[Boost-build] Basic bjam usage question

Subject: [Boost-build] Basic bjam usage question
From: Mark E. Hamilton (mhamilt_at_[hidden])
Date: 2011-08-05 16:55:01

Hi,

We've been using bjam for a number of years, but our structure was 
implemented by someone no longer here, and I'm finding out I don't know 
as much about it as I thought I did.

IAE, I've got a very basic question, and clearly I'm missing something 
fundamental. In order to not be affected by our changes I downloaded and 
built the 1.47 version of bjam:

wsblade123% bjam -v
Boost.Jam  Version 2011.4. OS=LINUX.

I have a very simple test Jamroot file:

% cat Jamroot
# http://www.boost.org/boost-build2/doc/html/bbv2/overview/jam_language.html
# 
http://www.boost.org/boost-build2/doc/html/jam/language.html#jam.language.rules
#
rule mkdir { }
actions mkdir
{
   echo mkdir -p $(<)
   mkdir -p $(<)
}

mkdir INSTALLDIR ;

 From the web pages above it seems to me that this should work, but when 
I try invoking the INSTALLDIR target it fails:

wsblade123% bjam toolset=gcc INSTALLDIR
notice: could not find main target INSTALLDIR
notice: assuming it is a name of file to create.
don't know how to make <e>INSTALLDIR
...found 1 target...
...can't find 1 target...

What am I misunderstanding here? I thought rules with actions were 
updating rules, the first parameter was the target. Any enlightenment 
would be appreciated. Thanks.

-- 
----------------
Mark E. Hamilton
GAITS, Inc.
Sandia National Laboratory, NM.
505-844-7666