V2: using pre-built libraries suggestion

From: Reece Dunn (msclrhd_at_[hidden])
Date: 2004-02-11 16:24:31

There has been some discussion about using pre-built libraries with 
Boost.Build and was wondering if it would be possible to implement an 
"import" feature that imports libraries from one or more directories, 
declaring them as targets.

Let's call the feature "importlib" for lack of a better term. The jam file 
would set a library extension filter to select what libraries to import:
filter : .lib ; # Win32; cygwin+gcc
filter : .a ; # gcc; Linux?

On an importlib target, e.g.
importlib cygwinlib : /libs /usr/local/libs ;
apply something like (I am only vaguely familiar with the way Boost.Build 
works):
for file in $directory
{
if( $(file) has-extension $(filter) )
{
alias strip-extension( $(file) ) : : $(file) ;
}
}

It would also be nice to do something like:
importlib targetlibs : $(tool.library-path) ;
to import the available for the compiler in the specified library search 
directories (or have this done automatically).

Regards,
Reece

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