[CMake] Link flags not applied to static library

[Ben Medina]

Since I got no feedback, I assume it's a bug. I've filed it here:

0012295: LINK_FLAGS_RELEASE has no effect on static libraries for MSVC
generators

http://www.cmake.org/Bug/view.php?id=12295

On Mon, Jun 13, 2011 at 11:50 AM, Ben Medina <ben.medina at gmail.com> wrote:
> Hello all,
>
> I'm using CMake 2.8.4 and am seeing an odd differenc between static
> and shared libraries in regard to the LINK_FLAGS property. In
> particular, I'm enabling "Whole program optimization" in Visual Studio
> 2010, which is done by add /GL as a compiler flag and /LTCG as a
> linker flag for the release configuration. However, the link flag is
> not used for static libraries, leading to a build warning about
> compiling with /GL but linking without /LTCG.
>
> Here's an example:
>
> cmake_minimum_required (VERSION 2.8)
> project (link_test)
>
> set (CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS_RELEASE "${CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS_RELEASE} /GL")
>
> add_library (static_test STATIC a.cpp)
> set_target_properties (
>    static_test
>    PROPERTIES
>    LINK_FLAGS_RELEASE "/LTCG"
>    )
>
> add_library (shared_test SHARED a.cpp)
> set_target_properties (
>    shared_test
>    PROPERTIES
>    LINK_FLAGS_RELEASE "/LTCG"
>    )
>
> Just add an empty file called a.cpp to the directory, then build the
> whole project in release configuration. You'll get a warning like this
> for the static_test library:
>
> 2>  a.obj : MSIL .netmodule or module compiled with /GL found;
> restarting link with /LTCG; add /LTCG to the link command line to
> improve
>
> Why is CMake not applying LINK_FLAGS_RELEASE to the static library?
>
> Thanks,
> Ben
>