[Boost-build] [python-port] msvc link and manifest issues

Subject: [Boost-build] [python-port] msvc link and manifest issues
From: Juraj Ivanèiæ (juraj.ivancic_at_[hidden])
Date: 2011-11-22 06:56:53

Hi all,

I found another issue in msvc.jam which is not directly portable to 
python port. The following rule

rule link ( targets + : sources * : properties * )
{
     if <embed-manifest>on in $(properties)
     {
         msvc.manifest $(targets) : $(sources) : $(properties) ;
     }
}

Will result in msvc.link and msvc.manifest action respectively. Python 
port currently has (AFAICS) no way to conditionally chain an action from 
another action. As this problem is somewhat similar to the one from my 
previous post I came up with a proposed solution. Basically - allow the 
action to register additional Python function, which will be invoked 
after main update action is set.

So the above translates to:

<code>
def manifest(targets,sources,properties):
     if 'on' in properties.get('<embed-manifest>'):
         engine.set_update_action('msvc.manifest', targets,
             sources, properties)

# Does not work, as msvc.manifest action occurs before msvc.link
#engine.register_action('msvc.link', command, function=manifest)

# Works
engine.register_action('msvc.link', command, chain_function=manifest)
</code>

This is hardly elegant, but I don't see a better solution.
Anyone have a better idea?