Re: [Boost-build] Future development

From: David Abrahams (dave_at_[hidden])
Date: 2007-10-07 21:55:04

on Sun Oct 07 2007, Larry Evans <cppljevans-AT-cox-internet.com> wrote:

> On 10/06/07 19:08, Douglas Gregor wrote:
> [snip]
>> 
>> Okay. One could certainly make the executables for some tests  
>> dependent on the executables of other tests, so if the type_traits  
>> tests fail to build then one doesn't build the tests for other  
>> libraries that depend on type_traits.
>> 
>> I don't think we could make chain tests based on whether a test  
>> *executes* correctly.
>> 
> redflag!

I'm not alarmed.  It means some tests may attempt to run needlessly,
but we'll still get all the results we need.  

> I think this is important to have.  I actually had such a need
> before:
>
> http://article.gmane.org/gmane.comp.lib.boost.build/6301
>
> I'd think it would be useful because, in general, the higher
> level classes or objects in a library depend on the correct
> functioning of lower level parts of the library or other
> libraries.  Obviously it would be useless to run tests
> for the higher level parts if the lower level parts
> didn't work correctly. ( Hopefully the adjectives "higher level"
> and "lower level" are clear, but if not, I could try and
> define them or give examples. )  I'm surprised the topic
> hasn't come up more often.

I'm not aware of any Boost library that actually creates such
dependencies among its tests, are you?

-- 
Dave Abrahams
Boost Consulting
http://www.boost-consulting.com