Re: [boost] Compiler warnings after boost update

Subject: Re: [boost] Compiler warnings after boost update
From: Auer, Jens (jens.auer_at_[hidden])
Date: 2015-09-24 06:07:23

> >I am wondering why this came up after the update. Is it a configuration
> problem during the build >of the boost libraries, or is it an issue in the boost
> libraries? I find it hard to believe that >the code quality changed so much between
> the versions.
> 
> I'm sure it's a configuration change on your side. All Boost versions I've compiled
> emit at least some warnings when compiling at pedantic/wall/wextra levels.
I managed to find the difference between the boost package in centos and an installed 
vanilla version. The centos source rpm contains about 40 patches which also fix some of the
warnings. I think these would be good candidates to integrate them into the boost main
branch. 

If there is general interest, I would ask the package maintainer if they want to create a pull 
Request, or create one myself.

> Locally we've taken the view to treat Boost as system headers ( -Isystem rather
> than -I ) and close our eyes to the warnings to enable us to compile our code at our
> chosen warning settings.
Thanks for hint. I have also taken this road now, but it feels not right. IMHO, the boost
Libraries should be warning free, either because there are no warnings in the supported
compilers, or because they are suppressed. I think the current policy on warnings should be
changed to demand that changed and added public API code compiles warning free on all supported
compilers with the highest settings available. Currently, if I were to fix the warnings, the next
commit could introduce new warnings, or even change my fixes and create other warnings. To
have some incremental improvement, I would suggest to define the current state as a baseline,
and enforce that new code does not add warnings, and that changes are warning free. This can
be automated easily, e.g. with SonarQube. This way, warnings should be eliminated in the long run.

Best wishes,
  Jens

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