Re: [Boost-build] default values for free and optional features

Subject: Re: [Boost-build] default values for free and optional features
From: Vladimir Prus (vladimir_at_[hidden])
Date: 2008-12-27 16:53:10

Steven Watanabe wrote:

> AMDG
> 
> Rene Rivera wrote:
>> Steven Watanabe wrote:
>>> Currently, attempts to call set-default with a free or optional
>>> feature are silently
>>> ignored.  The attached patch causes a hard error.  Ok to commit?
>>
>> What's wrong about setting a default for an optional feature?
> 
> It looks like this restriction is left over from before set-default existed,
> when there was no way to give an optional feature a default.  Of course,
> allowing
> this would kind of defeat the purpose of optional features, since if a
> feature has a
> default, it will act exactly as though it were not optional.

Precisely, I cannot think of any reason one might want optional feature to
have a default value, and attempt to do so suggests either misunderstanding
or accidental use of meaningless attributes combination.

I think the patch is fine, thanks!

- Volodya