About inconsistent dll linkage

Question

How can I remove this link warning? You can see code segment that causes this warning. Also Thanks in advance.

static AFX_EXTENSION_MODULE GuiCtrlsDLL = { NULL, NULL };
//bla bla
// Exported DLL initialization is run in context of running application
    extern "C" void WINAPI InitGuiCtrlsDLL()
    {
     // create a new CDynLinkLibrary for this app
      new CDynLinkLibrary(GuiCtrlsDLL);
     // nothing more to do
    }

warning C4273: 'InitGuiCtrlsDLL' : inconsisten t dll linkage

I have also export and import definitions, like:

#ifdef _GUICTRLS
   #define GUI_CTRLS_EXPORT __declspec(dllexport)
#else
   #define GUI_CTRLS_EXPORT  __declspec(dllimport)
#endif

Answer 1

That warning is usually caused by a duplicate definition of a function with different use of dllimport. Are you sure you didn't do this?

Answer 2

The purpose of the preprocessor statements:

#ifdef _GUICTRLS 
   #define GUI_CTRLS_EXPORT __declspec(dllexport) 
#else 
   #define GUI_CTRLS_EXPORT  __declspec(dllimport) 
#endif 

is to make sure that the header file declares the class or function as __declspec(dllexport) in the .dll where it is defined, and as __declspec(dllimport) for any other .dll that might want to use it.

For this to work, _GUICTRLS must be defined when compiling the exporting .dll, and not defined for any other .dll. Generally you would expect _GUICTRLS to be defined in the project properties, under C/C++ -> Preprocessor -> Preprocessor Definitions.

The compiler error you are seeing usually happens because either _GUICTRLS is not defined for the project that is doing the export, or it is defined for multiple projects, usually resulting from cutting an pasting from one project to another. You will also see this if _GUICTRLS is defined in a header file that is included in multiple projects.