Re: [boost] auto_link questions

From: John Maddock (john_at_[hidden])
Date: 2004-01-10 06:22:43

>
>
http://www.boost-consulting.com/boost/more/separate_compilation.html#auto-link
>
> mentions BOOST_ALL_NO_LIB, BOOST_WHATEVER_NO_LIB,
> BOOST_WHATEVER_SOURCE, BOOST_ALL_DYN_LINK, BOOST_WHATEVER_DYN_LINK
>
> Did I miss something?  I don't understand where all these symbols come
> from.  Is there a boost standard that they're defined?  Shouldn't a
> request for static or dynamic libsq be done by requesting the "lib" or
> "dll" targets on the bjam command-line?

Those are the suggested names that libraries should use for selecting:

1) whether the library will be auto-linked or not not.
2) whether the library will be linked as a dll or static lib.

Obviously as the document says, you replace "WHATEVER" with the name of your
library (remember also that these guidelines are intended for Boost lib
authors not users).

The bjam command line is insufficient for the purpose because:

* End users will probably be using their IDE, not bjam to build their
projects.
* bjam doesn't tell the lib source whether to mangle symbols with
__declspec(dllimport) or whatever.

Having said all that, those macros should be documented under "User Settable
Macros" in the config docs and they're not (I forgot), I'll do that now.

John.