Re: [boost] CMake - one more time

Subject: Re: [boost] CMake - one more time
From: Robert Ramey (ramey_at_[hidden])
Date: 2016-04-22 14:58:22

On 4/22/16 10:25 AM, Paul Fultz II wrote:

>> Note that I have only addressed the issue of library development which is my main interest.  I'm really not seeing this issues related to users of libraries.  In particular, CMake has the whole "find" thing which I'm still not even seeing the need for.  If I want to use a library, I can build the library and move it to a common place with the headers, specify the include directory and I'm on my way.
>
> But if that library has dependencies then you need to find the dependencies as well. Its like when I want to use Boost.Filesystem, I need to link in Boost.System as well. If boost provided pkg-config files then I would just say I want Boost.Filesystem and Boost.System would be linked in automatically.

FWIW - the way handle this is:

use boost build to build the whole of modular boost - and stage the 
libraries to some known directory.

a) Create a CMake project with my project
b) use CMake "find" to find boost libraries
c) hit configure then generate - and I have an IDE project that builds.

I use the CMake GUI to do this.  It's pretty brain dead simple and no 
command line switches etc, etc.  This is why I don't really understand 
what problem the "package" functionality is designed to solve.  I should 
note that I rarely study any of these things in a systematic, exhaustive 
way - I'm only there because I've some other monkey on my back and I 
just experiment with the examples and maybe some cheat sheet I find on 
the web util it works.  I know, I know ...   But If I really learn it - 
I've forgotten it by the time I do it the next time so I still have to 
go into hack mode.  I like to see stuff have the hacker friendly mode be 
the built in default.

Robert Ramey