[boost] Distributed Boost with CMake: proposal and volunteering

Subject: [boost] Distributed Boost with CMake: proposal and volunteering
From: Daniel Pfeifer (daniel_at_[hidden])
Date: 2011-01-29 06:21:54

 Hi all,

 I would like to propose my approach to a modularized build of the Boost 
 C++ Libraries with CMake.
 The project is found on http://github.com/purpleKarrot/Boost.CMake

 The following features are currently implemented:
 * Aggregate modules from different sources (CVS, SVN, GIT, tarballs, 
 ...).
 * Build, Test, Install
 * Create a binary installer with selectable components for Windows.
 * Create a source package (with the modules included) that can do 
 everything in this list (except the first entry).
 * Create a Debian source package that can be uploaded to a Launchpad 
 PPA where it is built and packaged into many binary Debian packages.
 * Build Documentation (the usual quickbook-doxygen-boostbook-chain).
 * Tested on Windows (Visual Studio 10) and Ubuntu (GCC).
 * Precompiled headers (currently MSVC only).
 * Build two Boost.MPI libraries on Debian: boost_openmpi and 
 boost_mpich2.
 * Tests actually make use of Boost's autolinking feature.

 This tool would allow the following Boost development process:
 * Each Boost library uses it's own repository (no matter which VCS)
 * Boost.CMake has a list of modules (or multiple list: eg 'boost' and 
 'incubating')
 * A modules definition consists of the information about where to get 
 the source code from.
 * Boost.CMake can be used to aggregate all modules, run tests, build 
 release packages...
 * Incubating libraries can be tested before they become an official 
 part of boost.

 Please note that I am not proposing a development process. I am just 
 proposing a tool.
 I am volunteering to extend and maintain the tool so that it can (help 
 to) drive the development process.
 If you decide that all libraries should use git, I can drop the support 
 for all other VCSs, no problem.
 Also, I am happy to implement other missing features.

 In the next couple of days I was going to write some documentation and 
 a tutorial how to migrate the libraries to CMake.

 Cheers, Daniel