Re: [Boost-build] Target paths idea

From: Vladimir Prus (ghost_at_[hidden])
Date: 2007-12-02 03:09:33

On Sunday 02 December 2007 03:49:36 David Abrahams wrote:
> 
> on Sat Dec 01 2007, Vladimir Prus <ghost-AT-cs.msu.su> wrote:
> 
> > I had just got a totally crazy idea -- we have some algorithms
> > to compute target paths, and --abbreviate-paths options, and it
> > not quite good yet.
> 
> What's wrong with it?

The fact that as new features are added, the paths still become
longer, and longer.

> > How about just using MD5 or SHA-1 of build properties to form
> > target path? Might sound scary, but after working with git for
> > a bit, I find that using SHA-1 to identify things is not so
> > bad, as copy-paste works. 
> 
> What do you mean by "copy-paste works?"

I mean what while nobody can remember SHA-1 identifier, you can also
either write it down, or get is from output of some command, and then
copy-paste to other commands that need it.

Likewise, since bjam prints the full path to the target it creates,
you can copy-paste the path if you want to run the binary, or look
at some other target. 
 
> > To make things easier, we might
> > put a file in each build directory that lists all the properties
> > of the files in that directory.
> >
> > Comments?
> 
> I don't mind the idea, but I thought it would be better not to lose
> all mnemonic value in the path.

Does "all" above mean you suggest to retain *some* of mnemoric, like
toolset/variant?

- Volodya