The LNK1123 error, which stands for "failure during conversion to COFF: file invalid or corrupt," is a common issue encountered by developers using Visual Studio. This error typically occurs when the linker is unable to convert a resource file (.res) to a COFF (Common Object File Format) object file. In this tutorial, we will explore the causes of the LNK1123 error and provide step-by-step solutions to resolve it.
Understanding the Causes of LNK1123 Errors
The LNK1123 error can be caused by several factors, including:
- Incremental Linking: Incremental linking is a feature in Visual Studio that allows for faster compilation by only recompiling the code that has changed. However, this feature can sometimes cause issues with resource files.
- Outdated or Corrupt cvtres.exe: The cvtres.exe utility is responsible for converting resource files to COFF object files. If this utility is outdated or corrupt, it can cause the LNK1123 error.
- Conflicting .NET Framework Versions: Installing multiple versions of the .NET Framework can cause conflicts and lead to the LNK1123 error.
Resolving LNK1123 Errors
To resolve the LNK1123 error, try the following solutions:
Solution 1: Disable Incremental Linking
- Open your project in Visual Studio.
- Go to Project Properties > Configuration Properties > Linker (General).
- Set Enable Incremental Linking to No (/INCREMENTAL:NO).
Solution 2: Update cvtres.exe
- Check the version of cvtres.exe in your Visual Studio installation directory (e.g.,
C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio 10.0\VC\bin\cvtres.exe). - If the version is outdated, copy the updated version from another Visual Studio installation (e.g.,
C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio 11.0\VC\bin\cvtres.exe) and replace the old one.
Solution 3: Remove Conflicting .NET Framework Versions
- Uninstall any unnecessary .NET Framework versions.
- Install the required .NET Framework version for your project (e.g., .NET Framework 4.0 for Visual Studio 2010).
Example Use Case
Suppose you have a C++ project in Visual Studio 2010 that uses resource files (.rc). After installing Visual Studio 2012, you start experiencing LNK1123 errors when compiling the project. To resolve the issue, you can try disabling incremental linking or updating cvtres.exe to the latest version.
Conclusion
The LNK1123 error is a common issue in Visual Studio that can be caused by various factors, including incremental linking, outdated or corrupt cvtres.exe, and conflicting .NET Framework versions. By following the solutions outlined in this tutorial, you should be able to resolve the LNK1123 error and get your project compiling successfully.