release) { TARGET = Message }
CONFIG(debug,debug|release) { TARGET = Message_D }

INCLUDEPATH += $$PWD/../Base
DEPENDPATH += $$PWD/../Base

win32:CONFIG(release, debug|release): LIBS += -L$$OUT_PWD/../Base/release/ -lBase
else:win32:CONFIG(debug, debug|release): LIBS += -L$$OUT_PWD/../Base/debug/ -lBase_D

win32-g++:CONFIG(release,debug|release): PRE_TARGETDEPS += $$OUT_PWD/../Base/release/libBase.a
else:win32-g++:CONFIG(debug,debug|release): PRE_TARGETDEPS += $$OUT_PWD/../Base/debug/libBase_D.a
else:win32:!win32-g++:CONFIG(release,debug|release): PRE_TARGETDEPS += $$OUT_PWD/../Base/release/Base.lib
else:win32:!win32-g++:CONFIG(debug,debug|release): PRE_TARGETDEPS += $$OUT_PWD/../Base/debug/Base_D.lib

What am i doing wrong?

aha_1980

Hi again @sailord,

now I see you are using Qt 5.14; MinGW is no longer using debug_and_release then: QTBUG-80792

If you are always using shadow builds, you can turn that off for MSVC too, and that will greatly simplify your project files. I've taken this route some years ago and never looked back.

Regards

aha_1980

@sailord said in Problem with linking static internal library in subdir project:

First of all, you should remove this line, as you already specified the dependencies:

CONFIG += ordered

See https://blog.rburchell.com/2013/10/every-time-you-configordered-kitten-dies.html for reason.

Second, it seems you only posted Message.pro, can you also post Base.pro?

It might also be helpful to see more of the compiler log.

Regards

aha_1980

Hi again @sailord,

now I see you are using Qt 5.14; MinGW is no longer using debug_and_release then: QTBUG-80792

If you are always using shadow builds, you can turn that off for MSVC too, and that will greatly simplify your project files. I've taken this route some years ago and never looked back.

Regards

sailord

Thanks for the help.
@aha_1980 how do I turn it off for MSVC?

aha_1980

Hi @sailord,

by giving CONFIG-=debug_and_release in the .pro files of the different libs, or in a common .pri file.

That will remove the extra debug and release subdirs (therefore you need to take care of shadow building yourself) and give you the same build layout on Windows, Linux and Mac.

Regards