Re: [boost] [CMake] what to do now?

Subject: Re: [boost] [CMake] what to do now?
From: Stephen Kelly (hello_at_[hidden])
Date: 2016-04-13 18:54:38

P F wrote:

> Instead of trying to convert the all boost libraries to cmake, we could
> start to move to cmake little-by-little by first getting the core
> libraries using cmake. 

I really recommend trying to generate cmake packages for the sake of users 
of boost. Once you have that, porting any boost library to use cmake is much 
easier - but it is a very different task and requires very different buy-in 
from people and is a much more significant change for the boost community.

What I proposed in that thread is for the benefit of boost users and is 
completely compatible with current boost community values (does not propose 
moving away from boost.build, which is a too-controversial topic).

> I started writing a cmake(including testing using
> travis and appveyor) for Boost.Config here:
> 
> https://github.com/pfultz2/config
> 
> But then gave up when I realized that Boost.Config depends on Boost.Core
> which depends on Boost.Config. 

I guess you're referring to

 test/limits_test.cpp:#include <boost/core/lightweight_test.hpp>

in Boost.Config. 

The good news is that some of the cycles which I described previously are no 
longer present (due to  
http://lists.boost.org/Archives/boost/2015/01/219121.php I suppose). I made 
updated diagrams of this but haven't posted them yet.

But I was only interested in cycles from public headers, not tests.

> Before moving to modular cmake building,
> boost needs to get rid of its cyclic dependencies(especially in its core
> libraries). 

Let's party like it's 2013! \o/

Be careful - you're about to get into a discussion of what a dependency is. 
:)

Thanks,

Steve.