Is there any way to make a function get called just by linking its .o file?

For example:

foo.cpp:

extern int x;

void f() { x = 42; }

struct T { T() { f(); } } t; // we use constructor of global
                             // object to call f during initialization

bar.cpp:

#include <iostream>

int x;

int main()
{
    std::cout << x;
}

To compile/link/run:

$ g++ -c foo.cpp
$ g++ -c bar.cpp
$ g++ foo.o bar.o
$ ./a.out
42

This seems to work with gcc 4.7. It outputs 42 as expected. However I remember on some old compilers I had a problem with this pattern that because nothing was really "using" foo.o it was optimized out at link time. (perhaps this particular example is not representative of the problem for some reason)

What does the C++11 standard have to say about this pattern? Is it guaranteed to work?

c++ c++11
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