Re: [boost] [serialization] VC++ compiler warnings

Subject: Re: [boost] [serialization] VC++ compiler warnings
From: Beman Dawes (bdawes_at_[hidden])
Date: 2011-07-11 18:37:13

On Mon, Jul 11, 2011 at 4:35 PM, Robert Ramey <ramey_at_[hidden]> wrote:
> Beman Dawes wrote:
>> A 1.47.0  VC++ 10.0 build of Boost  produced a lot of stupid warnings
>> from Serialization in the form c:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual
>> Studio 10.0\VC\INCLUDE\xutility(2227) : warning C4996:
>> 'std::_Copy_impl': Function call with parameters that may be unsafe -
>> this call relies on the caller to check that the passed values are
>> correct. To disable this warning, use -D_SCL_SECURE_NO_WARNINGS. See
>> documentation on how to use Visual C++ 'Checked Iterators'
>>
>> These can be shut off various ways, such as sticking "#include
>> <boost/config/warning_disable.hpp>" at the start of the file being
>> compiled.
>
> Hmmm - it would seem to me the easiest and least intrusive way to
> deal with this is tweak the bjam build script.  I build an test with
> MSVC 9.0 which also has this "facility" and I don't get the errors
> so maybe the build script already has this in it.  I'll look into it.

The problem with lowering the warning level (as Daniel James suggested
WRT iostreams) or in some way tweaking the build script is (1) Some
warnings may be caused by coding errors, and the only way to determine
that is to look at the code. At that point we might as well just fix
the code to shut off the warning, thus signalling the developer
understood what was happening and with that knowledge wished to
suppress the warning. (2) Not everyone builds with b2 (previously
known as bjam), so these folks benefit if the source of the warning
rather than just some build setting quiets the warning, and (3) some
(mistaken, IMO) organizational polices requires all code compile
without warnings, so these folks are happier if Boost produces no
warnings.

It isn't a big thing, but where we are so close to a no warnings
build, it seem worthwhile to take care of the few warnings remaining.

--Beman