Re: [boost] Interface for configuring third-party dependencies

Subject: Re: [boost] Interface for configuring third-party dependencies
From: Vladimir Prus (vladimir_at_[hidden])
Date: 2010-10-07 16:41:20

Kim Barrett wrote:

> On Oct 7, 2010, at 12:20 PM, Vladimir Prus wrote:
>> = Controlling use of external dependencies =
>> 
>> Sometimes, it might be desirable to disable use of external dependency even
>> when it's available. To than end, for each external dependency a new feature
>> should be provided, for example:
>> 
>> use-zlib
>> 
>> When a value of "off" is specified, zlib won't be used by any boost component.
>> Also, for every specific library that uses an external dependency, a more
>> specific feature will be defined, for example:
>> 
>> iostream.use-zlib
>> 
>> to control use of that dependency in specific library.
> 
> Is there (or could there be) some not too difficult way to find out what the set of such external
> dependencies is?  Otherwise it is all too easy to unintentionally build against such a dependency
> that happens to be present on the build machine but might not be present on the delivery machine.

All configuration checks are recorded, e.g:

        Performing configuration checks

            - iconv (libc)             : yes
            - icu                      : yes

Of course, one needs some judgement to see which of those tests are actually about
external libraries -- for example the first one checks the standard library.

- Volodya