Re: [Boost-build] Documentation toolchain, ease of use

Subject: Re: [Boost-build] Documentation toolchain, ease of use
From: John Maddock (boost.regex_at_[hidden])
Date: 2011-02-04 13:06:43

> For tools that only support a single configuration,
> when default initialization is good enough, it
> would be nice if the configuration files didn't
> need to be adjusted.  (Just like a default
> compiler is selected if none is configured).
>
> So, here's what I propose to do:
>
> a) Change all documentation Jamfiles to have
>    using quickbook ;
>    using boostbook ;
>    using doxygen ;
>    (or whatever's appropriate)

Do you mean the users Jamfiles?  It would be nice if that wasn't needed.

> b) boostbook should lazily initialize the
>    tools it depends on (xsltproc and fop).
>    doxygen should lazily initialize boostbook.

Nod, anything we can do to make things easier here would be a good thing - 
especially on 'nix environments where most of the tools should be in the 
user's path anyway.

What I'd like to see is:

* If nothing is specified in the user-config.jam file, then default 
initialize the tool.
* Always check that the tool can be found OK by trying to run it with a "do 
nothing" command (version check or something), emit a decent error message 
if the tool can't be run.
* For Docbook, make sure that the path to the stylesheets is correct and if 
not emit a useful message.

Hopefully that should take care of most of the new-user errors! ;-)

HTH, John.