Possibility of using clang to compile but MSVC as linker

[ifarbod]

I have a Windows project in XMake, I want to change my compiler toolchain to clang, and keep compiling with link.exe.
When you switch toolchains in XMake to clang, it will use the llvm linker, while this may be a welcome change for projects that are compiled in Linux/macOS, it's not a good one in Windows, as you can't specify windows specific linker flags with add_ldflags.

[waruqi]

xmake f --toolchain=clang --ld=link

or use clang-cl

xmake f --toolchain=clang-cl

or use custom toolchain, and call set_toolset to change ld

[waruqi]

This seems to be a compiler and linker problem, nothing to do with xmake, /pdbaltpath has been added to link.exe.

you can check link and compile flags. or use clang-cl instead of clang

[ifarbod]

Yeah, but what about the unresolved externals? Have you tested clang with link.exe yourself?

[waruqi]

I haven't tried it, I've just used clang-cl and link.

[ifarbod]

I managed to fix it.

target("xmake-linker")
    set_kind("binary")

    set_languages("cxx20")

    if is_plat("windows") then
        add_defines("UNICODE", "_UNICODE")
        add_rules("win.sdk.application")
        -- Hide the path to our PDB like MSFT
        add_ldflags("link::/pdbaltpath:%_PDB%", {force = true})

        -- xmake doesn't add these for you
        add_ldflags("link::/ENTRY:wWinMainCRTStartup", {force = true})
        add_syslinks("libcmt")
    end

    add_files("**.cpp")

But I think XMake should take care of something like this

[ifarbod]

Is there a way to use add_ldflags in a cross-platform manner?

For example, something like this:

if is_plat("windows") then
    add_ldflags("/ENTRY:MyCustomMain", {tools = "link"})
end

(i don't want this ldflags to be enabled if i compile with the clang linker, only for the msvc link.exe)

[waruqi]

add_ldflags("/ENTRY:MyCustomMain", {tools = "link"})

or

add_ldflags("link::/ENTRY:MyCustomMain")