[boost] Re: Re:Re: Re:Re: additional boost libraries?

From: Edward Diener (eddielee_at_[hidden])
Date: 2004-07-21 20:12:37

Robert Ramey wrote:
> Edward Diener wrote:
>
>>> Note that the serialization library relies upon Spirit 100 % for XML
>>> parsing.
>
>> Regarding your problems using an older version of Spirit with lesser
>> compilers, would it make sense to split the serialization library so
>> that those who never use XML parsing wouldn't need to have a correct
>> version of Spirit for their compiler ?
>
> As it is now the "correct" version of spirit is already part of the
> boost distribution if you're using a newer compiler.  If you want to
> use an older compiler you'll have to get and "older" version of
> spirit.

Yes, I understand that.

>  If you don't
> want to take the 15 minutes to do this, you can build with an older
> compiler and without spirit at all, you could easily modify the
> jamfile.  Spirit is only used in the building of the library.

How can the jamfile be modified so that those who have an older compiler,
and don't need Spirit 1.6 for XML serialization, can build the serialization
library without Spirit 1.6 ? That was my point essentially. If that can be
done it would be advantageous to those who don't want to have two different
versions of Spirit, 1.6 and 1.8, on their system but do want to use
Serialization with an older compiler. Don't get me wrong, Spirit is great
for what it does and is excellent work if one needs its functionality. It
just seems to me that if only the XML support of Serialization needs it, and
one will never use Serialization for XML, one shouldn't need Spirit also.
OTOH if Spirit is used in other areas of the Serialization library outside
of XML serialization, then of course one should have whatever version on
their system is necessary for building the library.

BTW, your library is great and you should never feel that because you don't
hear from others about it that this indicates a lack of interest in users.
What it often indicates is that the library is working so flawlessly for
99.99% of its needs that users are content and do not need to send you any
reports about problems or errors.