[boost] Boost serialization DLL issues on x64 platforms

From: Terence Wilson (tez_at_[hidden])
Date: 2008-01-31 21:44:52

Folks,

I've finally found the cause of a problem that has been tripping us up for
some time. We have a Windows application that we build for IA32 and x64.
Naturally the IA32 version links against 32-bit import libraries and the x64
64-bit import libraries. But here's the rub: Boost generates output binaries
with the same name for both platforms:

bjam -sTOOLS=vc-8_0
bjam -sTOOLS=vc-8_0-amd64

both result in 

boost_serialization-vc80-mt-gd-1_33_1.lib
boost_serialization-vc80-mt-gd-1_33_1.dll 

being created (among other things). Now because the Windows loader simply
searches the PATH for the first DLL that matches the name of the import
library, an x64 application linked against the x64 import library for Boost
Serialization might load the IA32 version at runtime.

Most other tool vendors solve this one by attaching a 'x64' suffix to the
import and DLL filenames. However, despite what the Boost Build
documentation says, the tool name "vc-8_0-amd64" is not used when building
the DLL file name. We get stuck with the same filename for both platforms.

Simply rename the files? Nope, the binary import library contains decorated
names prefixed with the DLL name. The best fix would be to make bjam do the
right thing:

boost_serialization-vc80-amd64-mt-gd-1_33_1.lib
boost_serialization-vc80-amd64-mt-gd-1_33_1.dll 

Am I missing something here?

Thanks in advance,

Terence