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The Link Incrementally (/INCREMENTAL:{YES|NO}) option controls how the linker handles incremental linking. (To find this option in the development environment, click Settings on the Project menu. Then click the Link tab, and click Customize in the Category box.)
By default, the linker runs in incremental mode. To override a default incremental link, clear the Link Incrementally check box (or specify /INCREMENTAL:NO on the command line).
An incrementally linked program is functionally equivalent to a program that is nonincrementally linked. However, because it is prepared for subsequent incremental links, an incrementally linked executable (.EXE) file or dynamic-link library (DLL):
Note To ensure that your final release build does not contain padding or thunks, link your program nonincrementally.
To link incrementally regardless of the default, select the Link Incrementally check box (or specify /INCREMENTAL:YES on the command line). When this option is selected, the linker issues a warning if it cannot link incrementally, and then links the program nonincrementally. Certain options and situations override the Link Incrementally (/INCREMENTAL:YES) option.
Most programs can be linked incrementally. However, some changes are too great, and some options are incompatible with incremental linking. LINK performs a full link if any of the following options are specified:
Additionally, LINK performs a full link if any of the following situations occur: