[boost] Reminder about links when running b2 headers

Subject: [boost] Reminder about links when running b2 headers
From: Edward Diener (eldiener_at_[hidden])
Date: 2013-12-24 11:29:43

There was already a discussion about why the creation of hard links to 
individual files in the boost directory is inferior to the creation of 
symbolic links when the ability to create symbolic links is supported by 
the OS. As a reminder, if a hard link is created and the submodule file 
is replaced by git, the hard link will still refer to the old file 
contents. Thus testing, when it refers to any of the hard linked header 
files in the boost subdirectory, will go awry if this happens.

Can we please have this updated at the module boost superproject level 
by some Boost Build guru so that symbolic links are created when allowed 
by the OS ? Even if, as on Windows, administrator rights are needed to 
create symbolic links it seems we could have some b2 headers 
alternative, aka 'b2 headers_wadmin', which would create symbolic links 
on Windows for users who have administrator rights. Of course on Linux 
this is not a problem.

I realize this might not be easy to do even by a Boost Build expert but 
unless we want to hear squawks and complaints from Boost 
developers/end-users using our git/modular boost setup we need to change 
to symbolic links when possible.