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Linker Tools Error LNK2038

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mismatch detected for 'name': value 'value_1' doesn't match value 'value_2' in filename.obj

A symbol mismatch has been detected by the linker. This error indicates that different parts of an app, including libraries or other object code that the app links to, use conflicting definitions of the symbol. The detect mismatch pragma is used to define such symbols and detect their conflicting values.

Possible causes and solutions

This error can occur when an object file in your project is out-of-date. Before you try other solutions to this error, perform a clean build to ensure that the object files are current.

Visual Studio defines the following symbols to prevent the linking of incompatible code, which can cause run-time errors or other unexpected behavior.

  • _MSC_VER Indicates the major and minor version numbers of the Microsoft C++ compiler (MSVC) used to build an app or library. Code that's compiled by using one version of the MSVC is incompatible with code that's compiled by using a version that has different major and minor version numbers. For more information, see _MSC_VER in Predefined Macros.

    If you're linking to a library that's not compatible with the version of the MSVC that you're using, and you can't acquire or build a compatible version of the library, you can use an earlier version of the compiler to build your project: change the Platform Toolset property of the project to the earlier toolset. For more information, see How to: Modify the Target Framework and Platform Toolset.

  • _ITERATOR_DEBUG_LEVEL Indicates the level of security and debugging features that are enabled in the C++ Standard Library. These features can change the representation of certain C++ Standard Library objects and thereby make them incompatible with those that use different security and debugging features. For more information, see _ITERATOR_DEBUG_LEVEL.

  • RuntimeLibrary Indicates the version of the C++ Standard Library and C runtime used by an app or library. Code that uses one version of the C++ Standard Library or C runtime is incompatible with code that uses a different version. For more information, see /MD, /MT, /LD (Use Run-Time Library).

  • _PPLTASKS_WITH_WINRT Indicates that code that uses the Parallel Patterns Library (PPL) is linked to objects compiled by using a different setting for the /ZW compiler option. (/ZW supports C++/CX.) Code that uses or depends on the PPL must be compiled by using the same /ZW setting used in the rest of the app.

Ensure that the values of these symbols are consistent throughout the projects in your Visual Studio solution, and also that they're consistent with code and libraries that your app links to.

Third-party library issues and vcpkg

If you see this error when you are trying to configure a third-party library as part of your build, consider using vcpkg, a C++ package manager, to install and build the library. vcpkg supports a large and growing list of third-party libraries, and sets all the configuration properties and dependencies required for successful builds as part of your project.

See also

Linker Tools Errors and Warnings