BBv1, NT, dll's which export no symbols

From: C. Andy Martin (andy_at_[hidden])
Date: 2004-11-18 10:30:28

This problem occurs in a scenario where a DLL exports no symbols. This 
would happen for a `plugin' DLL which uses some other dynamic object, 
like a DLL to register callbacks, etc. which don't have to have symbols 
exported. What happens is msvc doesn't actually make a .lib import 
library for the DLL, but Boost.Build expects it to make a .lib import 
library. The project builds fine until it gets to the stage rule, which 
tries to copy the non-existant .lib file. This results in a failed stage 
target for each variant of the library, which is merely an annoyance, 
since bjam builds everything else fine. (The reason it is annoying is I 
can't always use bjam -q, since these targets always fail). Is there 
some simple way around this? (Such as keeping the stage rule from 
including the .lib file?, or always touching a .lib file so that when 
MSVC doesn't make one, an empty one exists? or only having the stage 
rule copy in .lib files which exist?)

Thanks for any help!
-Andy