Re: [Boost-build] Using bjam in the sandbox

Subject: Re: [Boost-build] Using bjam in the sandbox
From: Vladimir Prus (vladimir_at_[hidden])
Date: 2009-11-23 01:58:21

Edward Diener wrote:

>> I agree that the error message is not exactly clear. Nor is the link
>> direct enough.
>> 
>> At present I recommend you to
>> 
>> - set environment variable BOOST_BUILD_PATH to <boost-root>/tools/build/v2
>> - set environment variable BOOST_ROOT to <boost-root>
>> - let me know if any sandbox library fails to work with those settings. I'll
>> fix logging shortly.
> 
> I set both BOOST_BUILD_PATH and BOOST_ROOT and tried bjam in the sandbox
> logging directory. I no longer get any errors. My output is now:
> 
> "warning: No toolsets are configured.
> warning: Configuring default toolset "msvc".
> warning: If the default is wrong, your build may not work correctly.
> warning: Use the "toolset=xxxxx" option to override our guess.
> warning: For more configuration options, please consult
> warning:
> http://boost.org/boost-build2/doc/html/bbv2/advanced/configuration.html
> 
> ...found 1 target..."
> 
> I am glad it is no longer giving me errors but that last line is not
> very informative either. What target has been found ? 

'all' ;-)

> Has anything been
> built ? This is the sort of thing that always bothers me about using
> bjam. I think the output needs to be informative enough to tell the user
> what has happened.

How about:

        Nothing to do (no file targets found)

for the above cases, and

        Nothing to do (13 file targets up-to-date)

in case of a project that actually has something to build?

> 
>> 
>> For future, what would you say about the following wording:
>> 
>>         Boost.Build could not be located.
>> 
>>         The Boost.Build startup module, 'bootstrap.jam', could not be found.
>>         The search was performed in:
>> 
>>         - Directories given by the BOOST_BUILD_PATH environment variable:
>>           - currently none
>>         - In the directory of bjam.exe:
>>           - c:/something/
>> 
>>         Please see <direct link to reference> for further details.
>> 
>> Note that this is not a wording change only -- it depends on some behaviour
>> changes to be done first.
> 
> The above is much more informative.

OK. I've added this to my todo for 1.42

>>> In particular, is there some Boost.Build documentation
>>> which explains how .bjam files are found ? I do not see this as a topic
>>> heading anywhere in the Boost.Build v2 documentation.
>> 
>> Does http://tinyurl.com/ybocjzv answer your questions? (This link is outside
>> Boost, since there are some site problems, that should resolve in 24 hours)
> 
> Yes, that explains it well. But should not there be docs on how .bjam
> files are found in general ? Does all finding of .bjam files follow the
> same rules as explained in that link, ie. up the file hierarchy and then
> in the directories of BOOST_BUILD_PATH ? If not, then you should explain
> how .bjam search actually works. In either case it would be welcome if
> there were a general topic in the Boost Build doc of how Boost Build
> finds .bjam files.

I think the only other context when Boost.Build is searching for .jam files
is when either 'import' or 'using' statement is found somewhere. In that case
the named module is searched for in BOOST_BUILD_PATH, only. I've added a
todo item to document this.

Thanks for feedback,
Volodya

> 
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