[Boost-build] build Boost lib fails on Linux gcc 3.3.6

Subject: [Boost-build] build Boost lib fails on Linux gcc 3.3.6
From: Wesley Johnson (johnson2412_at_[hidden])
Date: 2010-04-30 18:36:53

I have been getting massive failure when trying to compile the boost_1_41_1
libs since downloading latest in Oct 2010.
I have read all the install html that I can find, multiple times.
I have made about 6 attempts to get this to compile.

Boost fails to compile on platform:
  Linux 2.4.31
  gcc 3.3.6

Only 42 libs succeed.
Many compiles have error message about  "-Winvalid-pch", which gcc 3.3.6
does not list as a valid switch.

After months of trying to get this to work (Oct to Apr), I finally
discovered about 6 directories deep, a set of files that have this flag.
These files had the best documentation about compiler flags, so why hide
them 6 directory levels deep.  Maybe I got the wrong files
and they are hidden because they are not supposed be accessed by users.
I have not discovered any mention that they even exist in any of the install
documents, assuming that the html that I found is even the right install
documents in the first place.
This computer does not have internet access.  Those index HTML just bombed
because they could not access the internet, and were no help.

The install text says nothing useful about having compile problems.
It pretends that there should not be any, except for gz or some other
problems.  It should have at least a couple pages listing all ff the places
to start looking if the compile fails on your platform, and the things to
try.

April 25, 2010
I tried the command
  ./bjam --build-dir=bin3 toolset=gcc pch=off

I do not know if this is the right way to deal with this, but at least some
of the libraries compiled.
I do not know what failures have pch=off is going to introduce.

Still have 8 compiles that failed, some with an error message about too many
initializers for the array.  That is an error message that should never
occur.
It skipped 12 compiles for mysterious reasons.

Do not see any record of what compiles failed.
I cannot even identify the error messages from other large messages.
Every message is 4 to 6 lines long because the path strings are so long.  I
cannot even speed read them before they scroll off the top of the screen.

I do not trust this compile, and do not wish to pass these problems on to my
customers until I have some reason to believe that these boost libraries
have been compiled correctly.

What can you tell me about compiling for gcc 3.3.6 ??
What is pch ??
Is PCH necessary, is it optional, can I turn it off like that without
something failing ??
What else can I turn off ??
Maybe something will help with those other 8 libraries that still bomb.
Where is the documentation on those compile switches like  pch=off ??

Thank You for any help.

Wesley D. Johnson
Owner:  Project'Resin -- Wesley Johnson
Research and Develoment, Software Programming