undefined link errors on Windows

[avdv]

What version of protobuf and what language are you using? Version: 26.1 / 27.0 Language: C++

What operating system (Linux, Windows, ...) and version?

Windows Server 2022 10.0.20348

What runtime / compiler are you using (e.g., python version or gcc version)

clang version 14.0.6 Target: x86_64-w64-windows-gnu Thread model: posix

What did you do? Steps to reproduce the behavior:

I am using Bazel (version 6.5.0) either using a workspace file or using a module (module version 26.0.bcr.1) and trying to build @com_google_protobuf//:protoc or @protobuf~26.0.bcr.1//:protoc respectively.

What did you expect to see

The build should succeed.

What did you see instead?

ERROR: C:/_bzl/minshlu6/external/com_google_protobuf/BUILD.bazel:225:10: Linking external/com_google_protobuf/protoc.exe [for tool] failed: (Exit 1): clang failed: error executing command (from target @com_google_protobuf//:protoc) 
  cd /d C:/_bzl/minshlu6/execroot/rules_haskell
  SET PATH=C:\Program Files\Git\usr\bin;C:\Program Files\Git\bin;C:\Windows;C:\Windows\System32;C:\Windows\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0
    SET ***
    SET RUNFILES_MANIFEST_ONLY=1
  external\rules_haskell_ghc_windows_amd64\mingw\bin\clang -o bazel-out/x64_windows-opt-exec-2B5CBBC6/bin/external/com_google_protobuf/protoc.exe bazel-out/x64_windows-opt-exec-2B5CBBC6/bin/external/com_google_protobuf/src/google/protobuf/compiler/libprotoc_lib.a bazel-out/x64_windows-opt-exec-2B5CBBC6/bin/external/com_google_protobuf/src/google/protobuf/compiler/libcommand_line_interface.a bazel-out/x64_windows-opt-exec-2B5CBBC6/bin/external/com_google_protobuf/src/google/protobuf/compiler/allowlists/liballowlists.a bazel-out/x64_windows-opt-exec-2B5CBBC6/bin/external/com_google_protobuf/src/google/protobuf/compiler/libimporter.a bazel-out/x64_windows-opt-exec-2B5CBBC6/bin/external/com_google_protobuf/src/google/protobuf/compiler/cpp/libcpp.a bazel-out/x64_windows-opt-exec-2B5CBBC6/bin/external/com_google_protobuf/src/google/protobuf/compiler/csharp/libcsharp.a bazel-out/x64_windows-opt-exec-2B5CBBC6/bin/external/com_google_protobuf/src/google/protobuf/compiler/csharp/libnames.a bazel-out/x64_windows-opt-exec-2B5CBBC6/bin/external/com_google_protobuf/src/google/protobuf/compiler/java/libjava.a bazel-out/x64_windows-opt-exec-2B5CBBC6/bin/external/com_google_protobuf/src/google/protobuf/compiler/java/libnames_internal.a bazel-out/x64_windows-opt-exec-2B5CBBC6/bin/external/com_google_protobuf/src/google/protobuf/compiler/java/libjava_features_bootstrap.a bazel-out/x64_windows-opt-exec-2B5CBBC6/bin/external/com_google_protobuf/src/google/protobuf/compiler/objectivec/libobjectivec.a bazel-out/x64_windows-opt-exec-2B5CBBC6/bin/external/com_google_protobuf/src/google/protobuf/compiler/objectivec/libnames_internal.a bazel-out/x64_windows-opt-exec-2B5CBBC6/bin/external/com_google_protobuf/src/google/protobuf/compiler/objectivec/libline_consumer.a bazel-out/x64_windows-opt-exec-2B5CBBC6/bin/external/com_google_protobuf/src/google/protobuf/compiler/php/libphp.a bazel-out/x64_windows-opt-exec-2B5CBBC6/bin/external/com_google_protobuf/src/google/protobuf/compiler/php/libnames.a bazel-out/x64_windows-opt-exec-2B5CBBC6/bin/external/com_google_protobuf/src/google/protobuf/compiler/python/libpython.a bazel-out/x64_windows-opt-exec-2B5CBBC6/bin/external/com_google_protobuf/src/google/protobuf/compiler/libversions.a bazel-out/x64_windows-opt-exec-2B5CBBC6/bin/external/com_google_protobuf/src/google/protobuf/compiler/ruby/libruby.a bazel-out/x64_windows-opt-exec-2B5CBBC6/bin/external/com_google_protobuf/src/google/protobuf/compiler/rust/librust.a bazel-out/x64_windows-opt-exec-2B5CBBC6/bin/external/com_google_protobuf/src/google/protobuf/compiler/rust/libcrate_mapping.a bazel-out/x64_windows-opt-exec-2B5CBBC6/bin/external/com_google_protobuf/src/google/protobuf/testing/libfile.a bazel-out/x64_windows-opt-exec-2B5CBBC6/bin/external/com_google_protobuf/src/google/protobuf/compiler/rust/libmessage.a bazel-out/x64_windows-opt-exec-2B5CBBC6/bin/external/com_google_protobuf/src/google/protobuf/compiler/rust/libenum.a bazel-out/x64_windows-opt-exec-2B5CBBC6/bin/external/com_google_protobuf/src/google/protobuf/compiler/rust/liboneof.a bazel-out/x64_windows-opt-exec-2B5CBBC6/bin/external/com_google_protobuf/src/google/protobuf/compiler/rust/libaccessors.a bazel-out/x64_windows-opt-exec-2B5CBBC6/bin/external/com_google_protobuf/src/google/protobuf/compiler/rust/libhelpers.a bazel-out/x64_windows-opt-exec-2B5CBBC6/bin/external/com_google_protobuf/upb_generator/libmangle.a bazel-out/x64_windows-opt-exec-2B5CBBC6/bin/external/com_google_protobuf/src/google/protobuf/compiler/rust/libnaming.a bazel-out/x64_windows-opt-exec-2B5CBBC6/bin/external/com_google_protobuf/src/google/protobuf/compiler/rust/libcontext.a bazel-out/x64_windows-opt-exec-2B5CBBC6/bin/external/com_google_protobuf/src/google/protobuf/compiler/rust/librelative_path.a bazel-out/x64_windows-opt-exec-2B5CBBC6/bin/external/com_google_protobuf/src/google/protobuf/compiler/cpp/libnames_internal.a bazel-out/x64_windows-opt-exec-2B5CBBC6/bin/external/com_google_protobuf/src/google/protobuf/compiler/libcode_generator.a bazel-out/x64_windows-opt-exec-2B5CBBC6/bin/external/com_google_protobuf/src/google/protobuf/compiler/libretention.a bazel-out/x64_windows-opt-exec-2B5CBBC6/bin/external/com_google_protobuf/src/google/protobuf/libprotobuf.a bazel-out/x64_windows-opt-exec-2B5CBBC6/bin/external/com_google_protobuf/src/google/protobuf/libprotobuf_lite.a bazel-out/x64_windows-opt-exec-2B5CBBC6/bin/external/com_google_protobuf/src/google/protobuf/io/libgzip_stream.a bazel-out/x64_windows-opt-exec-2B5CBBC6/bin/external/zlib/libzlib.a bazel-out/x64_windows-opt-exec-2B5CBBC6/bin/external/com_google_protobuf/src/google/protobuf/io/libtokenizer.a bazel-out/x64_windows-opt-exec-2B5CBBC6/bin/external/com_google_protobuf/third_party/utf8_range/libutf8_validity.a bazel-out/x64_windows-opt-exec-2B5CBBC6/bin/external/com_google_protobuf/third_party/utf8_range/libutf8_range.a bazel-out/x64_windows-opt-exec-2B5CBBC6/bin/external/com_google_protobuf/src/google/protobuf/io/libprinter.a bazel-out/x64_windows-opt-exec-2B5CBBC6/bin/external/com_google_protobuf/src/google/protobuf/io/libzero_copy_sink.a bazel-out/x64_windows-opt-exec-2B5CBBC6/bin/external/com_google_protobuf/src/google/protobuf/io/libio.a bazel-out/x64_windows-opt-exec-2B5CBBC6/bin/external/com_google_protobuf/src/google/protobuf/io/libio_win32.a bazel-out/x64_windows-opt-exec-2B5CBBC6/bin/external/com_google_protobuf/src/google/protobuf/libarena.a bazel-out/x64_windows-opt-exec-2B5CBBC6/bin/external/com_google_protobuf/src/google/protobuf/libarena_align.a bazel-out/x64_windows-opt-exec-2B5CBBC6/bin/external/com_google_protobuf/src/google/protobuf/stubs/liblite.a bazel-out/x64_windows-opt-exec-2B5CBBC6/bin/external/com_google_protobuf/src/google/protobuf/libport.a bazel-out/x64_windows-opt-exec-2B5CBBC6/bin/external/com_google_absl/absl/container/libraw_hash_set.a bazel-out/x64_windows-opt-exec-2B5CBBC6/bin/external/com_google_absl/absl/container/libhashtablez_sampler.a bazel-out/x64_windows-opt-exec-2B5CBBC6/bin/external/com_google_absl/absl/log/internal/libcheck_op.a bazel-out/x64_windows-opt-exec-2B5CBBC6/bin/external/com_google_absl/absl/log/internal/libconditions.a bazel-out/x64_windows-opt-exec-2B5CBBC6/bin/external/com_google_absl/absl/log/internal/liblog_message.a bazel-out/x64_windows-opt-exec-2B5CBBC6/bin/external/com_google_absl/absl/log/internal/libformat.a bazel-out/x64_windows-opt-exec-2B5CBBC6/bin/external/com_google_absl/absl/log/internal/libnullguard.a bazel-out/x64_windows-opt-exec-2B5CBBC6/bin/external/com_google_absl/absl/log/internal/libproto.a bazel-out/x64_windows-opt-exec-2B5CBBC6/bin/external/com_google_absl/absl/debugging/libexamine_stack.a bazel-out/x64_windows-opt-exec-2B5CBBC6/bin/external/com_google_absl/absl/log/internal/liblog_sink_set.a bazel-out/x64_windows-opt-exec-2B5CBBC6/bin/external/com_google_absl/absl/log/liblog_sink.a bazel-out/x64_windows-opt-exec-2B5CBBC6/bin/external/com_google_absl/absl/log/liblog_entry.a bazel-out/x64_windows-opt-exec-2B5CBBC6/bin/external/com_google_absl/absl/status/libstatusor.a bazel-out/x64_windows-opt-exec-2B5CBBC6/bin/external/com_google_absl/absl/status/libstatus.a bazel-out/x64_windows-opt-exec-2B5CBBC6/bin/external/com_google_absl/absl/base/libstrerror.a bazel-out/x64_windows-opt-exec-2B5CBBC6/bin/external/com_google_absl/absl/strings/libcord.a bazel-out/x64_windows-opt-exec-2B5CBBC6/bin/external/com_google_absl/absl/strings/libcordz_info.a bazel-out/x64_windows-opt-exec-2B5CBBC6/bin/external/com_google_absl/absl/strings/libcord_internal.a bazel-out/x64_windows-opt-exec-2B5CBBC6/bin/external/com_google_absl/absl/strings/libcordz_functions.a bazel-out/x64_windows-opt-exec-2B5CBBC6/bin/external/com_google_absl/absl/profiling/libexponential_biased.a bazel-out/x64_windows-opt-exec-2B5CBBC6/bin/external/com_google_absl/absl/strings/libcordz_handle.a bazel-out/x64_windows-opt-exec-2B5CBBC6/bin/external/com_google_absl/absl/crc/libcrc_cord_state.a bazel-out/x64_windows-opt-exec-2B5CBBC6/bin/external/com_google_absl/absl/crc/libcrc32c.a bazel-out/x64_windows-opt-exec-2B5CBBC6/bin/external/com_google_absl/absl/crc/libcrc_internal.a bazel-out/x64_windows-opt-exec-2B5CBBC6/bin/external/com_google_absl/absl/crc/libcpu_detect.a bazel-out/x64_windows-opt-exec-2B5CBBC6/bin/external/com_google_absl/absl/strings/libstr_format_internal.a bazel-out/x64_windows-opt-exec-2B5CBBC6/bin/external/com_google_absl/absl/log/libinitialize.a bazel-out/x64_windows-opt-exec-2B5CBBC6/bin/external/com_google_absl/absl/log/libglobals.a bazel-out/x64_windows-opt-exec-2B5CBBC6/bin/external/com_google_absl/absl/hash/libhash.a bazel-out/x64_windows-opt-exec-2B5CBBC6/bin/external/com_google_absl/absl/hash/libcity.a bazel-out/x64_windows-opt-exec-2B5CBBC6/bin/external/com_google_absl/absl/hash/liblow_level_hash.a bazel-out/x64_windows-opt-exec-2B5CBBC6/bin/external/com_google_absl/absl/types/libbad_variant_access.a bazel-out/x64_windows-opt-exec-2B5CBBC6/bin/external/com_google_absl/absl/log/internal/libvlog_config.a bazel-out/x64_windows-opt-exec-2B5CBBC6/bin/external/com_google_absl/absl/log/internal/libfnmatch.a bazel-out/x64_windows-opt-exec-2B5CBBC6/bin/external/com_google_absl/absl/synchronization/libsynchronization.a bazel-out/x64_windows-opt-exec-2B5CBBC6/bin/external/com_google_absl/absl/synchronization/libgraphcycles_internal.a bazel-out/x64_windows-opt-exec-2B5CBBC6/bin/external/com_google_absl/absl/synchronization/libkernel_timeout_internal.a bazel-out/x64_windows-opt-exec-2B5CBBC6/bin/external/com_google_absl/absl/debugging/libstacktrace.a bazel-out/x64_windows-opt-exec-2B5CBBC6/bin/external/com_google_absl/absl/debugging/libsymbolize.a bazel-out/x64_windows-opt-exec-2B5CBBC6/bin/external/com_google_absl/absl/debugging/libdebugging_internal.a bazel-out/x64_windows-opt-exec-2B5CBBC6/bin/external/com_google_absl/absl/debugging/libdemangle_internal.a bazel-out/x64_windows-opt-exec-2B5CBBC6/bin/external/com_google_absl/absl/base/libmalloc_internal.a bazel-out/x64_windows-opt-exec-2B5CBBC6/bin/external/com_google_absl/absl/log/internal/libglobals.a bazel-out/x64_windows-opt-exec-2B5CBBC6/bin/external/com_google_absl/absl/time/libtime.a bazel-out/x64_windows-opt-exec-2B5CBBC6/bin/external/com_google_absl/absl/strings/libstrings.a bazel-out/x64_windows-opt-exec-2B5CBBC6/bin/external/com_google_absl/absl/strings/libinternal.a bazel-out/x64_windows-opt-exec-2B5CBBC6/bin/external/com_google_absl/absl/strings/libstring_view.a bazel-out/x64_windows-opt-exec-2B5CBBC6/bin/external/com_google_absl/absl/base/libbase.a bazel-out/x64_windows-opt-exec-2B5CBBC6/bin/external/com_google_absl/absl/base/libspinlock_wait.a bazel-out/x64_windows-opt-exec-2B5CBBC6/bin/external/com_google_absl/absl/base/libthrow_delegate.a bazel-out/x64_windows-opt-exec-2B5CBBC6/bin/external/com_google_absl/absl/numeric/libint128.a bazel-out/x64_windows-opt-exec-2B5CBBC6/bin/external/com_google_absl/absl/time/internal/cctz/libtime_zone.a bazel-out/x64_windows-opt-exec-2B5CBBC6/bin/external/com_google_absl/absl/time/internal/cctz/libcivil_time.a bazel-out/x64_windows-opt-exec-2B5CBBC6/bin/external/com_google_absl/absl/types/libbad_optional_access.a bazel-out/x64_windows-opt-exec-2B5CBBC6/bin/external/com_google_absl/absl/base/libraw_logging_internal.a bazel-out/x64_windows-opt-exec-2B5CBBC6/bin/external/com_google_absl/absl/base/liblog_severity.a -lpthread -lm -lpthread -lm -lpthread -lm -lpthread -lm -pthread -pthread -pthread -Wl,-S -lstdc++
# Configuration: 0b9902a8d78c28a893025c1bf3016058917f4c3cbd7fad5689dd81d8311894be
# Execution platform: @local_config_platform//:host
ld.lld: error: undefined symbol: __start_pb_defaults
>>> referenced by libprotobuf_lite.a(generated_message_util.o):(.refptr.__start_pb_defaults)

ld.lld: error: undefined symbol: __stop_pb_defaults
>>> referenced by libprotobuf_lite.a(generated_message_util.o):(.refptr.__stop_pb_defaults)

ld.lld: error: undefined symbol: __declspec(dllimport) SymSetOptions
>>> referenced by libsymbolize.a(symbolize.o):(absl::lts_20240116::InitializeSymbolizer(char const*))

ld.lld: error: undefined symbol: __declspec(dllimport) SymInitialize
>>> referenced by libsymbolize.a(symbolize.o):(absl::lts_20240116::InitializeSymbolizer(char const*))

ld.lld: error: undefined symbol: __declspec(dllimport) SymFromAddr
>>> referenced by libsymbolize.a(symbolize.o):(absl::lts_20240116::Symbolize(void const*, char*, int))
clang: error: linker command failed with exit code 1 (use -v to see invocation)

Make sure you include information that can help us debug (full error message, exception listing, stack trace, logs).

Anything else we should know about your project / environment

[avdv]

This looks like -ldbghelp linker option is missing which is needed by abseil for its symbolizer.

\edit: Yes, adding -ldbghelp to the linkopts fixes the undefined symbol errors for SymSetOptions and SymInitialize.

But the __start_pb_defaults and __stop_pb_defaults symbols remain undefined. These are declared in src/google/protobuf/generated_messages.cc but only if PROTOBUF_DESCRIPTOR_WEAK_MESSAGES_ALLOWED is defined.

Is the __start / __stop mechanism supported on Windows with PE/COFF?

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[avdv]

This is still a problem, it also happens with version 28.0.

[sbenzaquen]

It seems the preprocessor checks we have are not taking into account this particular combination of clang+windows properly. Would you be able to test a fix? I can't test on that configuration.

The proposed fix would be to modify PROTOBUF_DESCRIPTOR_WEAK_MESSAGES_ALLOWED in port_def.inc to add && !defined(_WIN32) to the predicate.

[avdv]

It seems the preprocessor checks we have are not taking into account this particular combination of clang+windows properly. Would you be able to test a fix? I can't test on that configuration.

The proposed fix would be to modify PROTOBUF_DESCRIPTOR_WEAK_MESSAGES_ALLOWED in port_def.inc to add && !defined(_WIN32) to the predicate.

Ha! You mean like this :smirk_cat: ? https://github.com/tweag/rules_haskell/commit/5cd62705c51add73745550ce3b318fc7f29f099f#diff-65d611c8fe5c0eb76570cf39b77fc50a823a26f2755f64d0011cf980f59787b6R18-R25

That works indeed.