Problems with IFX 2025.0.1

[Stephen_Sutcliffe]

I have just tried the new IFX compiler in the hope that some ICEs, I used to get during Release compilation, have been resolved. These occured in some source files set with some level of Optimisation in Release configuration. I originally had all release optimisations set to Fastest O2. I have to turn optimisations -O0 off in some files to avoid these ICE. I reported these issues over a year ago with reproducers to Premier support and the workround Intel suggested was to set optimisation to -O0 but with no explanation to what is causing the errors. Unfortunately I am still getting these errors in 2025.0.1. It would be useful to know the actual cause so that code could be rewritten if that might stop the ICEs. It is a pain to change compiler settings on individual files.

There is also an issue with IFX Debug linker which fails with a message relating a usually couple of projects (out of a total of 32) saying  "DYNA3D.lib(d3d_mat21.obj) : fatal error LNK1220: 'resolving static reference symbol' requires '/WOWA64' specification".

The file listed has nothing unusual and the error can go away with repeated rebuilds although sometimes a different project throws up the error. (this only applies to the Debug configuration). Doesn't WOWA64 relate the 32 bit applications? No problem with IFORT 64 bit compilation/linking.

I've tried rebuilding the affected project(s) but this does not always work first time though sometimes it will eventually link after repeated rebuilds (no changes to any code or compiler settings) which suggests to me a bug in linker somewhere. Any ideas what might be the possible causes of this error? 

Now support for IFORT has been (prematurely IMO) deprecated I find it strange that the alternative seems to contain more than an acceptable number of "regressive" error issues. Other posts mention slower run times which will be interesting to investigate when I can finally test the program with compatable optimisation settings to those used in IFORT.

[Steve_Lionel]

You're not the only one who has reported that /WOWA64 message from the linker, but it's unclear what is triggering it. Are you using /Qipo by any chance?

[Stephen_Sutcliffe]

Hi Steve, I noticed this morning another user put up a post recently regarding this link problem.

No not exactly but I am using -qnoipo /ignore:4099,4049,4217,4204,4098 which has been set for years in the equivalent IFORT solution.

How would these errors be normally be flagged?  If I understand correctly .obj .mod and .lib filesshould be compatible between IFX & IFORT.

Thanks

Steve

[Devorah_H_Intel]

@Stephen_Sutcliffe  regarding the removal of ifort - please see the following blog post published by Ron Green

A Historic Moment for The Intel® Fortran Compiler Classic (ifort)

[Stephen_Sutcliffe]

Hi Devorah,

Thanks for the link though it doesn't tell me anything new although it was a while since I last read it.  RTFM IOW. I have already explained how the situation arose and that e-mail sent by Intel last week contained misleading information where it stated that both IFX and IFORT compilers were included in 2025.0.1.

Perhaps you should forward that link to whoever is sending out these software updates at Intel so that this doesn't happen again in future.

[Steve_Lionel]

I don't know the cause of the linker error mentioning /WOWA64, and I am beginning to wonder if that's an error in the message because, as far as I can tell, that option does not exist - and neither does /WOW64 which I thought it might be a typo for. Weirder, there are very few web hits on LNK1220 - the only one I could find outside of this forum was fatal error LNK1220: 'resolving static reference symbol' requires '/WOWA64' specification - Microsoft Q&A , but it is singularly unhelpful.

At this point I have nothing more to add.

[Stephen_Sutcliffe]

Many thanks for the update and appreciate you looking into this.

Excuse my ignorance but is the linker part of Intel suite or is it a more general tool within VS?. I've always assumed in was within the Intel Fortran toolset.

The reason I ask is if it is something Intel provides then someone within their development team could in theory search the linker code to find the message string or number and from that home in on a possible bug. I think your suggestion of the message content being incorrect is likely to be the case.

I can get the solution to link eventually by rebuilding the projects (usually 2) flagged up by the message (without changing anything) on my 2 Windows PCs but not my laptop. The OS and version of VS are:

PC 1 Windows 11 VS 2022 Version 17.12.0       Links after rebuilds of 2 subprojects

PC 1 Windows 10 VS 2022 Version 17.6.5         Links after rebuilds of 2 subprojects

Laptop Windows 11 VS 2022 Version 17.6.5    Continually fails with link error LNK1220 in the subproject despite rebuilding.

Full solution rebuild did not hav any effect.

I also tried removing that linker command but again this had no effect.

I am sticking with IFORT for now. I also fear that just getting the application to build and link will be only the start and expect to run into more issues during the testing phase. 

[Steve_Lionel]

The linker is a Microsoft tool, part of the C++ component of Visual Studio.

[Stephen_Sutcliffe]

Shame, I was hoping that that was not the case. The problem could therefore to be in the MS VS product integration as I don't get the same errors with IFORT which (I assume) uses the same linker.

I have both IFX and IFORT set up in the same Solution to ensure that the same sources are compiled. Some compiler settings had be be changed in IFX as optimisation settings in release configuration caused ICEs in a few files and the check uninit is not yet supported in IFX.

Is there a way to stop new versions of VS being installed? I've never explicitly updated VS but sometimes it seems to update itself to a version which may no longer be classed as a verified for Intel Fortran. I am wondering if this may be the reason for those weird messages.

[Steve_Lionel · Accepted solution]

VS does not automatically update - you have to tell it to do so. I am doubtful that your problem is related to the VS version.