FIX: LINK May Incorrectly Generate L2049 for Resource-Only DLL (73663)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft LINK for MS-DOS 5.03
  • Microsoft LINK for MS-DOS 5.05
  • Microsoft LINK for MS-DOS 5.1
  • Microsoft LINK for MS-DOS 5.11
  • Microsoft LINK for OS/2 5.03
  • Microsoft LINK for OS/2 5.05
  • Microsoft LINK for OS/2 5.1
  • Microsoft LINK for OS/2 5.11
This article was previously published under Q73663

SYMPTOMS

The Microsoft LINK utility versions 5.03, 5.05, 5.1, and 5.11 will generate the following error if you attempt to link a resource-only DLL that contains no code or data:
LINK: error L2049: no segments defined
Although a valid DLL is created in this case, these versions of LINK set the error bit in the DLL's header and return an error code to the calling program.

RESOLUTION

Beginning with LINK version 5.13, the L2049 error was converted to a warning and the error bit is no longer set in the output file. To work around the problem with LINK 5.03, 5.05, 5.1, or 5.11, the EXEHDR utility may be used to reset the error bit in the header.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in LINK versions 5.03, 5.05, 5.1, and 5.11. This problem was corrected in LINK version 5.13.

MORE INFORMATION

A resource-only DLL does not contain code or data--it is only used to store bitmaps, menus, fonts, and other static resources, but LINK versions 5.03, 5.05, 5.1, and 5.11 flag the lack of segments with an L2049 error and mark the output file as invalid.

To use the DLL, you can use EXEHDR to turn off the error bit by invoking it with the /RESET option. For example:

EXEHDR /RESET RESOURCE.DLL

The most efficient method is to add this statement to the description block in your makefile that contains the LINK command. For example:

test.dll: test.obj test.def

link test,test.dll,,,test.def; exehdr /reset test.dll

Note that in order to stop NMAKE from terminating with the error code from LINK, you should use either the /I (ignore exit codes) switch when invoking NMAKE, specify the .IGNORE directive inside the makefile, or add a dash (-) before the LINK command to indicate that processing the makefile should continue even if there is an error with the link step. See your NMAKE documentation for further information about the /I option, the .IGNORE directive, and the dash operator.
Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:10/23/2003
Keywords:kb16bitonly kbfix KB73663
©2003 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.