Re: [boost] Attention Boosters

From: David Abrahams (dave_at_[hidden])
Date: 2006-12-11 18:16:50

Roland Schwarz <roland.schwarz_at_[hidden]> writes:

> David Abrahams wrote:
>> I really need feedback on what I've done,
>
> First to say: I would like to have seen something of similar quality on 
> my first encounter to boost!

:)

> Section 4)
> Why is only Boost.Python hyperlinked?

No particular reason.

> Section 6.3)
>
> I was always wondering what this "stage" really means. I stopped
> wondering since then, because I never had a need for it. A bit
> explanation would be nice.

I think the document explains exactly what it means:

  Boost.Build will place the Boost binaries in the stage/ subdirectory
  of your build directory.

If you are wondering about the origin of the word, I don't know.  I
would prefer a "libs" target, personally.

> You are also omitting install target, why? 

Because it's more complicated.

> Isn't install something more likely to be used?

Not really.  Install is just like stage except that it copies the
libraries *and the headers* into an installation directory tree.  You
already have the headers, and installing to a useful location probably
means you need root privileges, which not everybody has.  I'd say
"stage" is much more universally applicable.

> Section 7.3)
> Library naming: mingw is different, 

How so?  I can't document it if I don't know.

> since bbv2 it uses .a files for static libs, and no import libraries
> (altough it did in bbv1 I believe).

Oh... are you just saying that MinGW is treated differently w.r.t. the
/Extension/ tag?  I suppose that Cygwin GCC is also treated
differently.  I'll have to adjust that, thank you.  Does it use .dll
for dynamic libraries?  What if you *want* to generate an import lib?

> Section 8)
> Jam Reference links to 404

Thanks.

> Section 9)
> I have no idea what you want to tell by:
> One way to name a directory you know about is to write

Oh.  I am trying to help GUI-only people who don't know how to
navigate the directory tree.  I was assuming some people think the
world begins with "My Documents" and don't know how to write its
path.  Am I being overprotective?  

Even if there *are* people like that out there, if I can't say
sometihng intelligible it only hurts, so I'm inclined to remove it.

> ....
>
> And yes, I hope the mingw naming issue can be resolved before 1.34
> release.

Me 2.
-- 
Dave Abrahams
Boost Consulting
www.boost-consulting.com