Re: [boost] New getting started guide

From: Daryle Walker (darylew_at_[hidden])
Date: 2006-11-22 01:35:13

On 11/19/06 6:02 PM, "David Abrahams" <dave_at_[hidden]> wrote:

> I've got a first draft of the new getting started guide ready
> (enclosed).  Comments would be appreciated.

[Also at: 
<http://boost.cvs.sourceforge.net/*checkout*/boost/boost/more/getting_starte
d.html> (via 
<http://boost.cvs.sourceforge.net/boost/boost/more/getting_started.html?view
=log>) or <http://boost-consulting.com/boost/more/getting_started.html>.]

> I plan to factor it out into separate documents, e.g. one just for
> *nix, one just for Visual Studio, etc., which should help make it more
> coherent... but I need to do a small amount of tool writing before I
> can accomplish that without duplicating information.  The source file
> is checked in at more/getting_started.rst

There should be a section on going without pre-made binaries.  This should
mention the location of the mandatory source files
("$BOOST_ROOT/libs/*/src/*.cpp" for now) and that they can be arbitrarily
incorporated as needed, except for the ones that have a "main" function.  At
most one file with a "main" can be added (for obvious reasons), and none of
them should be added if the user supplies a "main" or is making a library.
Of course, mention which files this applies to.  (I think there's only 3
files so far, all in Boost.Test.)

Potential reasons for this:
*   Environment doesn't support Boost.Build/Jam
*   Administrator-imposed restrictions blocking successful Boost-Builds
*   Want IDE to have 100%-control over building process
    *   Especially with unusual settings
        * Especially if settings differ per project
*   Using Boost from CVS (forces continual rebuilding of pre-made libraries)

The sentence starting section 4, "If you want to use any of the
separately-compiled Boost libraries, you'll need to get a hold of library
binaries," would need to be revised.

-- 
Daryle Walker
Mac, Internet, and Video Game Junkie
darylew AT hotmail DOT com