In boost build, we can create our own rule to translate file from one format to another, for example, my company has a file format ".pyr", we developed a tool called pyr_c to compile ".pyr" file into C++ code. I can use Jamfile to handle .pyr file by create a pyr.jam like:

---------------------------------

...

type.register PYR : pyr ;

...

generators.register [ new pyr-generator pyr.compile : PYR : CPP  H ] ;

actions compile

{

     pyr_c --cpp_out=$(<[0]:D) $(>)

}

---------------------------------

It will work and process the .pyr file. But I have to put the pyr_c in a known place, such as /usr/local/bin, so that bjam can find it.

If I want to build pyr_c from source code before use it in Jamfile, how to do it? 

The difficulty for me is: pyr_c will then sit in a place relative to the source code, it is not in PATH, nor can I use absolute path of it in Jamfile which may be different in other developer's machine.

Can anyone help?

Thanks

-Bo