Linking errors with new usage API and gmake

[StefanoLanza]

The following is a simplified configuration for my own project. I have migrated it to the new usage/uses API. On Windows, Example1 builds correctly. On Linux/gmake, the same project builds with linking errors such as missing TinyXML symbols. As a workaround, I have to explicitly link all dependent libraries (see the gmake filter in project("Reflection")). Is this a known bug or am I misusing the API ?

I am using Premake 5.0.0-beta8

Thank you!

project("Core")
	local path = "."
	kind "StaticLib"
	includedirs { path .. "/include", path .. "/include/core", }
	usage "INTERFACE"
		includedirs { path .. "/include", }
		links { "Core" }

project("TinyXML")
	kind "StaticLib"
	usage "INTERFACE"
		includedirs { "external", }
		links { "TinyXML" }

project("Reflection")
	kind "StaticLib"
	files "include/**.h"
	includedirs { "include/reflection" }
	uses { "Core", "TinyXML", }
	usage "INTERFACE"
		uses { "Core" }
		includedirs { "include", }
		links { "Reflection" }
		filter { "action:gmake*" } -- Bug in gmake generation ?
			links({"Core", "TinyXML"})
		filter {}

project("Example1")
		kind "ConsoleApp"
		files { "examples/example1.cpp", "examples/utils.*", }
		uses { "Reflection" }

[Jarod42]

With static libraries, If I am Correct, it is to the executable to link all libraries, so for me project Reflection should have in usage: uses { "Core", "TinyXML" }.

On Windows, Example1 builds correctly.

Which generator?
With visual20xx, chance are there are some implicit linking between dependent projects.

[nickclark2016]

Could you confirm if "Example1" fails to build due to link issues on Linux, or does "Reflection" fail to build due to link/archive issues?

[StefanoLanza]

On Linux, I cannot test the build directly, only via github actions:

https://github.com/StefanoLanza/Reflection/actions/runs/23141128536

Without the explicit linking to TinyXML, I'd get linking errors such as
/usr/bin/ld: <artificial>:(.text.startup+0x2849): undefined reference to tinyxml2::XMLDocument::ErrorName() const'`

I believe the same type of error happened even before my migration to the usage API, when I was using links and manual inclusion of all necessary headers for all dependencies and sub dependencies. It seems that recursive linking of dependencies is broken with gmake ? On Windows /MSVC the executables build correctly. As a user, I'd expect the same premake configuration to generate a working build on all supported platforms.

Thank again!

[nickclark2016]

So this is an issue as @Jarod42 suggested with link propagation. You'll need to either add links { "TinyXML" } or uses { "TinyXML" } to Reflection's INTERFACE (or public) usage block in order to cause consumers to see that library to link.