http://gcc.gnu.org/bugzilla/show_bug.cgi?id=50044
Bug #: 50044 Summary: Attributes for explicit template instantiation are ignored after an implicit template instantiation occurred. Classification: Unclassified Product: gcc Version: 4.5.2 Status: UNCONFIRMED Severity: normal Priority: P3 Component: c++ AssignedTo: unassig...@gcc.gnu.org ReportedBy: m...@convergent-it.at Created attachment 24976 --> http://gcc.gnu.org/bugzilla/attachment.cgi?id=24976 Preprocessed file which shows the main problem. Information about the used GCC: Using built-in specs. COLLECT_GCC=i686-mingw32-gcc COLLECT_LTO_WRAPPER=/home/martin/mingw-4.5.2-new/install-i686-pc-linux-gnu/libexec/gcc/i686-mingw32/4.5.2/lto-wrapper Target: i686-mingw32 Configured with: ../configure --build=i686-pc-linux-gnu --host=i686-pc-linux-gnu --target=i686-mingw32 --prefix=/home/martin/mingw-4.5.2-new/install-i686-pc-linux-gnu --with-gmp=/home/martin/mingw-4.5.2-new/install-i686-pc-linux-gnu --with-mpfr=/home/martin/mingw-4.5.2-new/install-i686-pc-linux-gnu --with-mpc=/home/martin/mingw-4.5.2-new/install-i686-pc-linux-gnu --with-ppl=/home/martin/mingw-4.5.2-new/install-i686-pc-linux-gnu --with-cloog=/home/martin/mingw-4.5.2-new/install-i686-pc-linux-gnu --enable-threads=win32 --enable-tls --enable-languages=c,c++ --with-sysroot=/home/martin/mingw-4.5.2-new/install-i686-pc-linux-gnu/i686-mingw32 --disable-win32-registry --enable-sjlj-exceptions --disable-libstdcxx-pch --with-host-libstdcxx='-lstdc++ -lsupc++' Thread model: win32 gcc version 4.5.2 (GCC) Command line that triggers the problem: i686-mingw32-g++ -Wall -c -o A.cpp.obj A.cpp.i Output of GCC: A.cpp:8:43: warning: type attributes ignored after type is already defined Summary: Attributes for explicit template instantiation are ignored after an implicit template instantiation occurred. Description: I have a problem with explicit template instantiation and exporting it's symbols into a DLL. The file which triggers the problem is attached - as requested in preprocessed form (A.cpp.i) - although I will also attach the whole project for completeness (better for discussion, and to be able to see linker errors). It seems, that A<int> gets implicitly instantiated (or the type is defined - I do not know the correct nomenclature) in the create function. Then when the compiler sees the explicit instantiation, it prints the warning that it ignores the dllexport attribute, and thus the symbols for A<int> are not exported. That's why I receive the linker error for the application later. If the create function had not been in the code, then everything would work fine. For completeness the output of make looks like this: i686-mingw32-g++ -Wall -shared -o dll.dll -DEXPORTS A.cpp A.cpp:8:26: warning: type attributes ignored after type is already defined i686-mingw32-g++ -Wall -o app.exe main.cpp dll.dll /tmp/cc87EyrC.o:main.cpp:(.text+0x4e): undefined reference to `A<int>::A()' /tmp/cc87EyrC.o:main.cpp:(.text+0x62): undefined reference to `A<int>::doSomething()' /tmp/cc87EyrC.o:main.cpp:(.rdata$_ZTV1AIiE[vtable for A<int>]+0x10): undefined reference to `A<int>::doSomething()' collect2: ld returned 1 exit status In my opinion it makes sense to give attributes on an explicit template instantiation precedence. It seems that attributes can only be assigned to the type, when the compiler needs it the first time. This can be accomplished by adding extern template class INTERFACE A<int>; //C++11 to A.h - but which should not be needed actually. In this case, if I run make, then I still receive the warning, but the dllexport attribute is applied. The output of make look now like: i686-mingw32-g++ -Wall -shared -o dll.dll -DEXPORTS -DUSE_EXTERN_TEMPLATE A.cpp A.cpp:8:26: warning: type attributes ignored after type is already defined i686-mingw32-g++ -Wall -o app.exe -DUSE_EXTERN_TEMPLATE main.cpp dll.dll /tmp/ccv8Knzo.o:main.cpp:(.text+0x67): undefined reference to `typeinfo for A<int>' collect2: ld returned 1 exit status make: *** [app.exe] Error 1 So actually I see two problems here: - The attributes on the explicit instantiation should have precedence. - When using "extern template..." there is something wrong with exporting the symbols for the typeinfo (i686-mingw32-nm shows that they are in the dll, but it seems that they are not exported). Thank you for your help, Martin Lederhilger