Re: [jamboost] VC8 manifests

From: Andrey Melnikov (melnikov_at_[hidden])
Date: 2005-08-29 10:33:28

David Abrahams wrote:
> Andrey Melnikov <melnikov_at_[hidden]> writes:
> 
> 
>>David Abrahams wrote:
>>
>>>the manifest generation step that became required in
>>>vc8. 
>>>
>>
>>It isn't required. It's optional. If you don't install CRT dlls in 
>>WinSxs folder, you don't need manifests.
> 
> 
> Sorry, we were told quite explicitly by Martyn Lovell at Microsoft
> that it's required. You can argue with him if you like.

I don't see big contradictions with his post at 
http://lists.boost.org/boost-testing/2005/05/1181.php

It looks like I'm just unaware of the problems with DLLs you were 
encountering at the moment of his post. I wasn't able to find what kind 
of problems you encountered without manifests, so if you remember I'd be 
glad to see them.

Martyn Lovell wrote:
> To help me understand what you're seeing, could you tell me exactly
> what text is in the Windows error dialog you see when you try to use
> your DLL? From that I can ask the next diagnostic questions.

Also it's quite strange that Martyn required manifests for DLLs, but not 
for EXE files. I don't see the difference, and encountered some problems 
if EXEs were linked without manifests. I even submitted a patch so now 
BBv2 uses manifests for any PE target (both EXE and DLLs).

The manifests (and whole fusion/SxS technology) need more research from 
my side. For now I see that CRT is linked to Boost using Fusion, but I'm 
not sure if Boost DLLs themselves are linked to user applications using 
Fusion too.

Because it looks like nobody in the list has enough experience with 
Fusion/SxS, I'll contact Martyn to confirm my final decisions about 
manifest support in BBv2.

Andrey