Re: [boost] Re: About the directory structure

From: Beman Dawes (beman_at_[hidden])
Date: 2000-11-10 11:00:02

Daryle,

Thanks for the suggestions.  These issues keep coming up.  There is some 
tension between what's easiest for boost contributors, and what's best for 
boost users.  Furthermore, changes impact our CVS repository and people who 
have linked to our web site pages (and there are getting to be a lot of 
those).

This is messy enough that maybe someone ought to make a formal proposal, 
and then we hold a Formal Review, just like for a library.  Any change is 
painful enough we want to get it right the first time.

Do remember that (if I understand it correctly) if we start using ScCons, 
having all src files in the same directory isn't as important as it used to 
be.

--Beman

Daryle Walker wrote:

 >I had an epiphany after reading this: mandatory *.cpp files must be in a
 >directory completely separate from the doc/example/test hierarchy.  This
 >would be similar to the mandatory *.hpp files having a separate 
directory.
 >The reason: as long as the mandatory *.cpp files are mixed with support
 >files, there is always the chance that the compiler could accidentally 
grab
 >a nonessential file in its search algorithm.
 >
 >This new suggestion would mean that an user would just have to put the 
two
 >mandatory Boost directories in the search path.  Other suggestions would
 >mean that the user would have to individually specify each sub-library's
 >"src" directory, or include the whole "lib" hierarchy (like now) and risk
 >example or test code being grabbed.  The current system also means that 
all
 >contributors have to ensure filenames are unique across "lib."  Messing
 >this
 >up is kind-of bad if the identically named files are all example or test
 >code; but it's game-over if at least one of these files is mandatory.
 >
 >So the structure could be:
 >
 >boost/          + still holds mandatory *.hpp files
 >c++boost.gif    + still a logo picture
 >index.htm       + still the first doc file
 >libraries.htm   + still the main doc file
 >libs/           + holds only docs and non-mandatory source code
 >more/           + still holds extra doc files
 >people/         + still has member profiles
 >people.htm      + still the intro for member profiles
 >README          + still a simple introduction file
 >src/            + holds the mandatory *.cpp files
 >
 >The sub-directory structure of "src/" can mirror that of "boost/."