Link error 1189 library limit of 65535 objects exceeded

[larshg]

After the merge of #790 I'm unable to compile the pcl_features library, due to link error in topic.

I guess it has to be divided into multple dll's or is there some other way to do it? As far as I have found, its not possible.

Any one else has this error?

[VictorLamoine]

This error seems like a limit of Visual Studio. From what I have read it is not possible to bypass this limit so something else have to be done.

[taketwo]

Are you compiling with PCL_ONLY_CORE_POINT_TYPES off? Perhaps turning it on will reduce the number of objects, though I am not sure. (And of course this would only be a workaround.)

[larshg]

Hi @taketwo , I was compiling with PCL_ONLY_CORE_POINT_TYPES off, but changing it to on made it possible to compile - probably due to fewer point types being declared.

[taketwo]

Okay, this means we have a temporary workaround.
Proper solutions are welcome, of course.

[taketwo]

Found #350 while browsing closed pull requests. Another indication that features module is just too huge.

[GeraldLodron]

Anything new to this? pcl features still does not compile without setting PCL_ONLY_CORE_POINT_TYPES

[jpapon]

I think the only other solution is to use a compiler that doesn't have the 65k objects limit.

[GeraldLodron]

That would mean that (full) pcl loses visual studio support... bad for 50% of all developers I think

in my case I cannot switch, it is a company guideline to use VS... I would also prefer another compiler...

[jpapon]

Is there a reason you need to compile all of the point types against all of the feature classes?

[jspricke]

Setting PCL_ONLY_CORE_POINT_TYPES would only mean that you have to compile some more template instantiations by yourself, if you need less common point types. So I would make it default for 1.8 on Windows. Feel free to send a pull request if you have a platform to test.

[GeraldLodron]

No there is no reason to compile all types, additionally to the core point types we use pcl::PointNormals, pcl::PointXYZ, pcl::PointXYZI, pcl::PointXYZRGB and pcl::PointXYZRGBI. When i compile pcl with core types i get linker errors when using those:
e.g.:

error LNK2001: unresolved external symbol "private: virtual void __cdecl pcl::NormalEstimationOMP<struct pcl::PointXYZ,struct pcl::PointNormal>::computeFeature(class pcl::PointCloud<struct pcl::PointNormal> &)" (?computeFeature@?$NormalEstimationOMP@UPointXYZ@pcl@@UPointNormal@2@@pcl@@EEAAXAEAV?$PointCloud@UPointNormal@pcl@@@2@@Z)

Is there a workaround to easily add some specified point types to the "Core"? Or can i tell the compiler to compile those additional point types in my own program/lib? If yes, how?

@jspricke: what you mean with "So I would make it default for 1.8 on Windows"? I do not really understand what you want to say....

[jpapon]

Yes, you can include the relevant .hpp file(s) in your source and the compiler will create the objects you use if they were not explicitly instantiated in the main library. There's a tutorial which discusses this here.

This has the downside of seriously increasing your compilation time if you use a few classes.

[GeraldLodron]

omg, that was the trick, so many thanks....