Re: [Boost-build] Future development

From: Vladimir Prus (ghost_at_[hidden])
Date: 2007-10-16 12:32:13

On Tuesday 16 October 2007 20:15:36 Jordan Rosenthal wrote:

> Also, though it's slightly outside this particular discussion, I'd like 
> to add that my experience with Boost.Build resonates with the 
> perceptions mentioned on this list before:
> 
> 1) The documentation needs work (thought I have seen incredible 
> improvements in it since I first started....bravo!)
> 
> 2) It is too hard to extend the system (or more precisely I guess, there 
> is too large a learning curve).  I found myself taking _way_ too long 
> trying to customize the code to do something I thought would be somewhat 
> trivial once I got the basics down...it wasn't.  I was digging in the 
> guts of the Boost.Build trying to figure out what I needed to do, which 
> is never fun.

I think two problems with the current extender's guide are:

1. It does not describe all the levels and how they interact. So, while
it tells what you can create a generator, it's not obvious what generator
takes, and when it's called and what it can produce.

2. There's no textual documentation of the important methods of
generators (that one might want to override), or in virtual-target 
and action class (that one might want to use).

So, the next result is that in parts, extender's guide hints on solutions,
but does not explain it in details. 

I've added those points to: https://zigzag.cs.msu.su:7813/boost.build/ticket/151
Feel free to add other points that you might want covered.

Thanks,
Volodya