* Win32 issues with Templates and Libs *

[kris]

Walter Bright wrote:
> kris wrote:
> 
>> Would you perhaps explain why ELF does not have this problem? Thanks
> 
> 
> The ar format doesn't care if there are multiple definitions of the same 
> symbol. The linker just picks one (presumably the first one it finds) 
> and pulls in that module along with whatever else happens to be in that 
> module.

For whatever reason, that approach appears to work quite effectively?

The problem here is that one cannot currently build a production quality 
lib where templates are involved. It's not reasonable or feasible to 
expect a user to understand and compensate for the issues involved, nor 
is it entirely feasible to construct the lib in such a manner that the 
rather delicate balance is maintained. We wish it were.

The reality problem is this: the more extensive the lib, and the more 
use it makes of templates, the fragility of it appears to increase 
exponentially. As does the difficulty of reverting that fragility.

At this time, it is just not possible for us to construct a reliable 
Tango.lib which, given our collective D 'expertise', seems entirely bogus :)

Can you resolve it in some reliable and user-friendly manner?