libnethost is only provided with release CRT

[elinor-fung]

By default, a C++ application in VS uses the debug version of the C runtime library when building with Configuration=Debug. Since we only ship a release libnethost.lib using the release CRT, if a consumer tries to link it in, they will hit mismatches between the runtime libraries (LNK2038). In order to consume the static libnethost.lib, they have to change the defaults for the Debug configuration to use the release version of the C runtime library.

Kind of a continuation of our 'we lack a defined/worn path for shipping native assets'. Possibilities:

• Ship a libnethostd.lib (and .pdb) on Windows that uses the debug CRT
  • Would add about 4MB
• Maintain and push people to vcpkg
  • Port for nethost is there, but, to my knowledge, we have not been maintaining/updating
• Only support using the release CRT if using static nethost (and document)
  • Consumers would need to compile with /MT and not define _DEBUG (this is what DNNE is doing, cc @AaronRobinsonMSFT)

cc @vitek-karas

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Issue Details

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By default, a C++ application in VS uses the debug version of the C runtime library when building with Configuration=Debug. Since we only ship a release libnethost.lib using the release CRT, if a consumer tries to link it in, they will hit mismatches between the runtime libraries (LNK2038). In order to consume the static libnethost.lib, they have to change the defaults for the Debug configuration to use the release version of the C runtime library.

Kind of a continuation of our 'we lack a defined/worn path for shipping native assets'. Possibilities:

• Ship a libnethostd.lib (and .pdb) on Windows that uses the debug CRT
  • Would add about 4MB
• Maintain and push people to vcpkg
  • Port for nethost is there, but, to my knowledge, we have not been maintaining/updating
• Only support using the release CRT if using static nethost (and document)
  • Consumers would need to compile with /MT and not define _DEBUG (this is what DNNE is doing, cc @AaronRobinsonMSFT)

cc @vitek-karas

Author:	elinor-fung
Assignees:	-
Labels:	area-Host
Milestone:	-

[rseanhall]

I would use the libnethostd.lib if it was made available. If I remember correctly, the existing libnethost.lib is only shipped in a Nuget package, and that Nuget package is not used for anything else other than custom native hosts so I don't think the size increase should matter.

[tuokri]

Just to provide some more visibility for this issue, I will add that providing a libnethostd.lib would be helpful for my use cases too.