Question

The project holding the code has all default MSVS2008 settings.

Consider the following code using which I am familiarizing myself with various offerings of STL:

#include <vector>
#include <iostream>
#include <numeric>

using namespace std;


template <class T> void print(const vector<T>& l)
{  // A generic print function for vectors
    cout << endl << "PV Size of vector is " << l.size() << "\n[";
    for(int i = 0; i < l.size(); i++)
    {
        cout<<l[i]<<",";
    }
    cout << "]\n";
}


int main()
{
    vector<double> vec1(4, 2.0);
    vector<double> vec2(4, 4.0);
    double init = 0.0;
    double summation = accumulate(vec1.begin(), vec1.end(), init);
    cout<<"Summation = "<<summation<<", init is "<<init<<endl;

    double ip = inner_product(vec1.begin(), vec1.end(), vec2.begin(), init);
    cout<<"ip = "<<ip<<", init is "<<init<<endl;

    int size = 6;
    int seed_value = 2;
    vector<int> vec3(size, seed_value);
    vector<int> result(size);
    partial_sum(vec3.begin(), vec3.end(), result.begin());
    cout<<"The partial sum of vec3 is ";
    print(vec3);

    int sz = 10;
    int value = 2;
    vector<int> vec4(sz);
    for(int it = 0; it < vec4.size(); it++){
        vec4[it] = value;
        value++;
    }
    vector<int> result2(vec4.size());
    adjacent_difference(vec4.begin(), vec4.end(), result2.begin());
    cout<<"Adjacent differenec of vec4 is ";
    print(vec4);

    return(0);
}

The first time I try to run this (under Windows 7, Visual Studio 2008) I get the following error:

c:\programming\numeric_algorithms_on_vectors.cpp(86) : warning C4018: '<' : signed/unsigned mismatch

c:\programming\numeric_algorithms_on_vectors.cpp(37) : warning C4018: '<' : signed/unsigned mismatch

c:\programming\numeric_algorithms_on_vectors.cpp(81) : see reference to function template instantiation 'void print(const std::vector<_Ty> &)' being compiled

        with
        [
            _Ty=int
        ]

Linking...

numeric_algorithms_on_vectors.obj : fatal error LNK1000: Internal error during     IncrCalcPtrs
  Version 9.00.30729.01
  ExceptionCode            = C0000005
  ExceptionFlags           = 00000000
  ExceptionAddress         = 00E6B8C0 (00E10000) "C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft     Visual Studio 9.0\VC\bin\link.exe"
  NumberParameters         = 00000002
  ExceptionInformation[ 0] = 00000000
  ExceptionInformation[ 1] = 0000001C
CONTEXT:
  Eax    = 00000000  Esp    = 0042EAE8
  Ebx    = 3FFF0000  Ebp    = 0042EB04
  Ecx    = 77CB36FA  Esi    = 4000AF9C
  Edx    = 4000F774  Edi    = 00000000
  Eip    = 00E6B8C0  EFlags = 00010293
  SegCs  = 00000023  SegDs  = 0000002B
  SegSs  = 0000002B  SegEs  = 0000002B
  SegFs  = 00000053  SegGs  = 0000002B
  Dr0    = 00000000  Dr3    = 00000000
  Dr1    = 00000000  Dr6    = 00000000
  Dr2    = 00000000  Dr7    = 00000000

Yet, after clicking through the windows that tell me that my code did not compile/work properly, when I debug the same code again without making any changes to the code whatsoever, the program works. Is there a reason why the code would not compile/link/run the first time, yet run perfectly fine the next time?

Answer 1

This is a known problem in the linker for VS2008 SP1. Fixed in VS2010, the feedback report is here.

I’ve seen this myself a few times, it only happens when it actually links incrementally. For me it always resolved itself by forcing a full build through Build + Rebuild so that the .ilk file is deleted and re-created. If that still doesn’t work for you then you can turn the feature off with Project + Properties, Linker, General, Enable Incremental Linking.