issues with direct build request

From: Vladimir Prus (ghost_at_[hidden])
Date: 2003-03-11 11:32:34

Consider the following simple Jamfile:

exe a : a.cpp b ;
lib b : b.cpp ;

and the folloing invocation:

bjam define=FOO

The question is: should "b.cpp" be compiled with -DFOO? In this case, the
answer is clear: yes. Another example:

exe a : a.cpp b/<variant>release ;
lib b : b.cpp ;

What's now? I think that two rules are possible.

Rule 1. 
If we try to build the same main target twice, and non-free properties are the 
same in both requests, but one of the requests is direct, we use the 
properties from direct request.

In first case, "b" is directly requested with "<variant>debug .... 
<define>FOO"
and indirectly (by a) with "<variant>debug". So, we build with firsth property 
set. In the second case, we build release version of "b" without <define>FOO.

Rule 2.
Directly requested free properties apply to all variants. This means that 
<define>FOO will always be used when compiling "b.cpp", either with 
<variant>debug, <variant>release, or any other combination of properties.

I just don't know which rule is best. Can anybody offer more reasonable 
comment?

- Volodya