title: What does the "Link Library Dependency" linker option actually do in Visual Studio 2010 - 2015 and upwards?
body: <p>Up to VS2008, you set your <strong>native C++</strong> project dependencies up in the solution file (<code>Project Dependencies ...</code>) and if (by default) the Linker Option</p>
  <pre><code>Properties -&gt; Linker -&gt; General : Link Library Dependencies = Yes
  </code></pre>
  <p>is set, the Visual Studio Build will automatically link in the <code>.lib</code> files of all projects (DLLs, LIBs) that this project is dependent on will be &quot;statically&quot; linked in.</p>
  <hr />
  <p><em><strong>Side</strong> Note</em>: Microsoft changed how the dependencies worked in <strong>VS2010</strong> and you are now supposed to add the dependency directly to the project</p>
  <pre><code>Common Properties -&gt; Framework and References : (List of depenencies) 
  
      (each lib/dll has a separate option: 
       Project Reference Properties -&gt; Link Library Dependencies : True|False
  </code></pre>
  <p>I'm fine with that. <em>This is <strong>not</strong> what this question is about.</em></p>
  <p>(One explanation here: <a href="http://blogs.msdn.com/b/vcblog/archive/2010/05/03/flexible-project-to-project-references.aspx" rel="noreferrer">Flexible Project-to-Project References</a>.)</p>
  <hr />
  <p>It is <em>still</em> possible however to define project dependencies on the Solution level and the <code>General</code> Linker option is also <em>still</em> there. However it doesn't work. See:</p>
  <ul>
  <li><a href="http://social.msdn.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/vcgeneral/thread/163a3b2d-c747-4436-8e5b-2e52b45af1a2/" rel="noreferrer">Link Library Dependencies not working?</a></li>
  <li><a href="https://stackoverflow.com/questions/2704576/did-visual-studio-2010-break-project-dependencies-between-c-projects">Did Visual Studio 2010 break &quot;Project Dependencies&quot; between C++ projects?</a></li>
  <li><a href="https://stackoverflow.com/questions/3795567/visual-studio-2010-not-autolinking-static-libraries-from-projects-that-are-depend">Visual Studio 2010 not autolinking static libraries from projects that are dependencies as it should be supposed to</a>
  <ul>
  <li><a href="https://stackoverflow.com/questions/3795567/visual-studio-2010-not-autolinking-static-libraries-from-projects-that-are-depend/3796378#3796378">&quot;but oddly enough, without removing the old UI, or in any way indicating that it no longer works&quot;</a></li>
  </ul>
  </li>
  </ul>
  <h2>and especially see here (acutal <em>question</em> follows)</h2>
  <ul>
  <li><a href="http://connect.microsoft.com/VisualStudio/feedback/details/586113/link-library-dependencies-does-not-work#details" rel="noreferrer">MS Connect Bug 586113: &quot;Link Library Dependencies&quot; does not work</a></li>
  </ul>
  <p>Where Microsoft confirms that the Linker Option doesn't do what the rest of the world's population expects it to do, and adds the following explanation:</p>
  <blockquote>
  <p>Thanks for reporting this feedback. The issue you are experiencing is
  by design. &quot;Link Library Dependency&quot; is a flag that only dictates
  whether or not to pass the library as an input to the linker. It does
  not find the dependency automatically. As a customer you will have to
  define the depedency manually as you suggest.</p>
  </blockquote>
  <p>Can <strong>anyone explain what that means</strong>, or more to the point: <em>What does the &quot;Link Library Dependency&quot; linker option actually do in Visual Studio 2010?</em></p>
  <p>What is an &quot;input to the linker&quot; that isn't actually linked supposed to be?</p>