Re: [boost] [clang][preprocessor] Testing of clang emualting the VC++ preprocessor on Windows

Subject: Re: [boost] [clang][preprocessor] Testing of clang emualting the VC++ preprocessor on Windows
From: John Maddock (jz.maddock_at_[hidden])
Date: 2016-03-31 12:52:12

On 31/03/2016 15:27, degski wrote:
> Hi,
>
> Is there a (simple) git command-line that gives me a complete "develop"
> boost source distribution clone, so I could give it a try?

Easiest way is to go to https://github.com/boostorg/preprocessor, and 
hit the "download" button ;)

HTH, John.

> Thanks in advance,
>
> degski
>
> On 31 March 2016 at 14:28, Edward Diener <eldiener_at_[hidden]> wrote:
>
>> On 3/30/2016 5:05 PM, Edward Diener wrote:
>>
>>> I have made local changes in the Boost preprocessor config.hpp on the
>>> 'develop' branch to have clang's emulation of the non-standard VC++
>>> preprocessor act like the VC++ preprocessor as far as Boost PP is
>>> concerned. Boost PP has a large number of workarounds for VC++ without
>>> which Boost PP preprocessor code would not work when compiling using any
>>> version of VC++.
>>>
>>> I have tested the usual compilers extensively to make sure they are
>>> unaffected by these changes as well as the normal clang-linux
>>> implementation. Everything remains the same for these compilers with my
>>> changes so I am assured the changes will not affect any other compiler
>>> implementation.
>>>
>>> I was able to test both clang-3.8 and the latest build of clang, which
>>> is clang-3.9, by invoking clang-cl. My user-config.jam file for these
>>> entries looks like:
>>>
>>> using clang-win : 3.8 : SomePath/clang-cl : <compatibility>vc12
>>> using clang-win : 3.9 : SomePath/clang-cl : <compatibility>vc14
>>>
>>> By passing toolset=clang-win-3.8 or toolset=clang-win-3.9 I was able to
>>> successfully test these implementations against the Boost PP test code.
>>>
>>> There are quite a few failures in this clang emulation of the VC++
>>> preprocessor when tested against the preprocessor test code. In fact
>>> testing clang emulation of VC++ preprocessor when I don't treat clang as
>>> VC++ in Boost PP, but as its normal C++ standard conforming
>>> preprocessor, still fails a few cases but far less than when clang is
>>> treated as VC++ in Boost PP. Needless to say when invoking clang-linux,
>>> which tests the normal clang implementation whether on Windows or Linux,
>>> there are no failures in the Boost PP tests.
>>>
>>> I am perfectly willing to push my changes to 'develop' for the
>>> preprocessor. The changes are essentially just in the Boost PP
>>> config.hpp file, which sets macros which control the compiler
>>> workarounds in Boost PP. As I have previously stated I am not personally
>>> willing to try to figure out or report to clang why their VC++
>>> preprocessor emulation in Boost PP is failing, but others who are
>>> interested can do so if they wish. My personal reasons for this is that
>>> I think it is a very bad thing to attempt to replicate an already flawed
>>> C++ preprocessor in another compiler in general code. I also have spent
>>> enough time working with the VC++ preprocessor trying to find
>>> workarounds for its non-standard behavior that I do not want to do so
>>> for another preprocessor which attempts to be non-standard.
>>>
>>> I posted this to alert others to my plans to update Boost PP on
>>> 'develop' with this change, in case anybody is greatly opposed to it or
>>> wants to discuss it further. The change will not affect any other
>>> compiler but clang in VC++ preprocessor emulation mode. Unless I hear
>>> objections etc. I plan to push my update within the next day although I
>>> will wait awhile for any replies to this post.
>>>
>> I pushed my update to Boost PP on 'develop' so anybody using clang
>> targeting VC++ for Windows can try it out. It is possible that the clang
>> emulating the non-standard VC++ preprocessor errors I see when running the
>> preprocessor tests with clang-win toolset are few but are being propagated
>> in many different cases. However I don't even think there is a way to see,
>> for anybody interested, how clang is expanding macros in its VC++ emulation
>> as opposed to normal clang-linux where macro expansion is shown when clang
>> preprocessor erros are detected.
>>
>> Note on clang targeting on Windows:
>>
>> The LLVM 3.8 binary distribution of clang for Windows defaults to
>> clang/clang++ targeting VC++, while all previous LLVM binary distributions
>> of clang for Windows defaulted to clang/clang++ targeting mingw(-64)/gcc.
>>
>> The clang-cl executable always targets VC++ AFAIK. When you build from
>> source using VC++ on Windows then clang/clang++ targets VC++ by default and
>> when you build from source using mingw(-64)/gcc on Windows then
>> clang/clang++ targets mingw(-64)/gcc by default.
>>
>> You can always change the targeting of clang through the use of the
>> clang/clang++ '-target' option. It's details are poorly documented at
>> http://clang.llvm.org/docs/CrossCompilation.html#target-triple. I chided
>> clang developers about this incomplete documentation but without effect.
>>
>> I was given the targets '-target i686-pc-windows-gnu' and '-target
>> x86_64-pc-windows-gnu' as a way of targeting mingw(-64)/gcc for 32-bit and
>> 64-bit clang/clang++ versions respectively, both of which I have tested and
>> do work. I believe the equivalent targets for 32-bit and 64-bit versions of
>> clang/clang++ targeting VC++ are '-target=i686-pc-windows-msvc' and
>> '-target=x86_64-pc-windows-msvc' respectively but I have not tried these
>> out.
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> Unsubscribe & other changes:
>> http://lists.boost.org/mailman/listinfo.cgi/boost
>>
>
>