Re: [boost] Radical idea for repository structure

From: David Abrahams (dave_at_[hidden])
Date: 2007-09-17 15:59:06

on Mon Sep 17 2007, Vladimir Prus <ghost-AT-cs.msu.su> wrote:

> David Abrahams wrote:
>
>> 
>> A few days ago I started thinking about the implications of giving
>> each Boost library a separate subtree of the repository, and it led me
>> to some interesting places.
>> 
>> * Start with the assumption that each library has a boost/ directory
>>   containing its subset of the headers it currently has.  So, for
>>   example, Boost.Python would have
>> 
>>            boost/
>>               python.hpp
>>               python/
>>                  ...
>> 
>>   where "..." above is identical to the current contents of
>>   $BOOST_ROOT/boost/python/
>> 
>> * Our release process would merge the boost/ directories
>> 
>> * To test a library from a source distribution, you'd need to get the
>>   boost/ directories of any libraries it depends on into the #include
>>   path.
>> 
>> * This list of dependency libraries would be encoded in each dependent
>>   library's Jamfile.
>> 
>> * Presto, a way to explicitly declare and track library
>>   inter-dependencies!  If you fail to declare a dependency in your
>>   Jamfile, your tests won't compile.
>> 
>> Thoughts?
>
> Which problems with the release process such an organization
> would solve? 

I wasn't suggesting it as a way to solve problems with the release
process.  However, having explicit dependency declarations would
probably make efficient incremental testing more practical, because
we'd know exactly which libraries needed to have tests run for any
change.

> This organisation clearly requires some work to implement, so it
> should give some real advantage in return.

So far it's just an idea that seems like it has potential
organizational benefits.  It certainly would make it easier to move in
libraries from the sandbox.

-- 
Dave Abrahams
Boost Consulting
http://www.boost-consulting.com
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