pointer to a pointer in a DLL, so that it can be referenced with the
``dllimport`` attribute. On Microsoft Windows targets, the pointer
name is formed by combining ``__imp_`` and the function or variable
- name.
+ name. Since this linkage exists for defining a dll interface, the
+ compiler, assembler and linker know it is externally referenced and
+ must refrain from deleting the symbol.
It is illegal for a function *declaration* to have any linkage type
other than ``external``, ``dllimport`` or ``extern_weak``.
initial values before the start of the global initializer. This is
true even for variables potentially accessible from outside the
module, including those with external linkage or appearing in
-``@llvm.used``. This assumption may be suppressed by marking the
-variable with ``externally_initialized``.
+``@llvm.used`` or dllexported variables. This assumption may be suppressed
+by marking the variable with ``externally_initialized``.
An explicit alignment may be specified for a global, which must be a
power of 2. If not present, or if the alignment is set to zero, the