Re: [boost] Switch to CMake -- Analysis

Subject: Re: [boost] Switch to CMake -- Analysis
From: Robert Ramey (ramey_at_[hidden])
Date: 2017-08-11 20:12:58

On 7/21/17 8:57 AM, Stefan Seefeld via Boost wrote:
> On 21.07.2017 10:21, Thomas Heller via Boost wrote:

> * Improve the existing Boost.Build infrastructure to allow libraries to
> be built stand-alone. (I remember from discussing with Rene a year ago
> that he had some work in progress to achieve this, so I don't think this
> is particularly hard, at least not for someone understanding Boost.Build
> internals).

Hmmm - I don't see the problem here.  In fact, I do it all the time!

I cd to the libs/test directory and invoke b2 ...

Then I take a bathroom break.

When I come back, I find that

a) the serialization library has been built
b) those (and only ) those other libraries required for either
the serialization library or it's tests have been built
c) all the tests have been run
d) since I include library_test, I have a html table detailing
all the test results.

In a word - this is already done has been for at least 15 years!

> * Replace the top-level build logic  to simply iterate over all
> libraries, invoking this stand-alone build logic.

Right - not hard to do.  I once submitted shell script to do exactly 
that.  Problem was, Rene has been too accommodating to boost developers 
and has permitted a number of them to make their own rules.  This should 
be addressed in any case.  In short, this is not a problem.

> * With the above in place, it becomes possible to switch from
> Boost.Build to CMake one library at a time, so the original question can
> be reframed as "which library wants to switch from Boost.Build to
> CMake", which, I'm sure, will be much less disruptive (if at all) and
> non-controversial, as the people to decide will be project maintainers
> and communities.

Right - More than that, this is the only way such a transition is even 
possible.
> 
> 
> Does this process appeal to anyone ?

I don't think anyone actually has a rational alternative.

> 
> Regards,
>          Stefan
> 

Robert Ramey